Saturday, September 19
Waco, Texas
3 p.m.
Baylor
2-1 , 0-0
36
vs
19
Louisiana Tech
1-2 , 0-0
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Tech | 7 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 19 |
| Baylor | 7 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 36 |
Bennett Accounts for Four TDs in 36-19 Win over LA Tech
9/19/2026 7:22:00 PM | Football
WACO, Texas -- Nate Bennett accounted for four touchdowns in his second consecutive start, leading Baylor to a 36-19 win over Louisiana Tech to conclude the regular-season, non-conference schedule, on Saturday afternoon at McLane Stadium.
Baylor (2-1) used a second straight start from Bennett, in relief of QB DJ Lagway, to fuel the win over Louisiana Tech (1-2). Bennett, a junior from Westlake Village, Calif., completed 21-of-24 passes for 253 yards with three TDs, also adding a 25-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
His 87.5 completion percentage marked the best for a Baylor signal caller since Robert Griffin III completed 90.5% of his passes in a win over Stephen F. Austin in 2011.
Bennett found Louis Brown IV for a TD and Jayden McGowan for his second straight game with two TDs in the game. Brown finished with two catches for 79 yards, while McGowan also added two catches – both scores – for 79 yards.
On the ground, freshman Ryelan Morris had a team-high 55 yards on just four rushes, including a 33-yard scamper in the fourth quarter. Dawson Pendergrass toted it 16 times for 46. Yards and a score, with Caden Knighten adding 10 carries for 42 yards and Michael Turner going for eight carries for 25 yards.
Gavin Freeman finished with a team-high seven catches – his third career BU game and his third time leading the team in catches – going for 47 yards. Taz Williams Jr. and Knighten each had two catches, with DeBraun Hampton, Tony Livingston, Hawkins Polley, Turner, Pendergrass and Morris each adding grabs.
The Baylor defense entered the game ranked in the top 30 in total defense (28th), sacks (sixth) and tackles for a loss (eighth), and held LA Tech to 362 yards of total offense, including 139 rushing. Allowing only 19 points, it marked the first time since 2019 that the Bears have opened the season allowing less than 20 points in the first three games.
The BU defensive unit was led by safety Micah Gifford, making his first career start, who had seven tackles, including a key stop on a fourth down. Bo Onu had five tackles, two for a loss, one sack and a forced fumble. Colby McCalister, Travion Barnes, Tyler Turner and Kyland Reed each had five tackles. Kyler Jordan had a career-high four tackles, including one for a loss. Devon Jordan picked off his second pass of the year through his first three games.
Baylor accounted for seven pass break-ups, its most since in a game since 2023 and five QB hurries.
As a team, the Bears had 418 yards of total offense, including 253 in the air and 165 rushing. Louisiana Tech had 362 yards of offense.
The Bears return to action on Saturday, hosting Colorado in the Big 12 Conference opener at 11 a.m. on ESPN or ESPN2 and the Baylor Sports Media Network.
Baylor struck first on its opening drive, marching 75 yards to take an early 7-0 lead on a 25-yard TD rush from Bennett, the second of his career.
The Bulldogs answered on their first drive, marching 75 yards on 15 plays to punch it in from two yards out using an Andrew Burnette TD rush.
The Bears responded with a 75-yard, 13-play drive with Pendergrass scoring from a yard out for his first TD rush of the year and the 12th of his career. Bennett found Louis Brown IV on a big 28-yard pass to spark the drive.
After forcing a three-and-out, the Bears used a 51-yard TD strike from Bennett to Brown, the longest catch of his career, to take the lead to 20-7 with 10:38 left in the second.
Baylor held a 216-124 margin in total offense at the half, with Bennett throwing for 149 yards and a TD on 11-of-13 passing.
A fourth-down stop from the Baylor defense opened the second half. The Bears used a pair of strong rushes from Pendergrass before Bennett found McGowan on a 43-yard strike for a 26-7 lead.
A Rhett Armstrong 23-yard field goal pushed the lead to 29-7 with 1:45 left in the third and capped a 23-yard drive that started after the Bears forced a four-and-out.
McGowan and Bennett capped a scoring drive with 4:10 left in the game on a 36-yard completion to push the lead to 36-19.
Baylor (2-1) used a second straight start from Bennett, in relief of QB DJ Lagway, to fuel the win over Louisiana Tech (1-2). Bennett, a junior from Westlake Village, Calif., completed 21-of-24 passes for 253 yards with three TDs, also adding a 25-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
His 87.5 completion percentage marked the best for a Baylor signal caller since Robert Griffin III completed 90.5% of his passes in a win over Stephen F. Austin in 2011.
Bennett found Louis Brown IV for a TD and Jayden McGowan for his second straight game with two TDs in the game. Brown finished with two catches for 79 yards, while McGowan also added two catches – both scores – for 79 yards.
On the ground, freshman Ryelan Morris had a team-high 55 yards on just four rushes, including a 33-yard scamper in the fourth quarter. Dawson Pendergrass toted it 16 times for 46. Yards and a score, with Caden Knighten adding 10 carries for 42 yards and Michael Turner going for eight carries for 25 yards.
Gavin Freeman finished with a team-high seven catches – his third career BU game and his third time leading the team in catches – going for 47 yards. Taz Williams Jr. and Knighten each had two catches, with DeBraun Hampton, Tony Livingston, Hawkins Polley, Turner, Pendergrass and Morris each adding grabs.
The Baylor defense entered the game ranked in the top 30 in total defense (28th), sacks (sixth) and tackles for a loss (eighth), and held LA Tech to 362 yards of total offense, including 139 rushing. Allowing only 19 points, it marked the first time since 2019 that the Bears have opened the season allowing less than 20 points in the first three games.
The BU defensive unit was led by safety Micah Gifford, making his first career start, who had seven tackles, including a key stop on a fourth down. Bo Onu had five tackles, two for a loss, one sack and a forced fumble. Colby McCalister, Travion Barnes, Tyler Turner and Kyland Reed each had five tackles. Kyler Jordan had a career-high four tackles, including one for a loss. Devon Jordan picked off his second pass of the year through his first three games.
Baylor accounted for seven pass break-ups, its most since in a game since 2023 and five QB hurries.
As a team, the Bears had 418 yards of total offense, including 253 in the air and 165 rushing. Louisiana Tech had 362 yards of offense.
The Bears return to action on Saturday, hosting Colorado in the Big 12 Conference opener at 11 a.m. on ESPN or ESPN2 and the Baylor Sports Media Network.
Baylor struck first on its opening drive, marching 75 yards to take an early 7-0 lead on a 25-yard TD rush from Bennett, the second of his career.
The Bulldogs answered on their first drive, marching 75 yards on 15 plays to punch it in from two yards out using an Andrew Burnette TD rush.
The Bears responded with a 75-yard, 13-play drive with Pendergrass scoring from a yard out for his first TD rush of the year and the 12th of his career. Bennett found Louis Brown IV on a big 28-yard pass to spark the drive.
After forcing a three-and-out, the Bears used a 51-yard TD strike from Bennett to Brown, the longest catch of his career, to take the lead to 20-7 with 10:38 left in the second.
Baylor held a 216-124 margin in total offense at the half, with Bennett throwing for 149 yards and a TD on 11-of-13 passing.
A fourth-down stop from the Baylor defense opened the second half. The Bears used a pair of strong rushes from Pendergrass before Bennett found McGowan on a 43-yard strike for a 26-7 lead.
A Rhett Armstrong 23-yard field goal pushed the lead to 29-7 with 1:45 left in the third and capped a 23-yard drive that started after the Bears forced a four-and-out.
McGowan and Bennett capped a scoring drive with 4:10 left in the game on a 36-yard completion to push the lead to 36-19.
- BaylorBears.com -
Players Mentioned
K
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LB
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QB
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WR
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WR
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S
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WR
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CB
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DE
/ Football
RB
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QB
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TE
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S
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WR
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RB
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S
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RB
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TE
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LB
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RB
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S
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WR
/ FootballTeam Stats
LAT
BU
Total Yards
362
418
Pass Yards
223
253
Rushing Yards
139
165
Penalty Yards
81
90
1st Downs
25
22
3rd Downs
7
5
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
32:18
27:42
1st Quarter
LAT 0, BU 7
BU - Bennett,Nate 25 yd run (Armstrong,Rhett kick), 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:23
LAT 7, BU 7
LAT - Burnette,Andrew 2 yd run (Kent,Kaegan kick), 15 plays, 75 yards, TOP 06:59
2nd Quarter
LAT 7, BU 14
BU - Pendergrass,Dawson 1 yd run (Armstrong,Rhett kick), 13 plays, 75 yards, TOP 06:30
LAT 7, BU 20
BU - Brown IV,Louis 51 yd pass from Bennett,Nate () 1 plays, 51 yards, TOP 00:07
3rd Quarter
LAT 7, BU 26
BU - McGowan,Jayden 43 yd pass from Bennett,Nate () 3 plays, 56 yards, TOP 00:46
LAT 7, BU 29
BU - Armstrong,Rhett 23 yd field goal 5 plays, 23 yards, TOP 02:02
4th Quarter
LAT 13, BU 29
LAT - Finley,Eli 19 yd pass from Kukuk,Trey () 7 plays, 53 yards, TOP 03:34
LAT 19, BU 29
LAT - Mickens,Jalen 2 yd run (), 4 plays, 47 yards, TOP 01:20
LAT 19, BU 36
BU - McGowan,Jayden 36 yd pass from Bennett,Nate (Armstrong,Rhett kick) 4 plays, 47 yards, TOP 01:03
Game Leaders
CMP
21
TD
3
YDS
253
INT
0
Sunday, September 20
Sunday, September 20
Sunday, September 20
Sunday, September 20
