Baylor’s Week 3 matchup with Louisiana Tech just got a little cleaner on the Bears’ side of the board.
According to Pete Thamel’s report, Louisiana Tech quarterback Blake Baker will not play Saturday in Waco after injuring his hand in an undisclosed manner. Baker had been set to meet a specialist on September 15. Through the first two weeks, he had thrown for 360 yards and four touchdowns while completing 21 of 35 passes, and he started both games for the Bulldogs before this setback changed the plan.
Now Louisiana Tech is turning to Trey Kukuk. He’s no stranger to the job, having appeared in 11 games for the Bulldogs last season and starting five of them.
Kukuk also went 4-1 as a starter, so Baylor won’t be seeing some wide-eyed emergency option forced into action. He’s handled the role before, and he’ll be looking to make the most of another chance.
For Baylor’s defense, that means one less wrinkle to sort through. Instead of preparing for the possibility of Baker and a second quarterback, Klanderman and the Bears can lock in on Kukuk and try to make his afternoon uncomfortable.
Baylor is also expected to be without DJ Lagway for a second straight week because of his right ankle injury. The hope is that the extra time is precautionary and gives him a chance to recover fully. In his place, Nate Bennett has looked steady enough for Coach Aranda to trust him with another start.
Louisiana Tech showed last week that it can hang around for stretches. Against LSU in Week 2, the Bulldogs held the Tigers to 10 total points at halftime and forced four turnovers, including three interceptions and a fumble. LSU eventually pulled away for a 45-14 win, but Louisiana Tech was in the fight early.
That’s the part Baylor has to keep in mind. With the Bears still dealing with turnover issues of their own, this isn’t a game where they can coast. Louisiana Tech won’t hand anything over, and Baylor will need to make sure Saturday in Waco plays out the way the Bears expect.
In Other News...
Baylors Quarterback Uncertainty Just Got Bigger Entering Week 3
Baylors quarterback picture has only gotten murkier as the season moves into Week 3, with DJ Lagways injury adding another layer to a situation the Bears were already watching closely. In a Big 12 slate that keeps handing out stress tests at the most important position, Baylor now finds itself grouped with a conference-wide discussion about who is thriving, who is still settling in, and who has more questions than answers heading into another round of league play.
The broader quarterback conversation around the Big 12 has been lively through two weeks, from UCFs Alonza Barnett dealing with his own injury issue to Oklahoma States Drew Mestemaker turning in a notable performance that helped reshape the early rankings. Baylors place in that top-eight pecking order is still being sorted out, and with conference matchups looming in Week 3, the Bears are left waiting to see whether their situation stabilizes or becomes an even bigger storyline than it already is. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Suddenly Has A DJ Lagway Problem It Cant Ignore
Baylors quarterback picture has become a lot murkier heading into Week 3, with DJ Lagway considered doubtful against Louisiana Tech after suffering an ankle injury in the season opener. The Bears were already managing the usual early-season uncertainty, but now the focus has shifted to how they handle a potential absence from the player they were counting on to settle the position.
If Lagway cant go, Nate Bennett is expected to make his second career start, which would put even more pressure on a Baylor offense trying to find rhythm this early in the year. The broader concern is the recovery itself, since Lagway is still working back from a high-ankle sprain and his return timeline remains unclear, leaving Baylor without much certainty at the most important spot on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor WBB Schedule Puts This Loaded Roster On Notice
The Big 12 has already mapped out Baylors 2026-27 path, and it looks every bit like a schedule that will ask a lot from a roster expected to have serious depth. The Bears open conference play at Houston and finish the regular season at home against TCU, giving them an early road test and a late rivalry game that could matter plenty in the league race. Along the way, the league slate and non-conference dates give a clearer picture of how the season will be framed around a group that is set to blend returning players with new transfers.
For Baylor, the release is more than a calendar update because it offers the first real outline of how a loaded roster will be challenged before March arrives. The mix of conference trips, home dates and non-conference positioning should give the Bears no shortage of chances to prove they can handle the expectations that come with being one of the Big 12s most watched teams. The questions now are less about who Baylor has and more about how quickly that talent settles in once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]