Louisiana Tech, meanwhile, knows exactly who's throwing it. Blake Baker was fully cleared for Sonny Cumbie's offense and threw for 3 touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 80-6 rout of Northwestern State, the biggest season-opening win in program history. He got a much rougher welcome to Power 4 football the following week against LSU, and now he's walking into another one.
That gap in competition level is a big part of why Baylor opened as such a heavy favorite here, regardless of who's under center. The forecast doesn't do Louisiana Tech any favors either -- McLane Stadium is projecting a 96-degree kickoff under clear skies, the kind of afternoon that tends to wear down a visiting team's legs as much as its resolve.
Baylor's own form is a study in contrasts. The Bears let a winnable opener slip away, falling 16-17 to Auburn, then responded by putting up 44 on Prairie View A&M without much resistance. Louisiana Tech's split is more dramatic -- a record-setting rout followed by a lopsided road loss to a ranked LSU team -- but both programs enter Saturday still trying to find their level.
Whatever the quarterback rotation ends up being, Baylor's defense has been the steadier unit through two weeks, and Louisiana Tech's offensive line will need to hold up against a Power 4 front for the second straight game. If Lagway is anywhere close to full speed, this one could get away from the Bulldogs early; if it's Bennett running the show again, the margin becomes a genuine question.