Meet the QBs: Baylor and Louisiana Tech turn to backups for Week 3 matchup

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We’ve only completed two full weeks of the college football season, and most teams have a relatively good bill of health at the moment. However, others have been less fortunate and are already down their starting quarterbacks.

One Week 3 matchup has been particularly burdened by quarterback injuries. Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway (ankle) is listed as doubtful, while Louisiana Tech quarterback Blake Baker (hand) is ruled out for Saturday’s matchup between the Big 12 and Sun Belt opponents — their first meeting since 1996.

Here are the quarterbacks starting in their place:

Baylor QB Nate Bennett

DJ Lagway made his Baylor debut on Sept. 5, when the Bears dropped a 17-16 heartbreaker to Baylor in Atlanta. The Florida transfer set a career-high in passing yards against FBS competition in that matchup, posting 333 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception on a 27-of-54 showing. However, he missed Week 2 due to an ankle injury sustained against the Tigers.

Nate Bennett will make his second-straight start for Baylor. The redshirt sophomore earned his first collegiate start last week against Prairie View of the FCS, firing for 314 yards on 24-of-36 passing. He delivered three touchdowns to two interceptions and also added a 17-yard rushing score in the Bears’ 44-3 rout.

Bennett served as the third-string quarterback behind Sawyer Robertson and Dequan Finn in 2024 and the second-string behind Robertson last season. He only threw nine passes prior to last Saturday, and Week 3 marks his first start against an FBS opponent.

Louisiana Tech QB Trey Kukuk

Blake Baker fractured his hand in a 45-14 Week 2 loss at LSU. Baker missed the final four contests of 2025 due to an ACL tear and now suffers another injury setback. The 6’5”, 220-pound junior was off to a strong start prior to the injury, leading the Bulldogs to a program-record 80 points in Week 1 against FCS Northwestern State. He played the entirety of the LSU game except for the final possession, where incumubent backup Trey Kukuk provided the closing duties.

Kukuk is more than a familiar face to those in Ruston. He stepped in after Baker tore his ACL last November and led three-straight victories to conclude the Bulldogs’ best season of the 2020s. Kukuk plays a different style than Baker, relying on his power run game to move the offense. In his final three starts of 2025 — including the Independence Bowl win over Coastal Carolina where he won Offensive MVP — he logged 143, 172, and 121 rushing yards. Despite only making five starts, his 609 rushing yards ranked 10th in Conference USA and second among the league’s quarterbacks.

As a passer, Kukuk managed 640 yards and threw three touchdowns against four interceptions last year. However, he remains perfect through the air in a limited sample size this fall, going 7-of-7 with 60 yards and two touchdown strikes.

Nate Bennett and Trey Kukuk will lead their respective teams when Baylor hosts Louisiana Tech on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. CT. The battle between 1-1 opponents will kick off on ESPNU.

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