The Baylor Bears are coming off a season that saw them start slowly and finish fast in 2024, as the Bears set themselves up for a potentially great 2025.
Baylor started last season 2-4, putting more heat on head coach Dave Aranda’s job. To end the season, the Bears won their final six regular-season games, wrapping up Big 12 play at 6-3 and in a tie for fifth. After a loss to LSU in the Texas Bowl, the Bears finished the season 8-5.
Now, there are higher expectations surrounding Baylor. The Bears are a clear dark horse in the conference. Lindy’s Sports recently published its preview for the Big 12, including the Bears. Heartland College Sports will weigh in with our previews later this summer.
The magazine pitched Baylor to finish sixth in the Big 12. Here are three thoughts on the preview.
BAYLOR’S BRILLIANT OFFENSIVE CORE
The Bears have seven returning starters on offense, and those players are right where coaches want them: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and offensive line. But that’s if you want to look hard enough.
Quarterback Sawyer Robertson may be criminally underappreciated. He threw for more than 3,000 yards last year and had the fifth-best QBR in the country, according to Lindy’s. Wide receiver Josh Cameron caught 10 touchdowns last year. Running back Bryson Washington was the first freshman in Baylor history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
This offense has potential for a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher, and 1,000-yard receiver this season because four of the offensive line’s starters are back, including at the critical left tackle spot.
All of that was under the guidance of first-year offensive coordinator Jake Spavital. He’s always been a quality play-caller. For the first time in a while, he has the tools to show it.
IS DAVE ARANDA ALL THAT?
Aranda moved back to calling defenses last season, the first time he had done so at Baylor since taking over as head coach. The idea was that by getting back into calling plays, the unit would get better.
Well … about that. The Bears were among the bottom half of FBS in total defense and gave up 26.2 points per game. Obviously, they were one of the worst units in the Big 12.
So was it scheme? Injury? Aranda’s play-calling? All of it?
Five starters are back from a year ago. However, the Bears focused on identifying as much defensive talent as possible in the transfer portal. Cornerback Calvin Simpson-Hunt is notable because he played two years at Ohio State and has a national title ring.
If the offense is what everyone expects, the Bears don’t need to be a Top 10 unit to win the conference. It just needs to be in the Top 40 in all defensive categories to give Baylor a real chance to get back to Arlington.
THAT SCHEDULE
Lindy’s pointed out that the Bears are playing 11 games against power conference teams. That includes their nine league games, along with their first two games against Auburn (at home) and SMU (on the road).
That’s tied for most in the country with their Revivalry rival TCU (not calling it whatever they want it to be called — that’s just dumb).
That’s a tough road. Samford is the only cupcake on the schedule. The conference schedule is no joke, especially at the start. The first four games are against Arizona State, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and TCU.
Now, let’s just say Baylor gets through that start to Big 12 play 3-1. After that, the Bears get Cincinnati, UCF, Utah, Arizona, and Houston. That’s a favorable stretch to end the season and a chance to pave their way to Arlington.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
