While the first matchup of the Saturday slate appeared to be a blowout win for BYU, Dave Aranda and the Baylor Bears flipped the script in the second half and made it close in typical Big 12 fashion. After finding the end zone three times in the opening quarter, BYU took its foot off the gas while up 21-0. Baylor didn’t give in to the adversity and made the game a lot closer than anyone could’ve predicted.
Here are the three biggest takeaways from this game.
Nothing Better
Can you ask for a better football game than what went down on Saturday in Waco?
While very few individuals would argue that Big 12 football is the best product of any conference in America, it is impossible to debate that the league is the most exciting product in the country.
BYU got off to a hot start Saturday morning, finding the end zone three times in the first quarter alone. That was the checkout point for most casual fans. After that point, the Big 12 was the Big 12, turning what appeared to be a blowout win into a one-score heartbreaker down the stretch.
BYU, a team largely expected to underperform in conference play, is now 5-0 on the season and comfortably in the AP Top 25. There’s nothing better than Big 12 Football.
Defense Comes Through
On 3rd and 2, with less than 4:01 on the play clock, BYU made one of the worst decisions of the day. Instead of running the football and either forcing Baylor to burn a timeout or sucking some precious time off the clock, the Cougars elected to throw the football.
With Jake Retzlaff on a designed rollout, Baylor’s defense got a hand on the football and tipped the ball straight into the air for an easy interception.
Baylor’s offense was unable to capitalize on the turnover and ultimately turned the football over on downs deep in BYU’s territory. But that wouldn’t be their last opportunity.
What can only be described as a bone-headed reaction penalty from BYU’s offense, with less than two minutes remaining, the team backed themselves up to 3rd and 23. Baylor’s defense got off the field, but the momentum swing was short-lived as the Cougar defense came through yet again with an interception by Crew Wakley to seal the day.
What Does Dave Aranda’s Future Look Like?
While Baylor fought and clawed its way back into the football game, the biggest takeaway of the day revolved around Dave Aranda’s future.
Aranda’s team has now lost back-to-back games in conference play and will have a tough time getting back on track next week against 18th-ranked Iowa State. With the loss, Aranda is now 25-28 as Baylor’s head coach despite winning 12 games in 2021.
Though Aranda made some offseason changes to his coaching staff in hopes of revamping his team, the moves appear to be more of the same. Since winning the Big 12 Conference in 2021, Aranda is 11-19. Could it be time for a head coaching change in Waco?
