Baylor and Auburn are walking into Saturday’s Aflac Kickoff Game with plenty of unknowns, and Josh Pate thinks that uncertainty could make for a wild finish. On his College Football Show, Pate said the matchup has “4th Quarter Chaos Written all Over it,” and his read on the game centered on two teams that look very different from where they were a season ago.
One of Pate’s biggest points was the quarterback angle, and he framed it as a familiar college football tale. He pointed to DJ Lagway as the kind of highly touted player whose career has already generated a huge narrative, describing him as a five-star recruit and preseason SEC number one quarterback who didn’t meet the hype in Florida, “imploding like a dying star” as Pate put it.
After a quick look back at Baylor’s recent past, Pate added that “that quarterback a year later, fulfills on that potential.” He wrapped that thought by saying that if Lagway delivers on what people expected, his story “would just be a million and one.”
Auburn’s new head coach, Alex Golesh, brings a tempo-heavy approach from his time at USF, and he brought quarterback Byrum Brown with him. The expectation is that Golesh will keep leaning into the same offensive style he used last season, with speed and pace shaping how Auburn wants to play.
Baylor, meanwhile, has been talking about its own upgrade in speed. Dave Aranda said as much during his week one media availability, noting that this team is faster overall than it was a year ago. That makes pace one of the clearest things to watch when the Bears and Tigers line up.
If both sides try to push tempo, the game could swing quickly either way. A fast start for one team could force the other into a chase, and in a college football opener, that kind of rhythm can snowball. A single stalled drive or three-and-out might not look like much on its own, but momentum can take over in a hurry.
That’s why Pate’s “fourth quarter chaos” line fits so well here, and why he picked Auburn to win but not cover. I’m not with him on the final result.
I think Baylor has a path to steal it if the Bears are nearly perfect and get all the little things right. If they do that, Aranda could open the year 1-0.
In Other News...
Auburn Handed Baylor One Of The Weirdest Moments Of The Game
Alex Goleshs first game as Auburns head coach already had one of those moments that gets replayed and argued over long after the final whistle. In the third quarter, with the Tigers trying to settle into a new era under a coach hired after a successful run at South Florida, Auburn reached for a gadget play that immediately put everyone in the stadium on alert and left Baylor with a big break in the middle of a tight game.
The decision did not age well. What looked like a surprise answer to a field-position question instead became a fresh source of criticism, as fans and observers quickly questioned the timing and logic of the call in that spot. For Baylor, it was the kind of odd, sudden swing that can change the feel of a game without adding anything to the box score except another reminder that strange things tend to happen early in a season opener. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Volleyball Just Got An Early Test Fans Can't Ignore
No. 20 Baylor volleyball ran into an early measuring stick Friday at the Ferrell Center, where No. 17 Florida handed the Bears a straight-set defeat and left a notable mark on the home schedule. Baylor still had production at the net, with Ksenia Rakhmanchik leading the way with 12 kills and both Bailey Warren and Victoria Davis making meaningful contributions, but the match showed how quickly a ranked nonconference opponent can expose small gaps in rhythm and finish.
The loss also stood out because it was Baylors first home sweep loss since Sept. 18, 2024, a reminder that this kind of setback has been rare in Waco. The Bears will have little time to dwell on it, with the Ameritas Challenge in Lincoln, Nebraska, next on the schedule and another chance to see how they respond against quality competition. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Womens Golf Gets An Early Test For A Proven Core
Baylor womens golf is wasting no time finding out where it stands. The Bears open their 2026-27 season at the Cougar Classic on Sept. 7-8 in Charleston, South Carolina, a familiar early checkpoint for teams trying to gauge form against a deep field. Head coach Jay Goble, entering his 16th season, sounds eager to get the new campaign rolling, especially with a schedule that should offer an immediate read on how the roster is coming together.
The good news for Baylor is that this is not a group starting from scratch. Five returning players will make up the core of the lineup, with senior Yurang Li again set to anchor the top of the order after a strong year. Charleston will give the Bears a clean first look at that proven nucleus, along with the kind of competition that can quickly show whether experience translates into another step forward. [Read more 🡒]