BYU enters Week 11 with its season suddenly on shaky ground, but this matchup with Baylor gives the Cougars a chance to steady things fast.
A few weeks ago, BYU was sitting at No. 2 in the country. Since then, the Cougars have dropped two of their last three and now face real danger of missing both the Big 12 Championship Game and the College Football Playoff. A win over Baylor would pull them right back into the conversation.
The biggest swing factor is Bear Bachmeier. The dual-threat quarterback leads BYU in both passing yards and rushing yards, but the turnovers have piled up in a hurry.
He has thrown at least one interception in four straight games, and last week against Utah he was picked off four times, a mistake that helped cost BYU the game. If the Cougars are going to keep their playoff hopes alive, that has to change immediately.
This is the spot for BYU to respond. The Cougars should be able to move the ball against Baylor, and if Bachmeier takes care of the football, they should have enough offense to build a lead and close the door.
Baylor comes in with momentum after wins over UCF and Iowa State, but the offense remains a major concern. The Bears rank 125th in EPA per rush and 114th in overall offensive success rate, numbers that point to a unit that can handle weaker opponents but is unlikely to keep pace here.
BYU has the cleaner path in this one. If Bachmeier plays cleaner, the Cougars should be able to get the bounce-back win they need.
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Baylors Upset Chances At BYU Come Down To One Lingering Problem
Baylor heads into its first ranked matchup of the season with three regular-season games left, and the timing could hardly be more important. Interim head coach Joe Klanderman and tight end coach Jarrett Anderson have both pointed to the same theme in recent days: the Bears need cleaner offensive execution if they want to give themselves a real shot against No. 10 BYU, especially when drives reach the red zone or when space opens up in the field.
The challenge is bigger than just finishing chances, though. Baylor has to avoid the kind of slow starts and self-inflicted penalties that can tilt a game before it settles in, and the emphasis this week has been on playing with energy while keeping things under control. Against a ranked opponent that can punish mistakes quickly, the Bears know the margin for error is thin, and one lingering issue could decide whether they can turn this into a true upset opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Faces A Huge Big 12 Test With Its Offense Under Pressure
Baylor heads to Provo on Nov. 14 for a Big 12 game that carries real weight in the conference race, with both teams sitting tied in the standings and the stakes rising for anyone still thinking about a championship path. BYU enters as a 7.5-point favorite at LaVell Edwards Stadium, but the Bears have enough of their own to make this more than a road trip, especially with interim coach Joe Klanderman trying to keep the group steady and quarterback DJ Lagway at the center of it all.
BYUs side of the matchup has its own pressure points, starting with quarterback Bear Bachmeier and the uncertainty around running back LJ Martins health. For Baylor, the opening is obvious: if the Bears can make the Cougars uncomfortable and keep the game from turning into a clean BYU script, they can turn a tough road spot into a meaningful conference statement. [Read more 🡒]
Baylors Season Suddenly Feels Very Different Under Joe Klanderman
With three weeks left in the regular season, Baylors season has suddenly taken on a different shape under interim coach Joe Klanderman. The Bears have won two straight, locked up bowl eligibility and kept themselves alive in the Big 12 championship race, a turnaround that has given the program a much more meaningful finish than it seemed likely to have not long ago.
The league around them only adds to the intrigue. Utah remains unbeaten and on track for the conference title game, while the Big 12s depth is showing in the College Football Playoff rankings, which feature six league teams in the Top 25. There has also been plenty of movement elsewhere, from Drew Mestemakers record-setting day for Oklahoma State against Kansas State to the uncertainty now hanging over TCU, and Baylor is suddenly part of a crowded, volatile race that still has room to shift again. [Read more 🡒]