Texas Tech’s offense gave Baylor a clear blueprint for what the Bears may have to deal with later this season.
In Week 5, DJ Lagway and Baylor had plenty of success through the air against Arizona State, with Lagway carving up the Sun Devils for 306 yards and 5 total touchdowns, including 4 passing scores and 1 rushing touchdown. Texas Tech quarterback Will Hammond put together a similar kind of night against that same ASU defense, helping the Red Raiders race to a 43-10 halftime lead before Arizona State steadied itself after the break. Even with that second-half adjustment, Texas Tech still rolled to a 53-25 win.
The Red Raiders also did damage on the ground. J'Koby Williams kept finding space against Arizona State and turned those openings into big gains again and again, a big reason Texas Tech stayed undefeated. Baylor has been strong against the run this season, though, including holding TCU to just 33 rushing yards in its recent game.
The challenge for the Bears does not stop there. Texas Tech’s defense was relentless against ASU, getting constant pressure on quarterbacks Cutter Boley and Mikey Keene and spending plenty of time in the backfield.
Baylor’s offensive line has protected its quarterbacks well so far this season, but the Red Raiders’ front figures to be a serious test. That said, Baylor’s line showed vulnerability in the 17-6 loss to TCU, as the Horned Frogs disrupted Lagway throughout the game.
Hammond is the kind of quarterback who can stress a defense in multiple ways. His accuracy, his deceptively quick feet, and the protection he gets up front make him a real problem for Texas Tech.
Baylor has done a solid job limiting quarterbacks and passing production for most of the season, and the Bears’ secondary will keep playing with the same intensity it has shown all year. The question is whether that will be enough when Hammond and the Red Raiders arrive late in the regular season.
Texas Tech may not even be undefeated by the time it comes to Waco on November 21, but at 6-0 right now, the Red Raiders are no soft landing for Baylor in its final home game of the year. The Bears will be looking to bounce back after being completely shut down by TCU, and the matchup with Texas Tech looms as a major test. No channel or start time has been set yet for the game, which is still several weeks away.
In Other News...
Dave Aranda's Game Decisions Put Baylor Fans On Edge Against TCU
A crowded home night in Waco had all the ingredients for a statement game, but Baylors offense never delivered one. The Bears were held without a touchdown for the first time this season in a 17-6 loss to TCU, and the frustration had less to do with effort than with the way the game unfolded. Even as the defense did enough to keep Baylor within reach, the offense looked stuck searching for answers it never really found.
The biggest source of second-guessing came from how Dave Aranda and the staff handled the quarterback situation and the play sheet around DJ Lagway. With Lagways mobility limited, the Bears still leaned on a plan that left fans wondering whether the offense was being put in the best position to respond. In a game where Baylor had a loud home crowd and a defense ready to compete, the lack of offensive flexibility made the loss feel even more jarring. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Volleyball Just Made The Statement Fans Have Been Waiting For
Baylor volleyball walked into Schollmaier Arena and left with the kind of result that can change the tone of a season, sweeping No. 10 TCU in straight sets for its first win over a ranked opponent this year. The Bears have now won three matches in a row and taken nine consecutive sets, a stretch that has started to sharpen the picture of a team that is finding its footing at the right time.
Ksenia Rakhmanchik again gave Baylor the edge at the net, finishing with 23 kills in the win. The Bears are now 12-5 overall and 4-3 in Big 12 play, and with this kind of form building, the next stretch figures to say a lot about how far they can push it. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Faces A Bowl Pressure Test In A True Toss Up
October has brought Baylor right into the kind of game that can shape a season, with Kansas coming in on Oct. 24 still searching for its first Big 12 win and oddsmakers treating this one as just about even. FanDuel Sportsbook lists the Jayhawks as a slight underdog at +1.5, and the 53.5-point total suggests a matchup that could tilt either way if one offense finds rhythm early.
For Baylor, the concern is less about who is favored and more about whether the Bears can steady a stretch marked by inconsistent quarterback play and uneven execution. With both teams carrying the feel of a true toss-up, this has the look of a game where patience, field position and a few clean drives could matter as much as talent, which is exactly the kind of pressure test that can linger into the rest of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]