Baylor’s trip to Tempe ended with a scoreline that said plenty on its own: 55-19 over ASU. But the result also put a spotlight on the decisions Dave Aranda got right, because the Bears didn’t just win Saturday night - they controlled the game from the start and never let go.
That mattered all the more because Baylor entered the matchup as the underdog. Not many people expected the Bears to walk into Arizona and deliver that kind of beating. They did it anyway, and Aranda’s choices around the game helped set the tone for one of the season’s cleanest performances.
On defense, the structure has been clear all season. Joe Klanderman has handled the play-calling every week, and the numbers through five games show a unit that is already matching or beating much of what last year’s defense produced.
Baylor has 42 TFLs, compared with 48 for all of 2025, along with 18 sacks after finishing last season with 12. The Bears have also forced four fumbles already, which ties their total from last year.
That defense has not given opposing offenses much room to breathe, and if anyone wants yardage against Baylor, they have to earn every inch of it.
Aranda also had to like what he saw from the offense, especially from DJ Lagway. The 5-star talent has been working back after suffering a high sprain to his right ankle in the first quarter against Auburn.
He finished that game in visible pain, then missed the next two while Nate Bennett stepped in and played well. Lagway then shook off some rust against Colorado, and against ASU he looked more comfortable still.
He did not need to do much running on Saturday, because Baylor took control early and gave him time to operate from the pocket.
The offensive line deserves a big share of the credit for that. The first four games were messy at times, with false starts and holding calls repeatedly slowing the offense down.
Against ASU, though, the line played its most disciplined football of the season. Talent was never the question there, and Saturday night showed what happens when that group cleans things up.
Lagway and Bennett both had far more time upright, and the pocket held together far better than it had earlier in the year.
That kind of performance changes the outlook fast. If Baylor’s offensive line keeps playing like it did against ASU, the Bears have a path not just to bowl eligibility, but to being a real contender for the Big 12 Championship. And after a 55-19 demolition, that no longer sounds like wishful thinking.
In Other News...
Baylor Vs TCU Just Got A Bigger Stage Than Fans Expected
Baylors midseason meeting with TCU just picked up a little more shine. The Big 12 announced that the rivalry game in Waco will kick off at 6 p.m. CT in Week 7 and air on FS1, giving the Bears a prime-night backdrop for a matchup that already carries plenty of weight in conference play. Baylor enters at 4-1, and the program also plans to lean into the occasion with blackout uniforms for the occasion.
The timing only adds to the intrigue for a series that has delivered its share of memorable moments over the years. With both the current seasons momentum and the history between the two programs in play, this one was already going to matter inside the league race. Now it will do so under the lights, with a little more attention than fans may have expected when the schedule first came out. [Read more 🡒]
Baylors Arizona State Breakout Just Turned Into Something Bigger
DJ Lagway and Ryelan Morris turned Baylors trip to Arizona State into a showcase, and the Big 12 took notice. The junior quarterback and freshman running back were both honored for Week 5 after helping the Bears roll to a 55-19 win, with Lagway earning Offensive Player of the Week and Morris taking home Freshman of the Week.
Lagway piled up 306 passing yards and accounted for five total touchdowns, giving Baylor the kind of efficient, explosive night it has been chasing. Morris added another layer to the rout with 84 rushing yards and the first touchdown of his career, a strong follow-up that gives the Bears more reason to feel good about their young backfield as the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Just Sent A Strong Message About What This Team Can Be
Baylors latest result did more than add another win to the ledger. It gave a clearer picture of what this group can look like when it puts together a complete performance, and that matters in a Big 12 race where every week seems to reshape the conversation. The Bears decisive victory over Arizona State stood out in a weekend that also featured TCU pushing BYU to the wire and Pittsburgh beating Virginia Tech despite losing starting quarterback Mason Heintschel to a torn ACL.
The broader ripple effect is easy to see from here, too. BYU is headed to UCF soon and arrives ranked No. 8 in the AP poll after surviving that tight game against TCU, while Pittsburghs rise into the AP Top 25 shows how quickly the national picture can shift. Baylors performance, though, may have been the most convincing reminder that this team still has a higher ceiling than its record sometimes suggests, and the next few weeks will go a long way toward proving whether that message holds up. [Read more 🡒]