Baylor comes out of its bye week with momentum, and Saturday’s matchup against TCU gives the Bears a chance to keep rolling. Kickoff is set for 6:00 PM Central in Baylor’s fifth home game of the season, and the story of this one starts with how well the Bears can control the game on their own terms.
The most important name on the field is Lagway. He arrives fresh off a huge outing against Arizona State, one that featured more than 300 yards and 5 total touchdowns. Baylor’s offense looked like it could do almost anything it wanted in that win, and if the Bears want another convincing result, that kind of production will matter again.
TCU, meanwhile, has been trending in the wrong direction. The Horned Frogs have dropped back-to-back games and managed only 23 points combined in those losses. If you set aside the blowout wins over Grambling and Arkansas State, Jaden Craig’s numbers tell a rougher story: just one passing touchdown, 3 interceptions, and more than 11 sacks allowed.
That pass protection problem is a major concern heading into Saturday. TCU is expected to be without multiple offensive linemen, which could make life even harder for Craig in the pocket.
Baylor will need to attack that weakness immediately, keep the pressure coming, and force Craig into uncomfortable situations all game long. The Horned Frogs have already given up sacks and turnovers against physical defenses, and that’s exactly the kind of game Baylor needs to create.
The matchup on the ground could also tilt things Baylor’s way, even if the Bears don’t pile up huge rushing numbers. TCU has been strong against the run for most of the season, holding opponents to around 100 yards per game and giving up its season high last week against BYU with 154 rushing yards.
Baylor’s rushing attack sits just under the top 100th-best in the country, so this may not be a game where the Bears lean heavily on the run. More likely, they’ll have to make their damage through the air.
Turnovers could be the separator. Baylor is on pace to finish with more than 24 turnovers this season, and if the Bears can generate at least two takeaways here, that would go a long way toward controlling the outcome. Strong pressure up front can turn into those kinds of chances, and Baylor has the kind of offense that can capitalize when it gets extra possessions.
There is also the red-zone piece. TCU has done a decent job limiting explosive plays and keeping scores relatively low, but Baylor has been especially dangerous once it gets inside the 20-yard line.
That’s where the Bears can make the Horned Frogs pay, and where settling for field goals could keep this closer than it needs to be. For Baylor, the key is simple: finish drives with seven points, not three.
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TCU Offense Faces A Brutal Test Against Surging Baylor
The matchup at McLane Stadium on Oct. 17 comes with a built-in contrast: TCU arrives trying to find answers after an uneven start, while Baylor has put itself in position to keep moving up in the Big 12 race. The Bears are 4-1 overall and 2-0 in league play, and the Horned Frogs are 2-3 with an 0-2 conference mark, making this feel like a game where one team is trying to steady its season and the other is trying to protect the momentum it has built.
For TCU, the concern has been turning offense into actual production against Power Four competition, while Baylors edge has come from a more complete performance on both sides of the ball. The Bears have been efficient enough to stay in control of games and difficult enough on defense to keep opponents from settling in, which is why this trip to Waco looks like a real test for TCU and a chance for Baylor to keep its conference run intact. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Faces Its First Real Big 12 Test Against TCU
Baylor reaches a point in the schedule where the margin for error starts to shrink, and the matchup with TCU is the kind of game that helps sort out whether a strong opening can turn into something more lasting. Week 7 brings a slate of Big 12 games with real weight around the league, but this one stands out for the Bears because it is the first test that feels like it can say plenty about where they belong in the conference race.
TCU gives Baylor an opponent that can expose any soft spots while also offering a chance to make a statement in a crowded league picture. The Bears have handled the early part of Big 12 play well enough to get attention, but this is the game that begins to show whether they can keep that footing when the competition tightens and the path ahead gets less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Enters A Prove-It Season With Plenty To Silence
Baylor is heading into its first exhibition game against Florida with a familiar kind of edge, the sort that comes after a season that ended at 17-17 and outside the NCAA Tournament. The Bears have some reshuffling to do, too, after losing Cameron Carr and Tounde Yessoufou, while adding Penn State transfer Kayden Mingo to help fill in the gaps and giving the roster a different look heading into November.
There is also a major piece back in the middle in Juslin Bodo Bodo, whose presence gives Baylor something it did not have a year ago. Combined with a preseason projection that left the Bears lower than they are used to, it sets up a year where the pressure is obvious and the early chances to answer it will come quickly. [Read more 🡒]