Baylor doesn’t need to look at TCU’s Week 0 performance and get spooked.
If anything, the Horned Frogs gave the Bears reasons to feel better about October 17th.
TCU’s game against North Carolina in Ireland came with plenty of built-in excuses on the surface. It was played across the Atlantic Ocean.
Bill Belichick was on the other sideline. Rain was in the mix, too.
But those weren’t the real story. The bigger issue was how TCU let the game slip away at the end, and it’s the kind of finish Baylor would love to force again if the teams are in a similar spot later this season.
The ending is where this one really turned.
If Baylor finds itself in that same situation, it should be expected that Coach Dave Aranda will try the same kind of tactic: “drawing the opponent offside.” TCU bit on it, and that was one of the clearest signs that the Horned Frogs may be the more concerning team in this matchup - not the Bears.
Jaden Craig’s night also left plenty to chew on. The TCU quarterback tried to fit passes into tight windows, including into double coverage, and at least once on a fourth down he rolled left and threw back across his body while still moving that direction as a right-handed quarterback.
There’s something to admire about a quarterback who keeps firing. It makes for better highlights, and it usually means he believes he can win the game with his arm.
But that approach is exactly the kind of thing Travion Barnes and a Baylor defense looking for takeaways will be waiting to punish. Craig may be better than he was in Week 0, but that performance showed he can be beaten.
Then there were the penalties.
TCU was flagged 11 times for 100 yards, a number that says plenty about the lack of discipline on display. Giving away an entire football field’s worth of yardage is a brutal way to survive any game, and the Horned Frogs were fortunate the final margin stayed as close as it did.
So when Baylor hosts TCU on October 17th, the Bears won’t be staring at a juggernaut. At least not if TCU keeps playing the way it did on August 29th against North Carolina.
In Other News...
Baylor Opens With A Familiar Threat Dave Aranda Knows Well
Bryson Washington gives Baylor an early-season reminder of just how quickly a familiar face can become a problem. The former Bears leading rusher transferred to Auburn and is expected to share the backfield with Jeremiah Cobb, setting up a matchup that puts Dave Aranda against a player he knows well and has already praised for his toughness and versatility.
Washingtons value is not limited to running between the tackles, either. His pass-catching ability and the new offensive regime at Auburn could shape how he is used, which only adds another layer for Baylor to sort through as it prepares for the opener. For Aranda and his staff, this is less about surprise and more about proving they can handle a threat whose skill set they already understand. [Read more 🡒]
Baylors First Depth Chart Leaves One Key Auburn Question Open
Baylors first official depth chart for the Auburn game gave an early look at how Dave Arandas roster is taking shape for the opener, and it confirmed a few notable starters right away. Asher Hale is set at right guard and Matthew Klopfenstein is listed at tight end, while the rest of the two-deep shows the usual blend of returning players and transfers that the Bears are counting on to settle in quickly.
Still, the chart left a few important battles unresolved, especially in spots that could matter once the game gets rolling. The third wide receiver job is still up for grabs between Jadon Porter and Drelon Miller, and the nose tackle competition between Hosea Wheeler and Jamaal Whyce Jr. remains open as well, keeping at least one key Auburn-related question from being answered just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Is Banking On One Offseason Change To Fix A Major Problem
Baylors offseason conversation has centered on a familiar kind of fix: get faster, get stronger, and make the whole group function a little more cleanly together. Dave Aranda said during a recent media availability that those have been the priorities, and he pointed to Travion Barnes as a good example of both traits, praising his speed and leadership as the Bears try to build a tougher, more connected team.
Aranda also said the program has seen encouraging gains in speed and strength metrics compared with last year, which matters because the defense needs to be better against the run after last seasons numbers. Auburn is waiting as a strong early test, so the Bears offseason emphasis is already heading toward the kind of matchup that can show whether the changes are real. [Read more 🡒]