Baylor heads into Saturday’s Aflac Kickoff Game with a surprising little edge in the series against Auburn, and it’s one that makes this matchup even more interesting.
The two programs are tied 2-2-1 overall, but Auburn has never beaten Baylor at home. That wrinkle matters here because the game in Atlanta was originally set to be a home date for Auburn, even though it has been moved to a neutral site to draw a bigger crowd for a featured game. In practical terms, it still figures to feel more like Auburn’s territory.
The series history stretches back to 1954, when Auburn won the first meeting 33-13 on a neutral field in Jacksonville, Florida, in the Gator Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Since then, Baylor has taken the lead in regular-season meetings, sitting at 2-1-1 in those games.
Last season’s game in Waco left a mark, and a Baylor win this weekend would not only give the Bears the lead in the all-time series, it would also set the tone for what comes next. That’s especially true with the memory of Jackson Arnold “just running amok on Baylor's defense” still fresh for some.
Dave Aranda brushed off the travel angle this week when asked about the difference between the two teams’ trips. “that's something that goes into, really, any away game.”
Either way, the wait is nearly over. Baylor’s season is about to begin, and the opener brings one of those simple questions that always works this time of year: is there live football on the screen or the radio nearby? If the answer is yes, that’s enough.
In Other News...
Baylors Big 12 Standing Looks Murkier Than Fans Might Expect
When Baylors roster is stacked up against the rest of the Power 4, the picture is more complicated than a quick glance at the Big 12 standings would suggest. The Bears sit 55th in career starts, 33rd in career snaps and 9th in career games played among those teams, a spread that hints at a group with some accumulated mileage even if it does not yet look dominant in the most eye-catching category.
The broader comparison also shows how deep the Big 12 runs in experience, with teams such as Oklahoma State and Texas Tech showing up near the top of these measures. For Baylor, that kind of profile matters because it suggests the roster has been through enough snaps and game situations to matter, even if the conference hierarchy still looks unsettled on paper. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Opens With An Auburn Twist Bears Fans Will Feel Fast
There is already a little added edge to the Baylor-Auburn matchup before the first snap, thanks to the recent back-and-forth from Alex Golesh and Dave Aranda. Both coaches have publicly shown respect for what the other program has built, and the crossover only adds to the intrigue as each side heads into a season defined by change, with new quarterbacks in place and defenses that look very different from a year ago.
Bryson Washington gives the opener another layer, too, since the former Baylor player will be lining up for Auburn against his old team. With so much roster turnover and so many fresh faces on both sideline and field, the game already feels like more than a standard nonconference opener, especially for Baylor fans who know the matchup will arrive with a familiar name on the other side. [Read more 🡒]
Baylors Big Three Still Belong In A National Power Debate
Since 2011, Baylor has been part of a small and unusual conversation that says as much about institutional strength as it does about any single sport. Connecticut has piled up the most combined wins across mens basketball, womens basketball and football, but the Bears have stayed right there in the picture, and their overall win percentage has actually been better. For a school that has seen elite moments in all three programs, thats a reminder that Baylors profile has been built on more than one good run.
The football side has provided some of the biggest swings, from a Big 12 championship to a Sugar Bowl victory, even as recent struggles have put Dave Aranda under pressure. The basketball programs have carried plenty of weight too, with both the men and women winning NCAA titles and keeping Baylor in national conversations that go beyond one season or one roster. The current results have been uneven, but the broader argument remains the same: Baylor still belongs in the discussion of the nations most powerful all-around athletic departments. [Read more 🡒]