Baylor’s final road stop of the regular season comes with plenty on the line Friday night in Lubbock.
The No. 8 Bears head to the John Walker Soccer Complex for a 7 p.m.
CT showdown with No. 11 Texas Tech, a matchup that fits the moment perfectly: two top-15 teams, both sitting at 22 points in Big 12 play, both at 7-1-1 in conference action.
The game will stream live on ESPN+.
Baylor brings its No. 8 national ranking into the match, the fifth straight week the Bears have held that spot. Earlier this season, BU climbed as high as No. 6, its best ranking in program history. This is the sixth top-10 ranking of the Michelle Lenard era and the 11th in program history.
The Bears also arrive in solid form overall, sitting at 14-2-1 and riding a four-match winning streak. Aryanna Jimison has been the focal point on the attack with 20 points, coming from eight goals and four assists. Theresa McCullough follows with 15 points, built on four goals and seven assists.
In goal, Azul Alvarez has played every minute this season and has compiled 61 saves with a 1.12 goals-against average.
Texas Tech, meanwhile, comes in at 11-1-4 and has its own dangerous scoring threat in Taylor Zdrojewski, who leads the Red Raiders with 12 goals and three assists. Kylie Bahr has a team-high five assists, while goalkeeper Addie Todd has started all 16 matches and has posted 51 saves, a 0.62 goals-against average and nine shutouts.
Friday will be the 36th meeting between the programs, and Baylor owns the edge in the all-time series at 18-10-7. The most recent postseason clash between the teams came last season in the Big 12 Championship, when the teams played to a 1-1 tie before Baylor advanced 7-6 in penalty kicks to reach the semifinals.
Baylor also has another piece of momentum heading into the trip. Brynnlee Bohannon was named Big 12 Freshman of the Week after collecting an assist in each of BU’s games in the Grand Canyon State. It was the seventh Big 12 weekly honor for Baylor this season and the first of Bohannon’s career.
After Friday night, Baylor closes the regular season at home against Houston at Betty Lou Mays Field. That match is set for 7 p.m. and will also stream on ESPN+.
In Other News...
Baylors Next Coach Faces One Urgent Roster Fight
Joe Klandermans first big challenge at Baylor is bigger than drawing up a plan for next fall. He has to keep the Bears moving toward bowl eligibility while also navigating the kind of offseason roster turbulence that comes with a coaching change and the transfer portal era. Around the program, the conversation is already less about scheme and more about who stays put long enough to become part of the next foundation.
The retention list is clear enough, with six players standing out as priorities because of what they could mean to Baylors future. Quarterbacks Lagway and Bennett sit at the top of that group, while running back Ryelan Morris and cornerback Devon Jordan also loom as especially important pieces. For Klanderman, the early test is not just building a staff or setting a tone. It is holding together enough of the roster to give the Bears a real chance to stabilize quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Suddenly Feels Like A Real Lincoln Riley Landing Spot
Lincoln Rileys future at USC is suddenly drawing fresh attention, and Baylor is one of the jobs that keeps coming up in the discussion. The fit makes some sense on paper: Rileys offense would land in a place that already values that side of the ball, and the Bears would be able to sell him on a Big 12 schedule instead of the more demanding weekly travel that comes with USCs move into the Big Ten.
There is also a practical layer to all of this, because Rileys contract situation adds another wrinkle to any serious coaching conversation. USCs recent struggles, the frustration around the program and the administrative changes around the Trojans have only made the speculation louder, and Baylor suddenly looks like the kind of landing spot that could appeal if this ever turns from rumor into something more concrete. [Read more 🡒]
Taliah Scott Just Raised The Stakes For Baylors Season
Taliah Scotts profile keeps climbing before Baylor has even settled into the 2026-27 season. The senior has been named to the Jersey Mikes Naismith Trophy Womens College Player of the Year Watch List, a sign that her production from last season continues to carry real national weight. Scott was already coming off a strong year filled with scoring and efficient shooting, and she picked up both postseason honors and preseason recognition along the way.
For Baylor, the bigger meaning is obvious: Scott is no longer just one of the teams featured players, she is among the names the sport is watching most closely. She is one of eight Big 12 players on the watch list, which gives the conference a familiar kind of early-season depth, but it also puts an added spotlight on what Scott does next. With expectations rising around her again, Baylors season now comes with another layer of attention attached to her game. [Read more 🡒]
