Since 2011, Baylor has built a three-sport run that belongs in the same conversation as anyone in the country. Only UConn has more combined wins across men’s basketball, women’s basketball and football over that span, but the gap is tiny: UConn sits at 931-317, while Baylor is right there at 929-308. The Bears actually hold the better winning percentage, too, at 75.101% compared with UConn’s 74.599%.
That kind of sustained success didn’t happen by accident. In football, Baylor has spent the past decade-plus creating the expectation that big seasons are part of the program’s identity. Robert Griffin III closed out the 2011 season by winning the Heisman Trophy, and Bryce Petty followed by guiding the Bears to their first Big 12 Championship in the 2013 season.
Dave Aranda has not had that same kind of steady climb lately. He enters his seventh year at Baylor with a 36-37 record, and his best season came in 2021, when the Bears went 12-2 and won both the Big 12 Conference title and the Sugar Bowl. Recent struggles have put him in the hot seat this season, though this writer remains optimistic about a new-look Baylor team finding its footing again.
The men’s basketball program has been a huge part of the school’s rise under Scott Drew. From the 2011 season through now, Baylor has gone 360-145, a 71.3% winning rate.
The Bears won the national championship in the 2020-2021 season, but they have not gotten past the round of 32 since then. Last season was also the roughest of Drew’s tenure in that span, with Baylor finishing 17-17, and the question now is whether he can push the program back toward the standard it set for itself.
Baylor women’s basketball has carried its share of the load as well. The Bears went undefeated and won the 2011-2012 championship, then remained a fixture in the NCAA Sweet 16 or better until the 2018-2019 season, when they won another title. The 2019-2020 season was cut short by COVID-19 before the NCAA tournament, leaving that year without a final answer.
With football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball all still capable of adding to the total, Baylor’s chase for the top spot is very much alive. It’s not hard to see a path where the Bears climb past UConn and become the winningest school in the big three sports.
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 🡒]
Baylor Volleyball Just Gave Fans More Reasons To Pack The Ferrell
Baylor volleyball is already laying the groundwork for next falls atmosphere at the Ferrell Center, rolling out a 2026 home promotions schedule designed to make every match feel like more than just a match. The slate mixes themed nights, fan giveaways, special recognitions and family-friendly activities, with familiar staples like Opening Night, Gold Rush, Baylor Classic, Fairytale at the Ferrell, Dig Pink and Blackout on the Brazos all part of the plan.
There is also a clear push to turn home dates into full-event experiences, from Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations to Espresso and Aces and Faith and Family Night, along with discounted tickets, encouraged themed attire and chances for fans to meet the team and get autographs. For a program trying to keep the Ferrell loud and full, the message is obvious: Baylor wants its home floor to feel like an appointment, not just a stop on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]