Baylor walks into Friday’s trip to the Bounce House needing a clean start, a cleaner offense and a little more resistance against the run if it wants to spring the upset over UCF.
The setting is tough enough on its own. UCF is unbeaten at home at 4-0, and that run most recently included a double-overtime win over No.
2 BYU. The Knights are also the slight favorite in this Big 12 matchup, which only sharpens the challenge for a Baylor team trying to steady itself under Joe Klanderman in his first game at the helm.
For Baylor, the first quarter looms as a major stress point. In every loss this season, the Bears have been either tied or behind after the opening 15 minutes. That pattern has dragged them into chase mode, and it is a bad place to be against a home team that has already shown it can close.
The Bears’ offense also has to be smarter with the football. Baylor has looked flat on that side of the ball, and the answer is not forcing risky plays.
If a drive is going to stall, it needs to end with Palmer Williams punting, because he has shown he can flip the field and pin opponents back. Handing UCF short fields would be a quick way to make an already difficult night worse.
That matters even more because the Knights want to lean on the ground game. UCF has 16 rushing touchdowns and averages 163 yards per game on the ground. Duke Watson has already topped 500 rushing yards, and the Knights also bring two 150-yard backs who attack differently but still create problems at the line of scrimmage.
Baylor’s defense has been sturdy for much of the season, but Kansas exposed it on the ground for the first time. That’s the trend the Bears need to stop immediately if they want to keep UCF from dictating the game.
The bigger issue, though, sits on Baylor’s side of the ball. The Bears have scored only two touchdowns over their last two games, and that simply won’t cut it if the season is going to turn. The offense needs to start landing real shots, not just taking empty swings.
That puts even more pressure on the front line and the backs to hold up. The offensive line has to keep improving, and the running backs have to be steadier.
But on Friday, it starts with Lagway. He has to be the playmaker.
DJ is getting at least 40 attempts a game, and Baylor needs more of those throws to matter. The Bears have to push the ball downfield and finish drives in the red zone instead of letting chances slip away.
In Other News...
Baylors UCF Prep Just Got More Complicated Than It Looked
UCFs latest availability report adds another layer to Baylors preparation for Saturday, with quarterback Keyone Jenkins cleared to start after going through concussion protocol. For a Bears defense already trying to get ready for a different look on the other side, that matters. It means Baylor has to account for a healthy starting quarterback while also tracking a roster that is still being shuffled around elsewhere.
The Knights will be without starting safety Demari Henderson and cornerback DJ Bell, and that leaves some uncertainty on the back end even as the offense gets a potential boost. Up front, Jacob Maiava and Owen Spell could be back, while Tyler Gibson is out, and other names including Duane Thomas Jr. and Caleb Rollerson are still sitting in the probable-or-questionable range. For Baylor, the picture is clear enough to know this wont be a clean opponent-prep week, but not clear enough to know exactly what UCF will look like when the game kicks off. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Klanderman Sends Baylor A Clear Message After Sudden Coaching Change
Baylors newest coach stepped into his first media availability with a lot to unpack, and Joe Klanderman leaned straight into the reality of the moment. He talked through why he decided to join the program, how the players handled the sudden coaching change, and why his first job is to bring both energy and stability to a group that has had to absorb a major jolt.
Klanderman also made clear he understands the challenge ahead, both on the field and around the program. He stressed being accessible, staying engaged with the community and helping the Bears settle in after an abrupt departure that left its mark, a reminder that this season now carries as much about adjustment as it does about results. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Suddenly Enters The Lincoln Riley Coaching Carousel Talk
Lincoln Rileys name has quickly slipped into the discussion around Baylors opening as the coaching carousel starts to spin again, with USCs recent loss and uneven play putting fresh attention on his long-term future in Los Angeles. The chatter has also widened beyond Waco, with TCU mentioned as another possible Big 12 landing spot if Riley ever decides a change is needed, a reminder of how fast speculation can build when a high-profile program stumbles.
For Baylor, the connection is mostly about the kind of coach the program could dream about if the right opportunity ever opened up. Riley has long been viewed as one of the sports most recognizable offensive minds, and insiders have pointed to previous interest as part of the reason his name keeps surfacing in Big 12 conversations. The immediate answer may come from USCs side, where the upcoming Ohio State game looms large and could shape how secure Riley feels in his current job. [Read more 🡒]