Dave Aranda didn’t need a perfect night to leave Colorado with his first Big 12 win of the season. He just needed to make the right calls, and he did that in a game that was messy at times but still tilted Baylor’s way.
One of the biggest came on special teams. Aranda trusted Rhett Armstrong from 54 yards out, easily his longest attempt of the season.
That was not a small gamble. A miss would have handed the Buffaloes strong field position and could have swung the game’s momentum.
Aranda could have played it safe and sent out Palmer Williams to try to pin Colorado deep, especially after Williams had success doing that all game, but he chose points instead. The kick paid off.
Aranda also handled DJ Lagway with caution, and that mattered just as much. Lagway had several chances to tuck the ball and pick up yards with his legs, but in most of those moments he chose to throw instead.
In his postgame comments, it sounded like that was a shared decision between Aranda and Lagway, with safety and longevity taking priority. The thinking was simple: avoid unnecessary hits now, even if it means leaving some rushing yards on the table.
Still, that restraint has limits. At some point this season, Lagway is going to have to threaten defenses on the ground to serve as a +1 and force opponents to account for him.
Then there was Palmer Williams, who may be the best punter in all of college football. He punted seven times and placed four inside the 20, including three inside the five.
He averaged 50.4 yards per punt and kept flipping the field every time Baylor needed him. Trusting Williams instead of forcing the issue on fourth down showed a more measured version of Aranda, one that has backed away from the ultra-aggressive approach he’s used in the past.
In Other News...
Baylors Close Win Revealed Who Carried The Offense And Who Didnt
Baylors first in-conference test turned into the kind of game that forces a hard look at where the offense really came from, and who was asked to do too much. DJ Lagway led the way for the Bears in the home matchup, piling up 221 passing yards and 116 rushing yards while helping push the offense to 23 points. He also hit Jadon Porter on a 33-yard touchdown pass, one of the few plays that consistently gave Baylor breathing room.
The bigger picture for Baylor was less about style points than survival, even against a Colorado team that went to Julian Lewis after halftime. Dawson Pendergrass added 85 yards on 16 carries, giving the Bears a steadier ground presence, but the game still underscored how much the offense ran through Lagway. For a team trying to settle into conference play, the win answered one question and left another hanging about how sustainable that formula will be. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Fans Already Have One Big Reason To Debate DJ Lagway
Baylors quarterback picture has already become one of the more interesting storylines of the season, even before the Bears have had much time to settle it. DJ Lagway opened as the starter, then missed two games with a right ankle injury, and Nate Bennett stepped in and won both of those starts. That kind of fill-in success can change the way a fan base talks about a position, especially when the team has now seen two different answers under center.
Lagway is still expected to stay in the job once hes healthy, and his contract status is part of why the Bears are likely to keep leaning that way. Still, Bennetts brief run gave Baylor supporters a real alternative to compare against, which is exactly how quarterback debates start to take on a life of their own. The Bears may have an answer for now, but the conversation around it is only getting louder. [Read more 🡒]
Baylors Offense Has A Red-Zone Concern Fans Cant Ignore
Baylors trip into the red zone against Colorado looked productive on the surface, but the finish told a different story. The Bears got there five times and came away with three touchdowns, a drop-off that stood out as their lowest red-zone touchdown rate of the season and a reminder that moving the ball and cashing in are not always the same thing.
DJ Lagways return from injury added another layer to the conversation. The starting quarterback was back on the field, but his limited mobility was noticeable and he missed several open receivers, which affected how the offense was called. Dave Aranda said Lagways health shaped the game plan, and Baylor will be watching closely to see whether further rehabilitation can help him operate more freely in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]