Baylor senior linebacker Travion Barnes has earned a spot on the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, putting his name among 91 preseason candidates for college football’s top defensive honor.
The Maxwell Football Club announced the list Friday, and Barnes is one of 33 linebackers and one of 17 Big 12 players included. The award goes each year to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.
Barnes’ Baylor debut was short but productive. He played in the first four games of the 2025 season before a season-ending injury against Arizona State cut his year short. In that stretch, he posted 11 tackles and a sack, with his best outing coming in Week 3 against Samford, when he finished with six tackles.
Before arriving in Waco, Barnes built a strong résumé at FIU. The Altamonte Springs, Fla., native was the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 for the Panthers. He finished fifth nationally in total tackles with 129, ranked third in tackles per game at 11.7, and added 10 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
The Bednarik Award has been handed out since 1994 and is named after Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik, the former University of Pennsylvania standout who was enshrined in both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Semifinalists will be announced on Nov. 10, followed by the three finalists on Nov. 24.
The winner of the 32nd Chuck Bednarik Award will be revealed during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 10.
Baylor’s 2026 season opens Sept. 5 against Auburn in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with ABC carrying the national broadcast. The Bears then return home Sept. 12 to face Prairie View A&M, beginning a three-game homestand at McLane Stadium.
Other Baylor players have also turned up on preseason watch lists and honors lists, including Michael Allen, Ryan Davis, Gavin Freeman, DJ Lagway, Tony Livingston, Dawson Pendergrass, Jacob Redding, Dylan Schaub, Kaden Sieracki, Devonte Tezino, LeVar Thornton Jr., Devin Turner, Hosea Wheeler and Palmer Williams.
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Baylor Just Unveiled A Throwback Look Fans Will Debate
Baylors conference opener against Colorado on Sept. 26 will come with a fresh dose of nostalgia, as the Bears unveiled a throwback uniform that leans into the programs classic look. The design features a green jersey with large gold numbers and bear paw shoulder patches, along with white pants trimmed in a three-stripe pattern, giving the matchup a little extra polish before the first Big 12 test of the season.
The reveal drew mostly positive reaction on social media, where plenty of fans embraced the retro feel and the clean color contrast. Still, the design did not land as a universal favorite, with some mixed opinions surfacing around a few of the style choices, which should keep the uniform conversation going right up until kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Is Bringing Back A Look Bears Fans Never Forgot
Baylor is leaning into a familiar piece of program history this fall, turning to the bear paw look that helped define one of its most recognizable eras. The Bears will wear throwback uniforms for the Sept. 26 game against Colorado at McLane Stadium, a nod to the Grant Teaff years and the teams that carried the design from 1982-92.
The timing adds a little extra weight because the 1991 Bears are set to be honored during the game, giving the throwback even more of a direct connection to the past. For fans who want to be there when it happens, season and single-game tickets are already on sale, and the matchup should have a little more sizzle than a standard nonconference date. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Faces A Brutal Bowl Line With Dave Aranda Under Pressure
Baylor enters a pivotal season with plenty of change on the offensive side, headlined by a new starting quarterback in DJ Lagway and the kind of reset that can make early expectations hard to pin down. Under Dave Aranda, the Bears are trying to rebound from a stretch that has put the program under a brighter spotlight than usual, especially with the offense needing to find its footing quickly.
CBS Sports recently projected Baylor to miss bowl eligibility again, a forecast that would only sharpen the pressure around Aranda if the Bears struggle to gain traction. In a college football coaching market that can get complicated in a hurry, another lost season would force Baylor to confront not just where the program is headed, but how difficult it might be to chart a new course if change becomes necessary. [Read more 🡒]