Hot Seat Heats Up: Pressure Mounts on Aranda as Baylor Fights for Bowl Eligibility

After athletic director Mack Rhoades announced a self-imposed leave of absence, questions swirled ahead of the Utah game about whether head coach Dave Aranda could survive the hot seat and remain for a seventh season amid the uncertainty surrounding the athletic department.

Those thoughts were quickly dashed Saturday night, as the No. 13 Utes steamrolled Baylor in a 55-28 blowout, leaving little doubt that Aranda will not be leading the program in 2026.