Baylor Football got battered, Basketball returned, while others are now preparing for spring. Here's a look at The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from the past week in Baylor Athletics.
The Good
Big Noon Kickoff — Even after all that, the football program was blessed with a marvelous rebound opportunity this weekend, with FOX's flagship pregame show making its way to Waco. The invite was surprising until realizing the importance of TCU's unbeaten record to Playoff hopeful fanbases across the country. Waco hasn't hosted College GameDay since 2019, but this is the second year in a row with a Big Noon Kickoff broadcast. Given the rarity of those platforms, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Crowd Turnout — The home field support was ultimately there and ready to roar, even if it did take some prodding and charity throughout the week. The call to show up in black was clearly broadcast loud and clear. So, for all those invested in those efforts, well done. The setting looked great, and there seemed to be a buzz in the air before K-State stifled that spirit. Just a shame we never saw the full potential of that backdrop.
MBB — Scott Drew and the Bears are tied at No. 5 with Kansas in the AP Top 25 and sit at No. 6 in the Coaches Poll after a 2-0 start to the season and wins over Mississippi Valley State and Norfolk State. Next, Northern Colorado at the Ferrell on Monday night before a first-round meeting with No. 18 Virginia in Las Vegas for the Continental Tire Main Event. They also signed Ja'Kobe Walter and Miro Little officially.
WBB — Nicki Collen and the Bears earned opening week wins against Lamar and Incarnate Word at home. The competition ramps up significantly this week at the Ferrell Center, with SMU on Tuesday and then a Sunday matinee with No. 18 Maryland.
Cross Country — The 2022 season closed in College Station at the NCAA South Central Regionals, with the women's team earning the 8th place finish in the 6K and the men's squad a seventh place result in the 10K. Those marked the highest finishes for either team in the last five years.
Ellie Hodge was an All-Region selection for the women's team, and Ryan Day and Drew Snyder for the men, after each finished in their respective Top 25.
Men's Tennis — Michael Woodson and the Bears released their 2023 spring schedule, featuring 13 regular-season home contests, including Texas and Texas Tech in Big 12 competition. The season starts on January 15th with a home doubleheader against Lamar and Incarnate Word.
Women's Golf — Sophomore Sera Hasegawa was named October's Big 12 Golfer of the Month.
Volleyball — Freshman setter Averi Carlson earned her fourth Big 12 Rookie of the Week honor, a mark that ties her with program great Yosianna Presley.
Signing Days — MBB, WBB, A&T, Equestrian, Men's Golf, Women's Golf, Softball, Soccer and Volleyball all signed new additions to their rosters.
Jack Mackenzie - SicEm365
The Bad
The Deflation — People showed up ready for a fun time and decked out in black, but that energy didn't translate to the team and their on-field performance — credit to Kansas State's game plan and execution, for sure. And the Bears were their own worst enemy at times, leaving the crowd with a severe case of blue footballs. This leaves me entirely in the dark on what to expect turnout-wise, with unbeaten TCU rolling into town on senior day for the home finale. Perhaps this fits better in the ugly category, but that'd be a real shame.
No Repeat — There were actual conference title game hopes entering Saturday, but those are no longer a distraction after that loss. Let the debate rage about whether title hopes were legit for this group or not, but the path was there. And is it still? Any remaining odds are so unrealistic based on what we've seen that it's not worth discussing. Not making the title game after a magical 2021 ride is not the end of the world. Chances were there in a Big 12 with a rightful claim to the best pound-for-pound conference in the country. But it's not getting any easier in the future.
Volleyball — The No. 10 Bears fell in upset fashion, 3-1, in their only match last week at TCU.
The Ugly
The K-State Loss — That result was the definition of an ugly entry; no explanation needed. There is zero shame in losing to that Kansas State football team, but there are no ways to spin-shine a 31-3 defeat in that environment. The competition in the Big 12 is as fierce as ever, and K-State just beat you at your own game, in every way, on your home turf. What this team views as distractions, the Wildcats viewed as motivation. And once they got their teeth sunk in, they never relented.
Head coach Chris Kliemann was fired up about that win, as you could imagine. In the postgame, both he and QB Will Howard talked about the motivating factors heading into Saturday, like a younger Howard's performance in a loss two years ago in Waco. That loss stuck with them both. Kliemann expressed his deep respect for Dave Aranda and even remarked that they've modeled some of their program after Baylor's. The Wildcats clearly had the Bears well-scouted and knew exactly what a win would take.
Jack Mackenzie - SicEm365
Offensive Woes — Chalk it up to whatever you'd like, but it was an ugly day at the office for the Baylor offense. There was no single reason, but some stood out more than others. In particular, it wasn't the performance needed from quarterback Blake Shapen, with his first interception completely turning this game in K-State's favor. Not that Baylor didn't have their opportunities afterward, but the whole day felt off after that initial pick. It was so strange. Scoring only three points takes a group effort. Chris Kliemann mentioned they showed some much different looks than what was previously on tape, which also played into keeping the Bears off kilter. They also prepared and focused on needing not only 3rd but 4th down stops, given Baylor's proclivity for 4th down attempts. Special teams showed up, too, in a thorough beatdown.
Defensive Woes — Without the benefit of turnovers, the Bears' defense was on their heels all night, slowly and, at other times, quickly, thanks to big-time breakdowns and miscues. And K-State deserves credit, too. Howard was excellent, Vaughn was fantastic, and Sinnott was a surprise. They have more explosive playmakers at the moment. Per Chris Kliemann, their goals included dominating time of possession and running a lot of plays, which they did, at will. Howard also pointed out some holes they found in the Baylor defense, which inexplicably resulted in seeing Deuce Vaughn running uncovered on multiple occasions. Trouble getting stops meant a long night on the turf for the defense. Nevertheless, K-State executed its plan to perfection, and the overall result was an ugly night at McLane Stadium for the home team.
