Baylor Soccer 2023 Preview: Top Three Non-Conference Games

With the soccer season just a little over a week away, and exhibitions already started, it's time to help people get to know the team and its schedule. First up, we have the top non-conference games on the Bears’ schedule.

Note: these are games that I think could be interesting or important to the team’s success, but this is largely subjective. 

At Oregon (August 17th) — The season opener was always going to be on this list. They could’ve played anybody and I would still be excited to see this team out on the field in full competition for the first time. The roster has undergone a lot of change and there are a lot of new faces. How the pieces fit together and how much more advanced and comfortable in Michelle Lenard’s system the team is are the two things I will especially be watching for.

Beyond that, Eugene is a whopping 1650-mile flight away from Waco. That makes this the longest road trip of the year right off the bat. The Ducks have a “highly regarded” freshman class which is good news for a squad that finished 11th in the PAC-12 last year and gave up the most shots in the league. That sounds like a decent recipe for the Bears to grab an early win as they return the trip the Ducks took to Waco two years ago for a 2-2 tie.

At Texas A&M (August 26th) — I would highly recommend going to this road game. Coach Lenard has told me multiple times that it is their “Fish Camp match” and the stands will be packed. A hostile crowd, two Power 5 teams and former conference foes competing hard. This battle of the Brazos is looking like an early contender for the best game environment of the year.

The Bears also scrimmaged the Aggies in the spring, so A&M will not be shocked by any growth from the Green-and-Gold. They have seen firsthand how Michelle has been developing her squad. Looking at the Aggies though, they were a middling team in the SEC last year. They have beaten SMU 2-0 already this fall in a scrimmage though so make of that what you will.

Vs SMU (September 7th) — Speaking of the Mustangs, I had to include a home game and this was the most enticing to me. A match against UTSA in between Big 12 games versus Texas and BYU will be intriguing, but SMU is the last test before the conference slate starts. Plus games against the Ponies typically have you on the edge of your seat. In 2021, Baylor won 2-1 in overtime. Last year, the Bears were pushing late to erase a 1-0 deficit but fell just short.

The Mustangs were a mid-table team in the American Athletic Conference last season, but typically have good talent. Being in the middle of Dallas has perks like that. So this will likely be the last good test before the Green-and-Gold face Texas in the Big 12 opener, no offense to Abilene Christian.

Trips to Nebraska and Butler, along with the home match against UTSA will be interesting to watch, but Oregon, Texas A&M and SMU are my top three non-conference games for the upcoming Baylor Soccer season. 

Up Next: Top Three Questions for the 2023 Season