Baylor Soccer 2023 Preview: Top Three Big 12 Games
With the soccer season just a little over a week away, and exhibitions already complete, it's time to help people get to know the team and its schedule. We started on Tuesday with the Top Three Non-Conference Games and covered the Top Three Questions on Wednesday. Today, let’s look at the top three Big 12 games for the Bears this season.
These three games are the most intriguing to me and not necessarily the most important for making the conference tournament or placing high up in the standings.
VS BYU (September 21st) — The best of the new members and a recent national runner-up (2021), the Cougars are the favorites to win the conference according to the preseason coaches poll. Hosting a program of this caliber in the second Big 12 match of the year will be a massive test.
While I am not certain if their style is very similar to that of North Carolina, I think some helpful comparisons can be drawn between the two matchups. They are top-level programs that could easily show us how far this Baylor program has come in one year.
This game is at Betty Lou here in Waco, so hopefully it will be a great atmosphere and the Bears can push the Cougars to the brink and maybe steal a result. Remember, the Bears seemed to play top teams better than others last year because the open style matches Coach Lenard’s preferred style of play.
VS Texas Tech (September 24th) — Just three days after the Cougars' Thursday visit, the Red Raiders come to town. This is typically a very physical program with a somewhat more direct style of play. Where BYU will show how Baylor can play a more open style with the best at it, Tech could show the Bears how proficient they are at imposing or adapting that open style against more defensive and direct opponents.
Beyond that, there is not much love for the school out in Lubbock from Baylor fans these days. A win over the Raiders in any sport would be celebrated well.
VS Cincinnati (October 12th) — The Bearcats were picked to finish just below the Bears in the preseason Big 12 poll. This could be a crucial game to secure a spot in the Big 12 tournament and starting a new conference matchup off with a win would be very nice.
There are just two conference games left for the Green-and-Gold after this matchup with Cincinnati: at TCU and at Houston. So as the home finale and senior night, this game is marked clearly on my calendar.