In The Web: What "They" are saying about Baylor ahead of the season
We had a lot of fun with this feature last season and decided to bring it back again as a weekly feature.
In year four under Dave Aranda, Baylor will be under the microscope in 2023 after a disappointing 2022 campaign where the Bears finished 6-7. Not by any surprise, expectations aren’t very high nationally for Baylor this season, but even inside the borders of Texas it’s hard for some experts to predict the Bears with confidence.
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football recently released their 2023 Preseason College Football Power Poll, which had Baylor coming in at No. 7 behind programs such as UTSA and SMU.
7. BAYLOR BEARS
2022 record: 6-7
2023 outlook: Year 4 of the Dave Aranda era should help onlookers define his tenure with better understanding. On one hand, he’s led the Bears to the program’s best-ever season – 12 wins, a Big 12 title, and a win in the Sugar Bowl back in 2021. On the other, they’ve finished two of his three seasons with a losing record. Baylor used the transfer portal to plug holes and brought in Matt Powledge to lead the defense. A step forward by the talented Blake Shapen and a return to form on defense could put the Bears back in the Big 12 hunt.
The Bears only received three votes this past week in the AP Top 25 Poll and found themselves on the outside looking in. As a whole, the current Big 12 had four teams ranked in the Top 25 (Texas, K-State, TCU, Oklahoma).
It’s going to be an exciting season in the Big 12 with Texas and Oklahoma doing their swan song before heading to the SEC and the additions of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF being added to the mix.
Yahoo Sports just released their Big 12 Predictions with Baylor finding themselves once again in the middle of the pack.
Baylor (+2000)
2022 record: 6-7 (4-5)
National title odds: +20000
Over/under: 7 wins
While Texas Tech ended the season on a high note, Baylor ended it on a slide. Baylor was 6-3 after wins over the Red Raiders and Sooners but then lost its last four games of the season. That stretch included a one-point loss to TCU on a last-second field goal.
QB Blake Shapen returns after he threw for nearly 2,800 yards and 18 TDs and 10 interceptions. He held onto the starting job during spring practice after the addition of Mississippi State transfer Sawyer Robertson. If Shapen improves dramatically in 2023, Baylor’s offense should be much better. RB Richard Reese is also back after rushing for over 900 yards as a freshman, but the offensive line has to replace four starters.
The defense returns five starters and just one in the secondary. That may not be as bad as it sounds. Baylor allowed at least 35 points four times in 2022 and opponents scored at least 29 in each of the last five games of the season.
What’s some good preseason banter without a bowl prediction? It’s always fun to speculate and hope for dream scenarios.
Heartland College Sports did just that and their bowl prediction for the Bears is another battle against a SEC program that is home to a pretty rich basketball history as well.
AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL (DEC. 29) — BAYLOR (8-4) VS. KENTUCKY (8-4) — Baylor improves from last year’s 6-6 finish to the regular season and lands in the Liberty Bowl against Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats. In an interesting coaching battle between Stoops and Dave Aranda, the Bears bring an SEC style of play to this game with a strong run game and disciplined defense. Bring your lunch pail for this one.
I’m really intrigued to see how Baylor’s roster comes together throughout the season. Coach Aranda and his staff did a good job of turning over the roster with some positive attrition, while adding some depth at key positions through the transfer portal.
In a world full of analytical overlords, it’s only right to judge the talent of a roster with numbers and metrics.
Heartland College Sports did just that with their recent Roster Rating System (RRS), which had Baylor coming in at No.10 in the Big 12 this season.
10. BAYLOR BEARS
RATING: 38
QB: 7 RB: 4 WR/TE: 10 OL: 13 DL: 9 LB: 5 DB: 12 ST: 13
I don’t even know what to say about this one. I picked Baylor to finish sixth in my Big 12 preseason poll, but a freefall to 10 in the RRS is still shocking. While it’s fair to say that running back and linebacker will be the strength of the team, a brand new offensive line, defensive backfield, and special teams units tank the Bears’ overall rating in this season’s projection. While their score comes in at 38, it’s well behind the other perceived contenders in the Big 12. This is one that I feel will be way off come December, but it’s just how the formula worked out ahead of the Bears’ 2023 season.
It’s not all doom and gloom for Baylor, in fact, they have a couple of “Freaks” on their roster to play with in 2023. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic just released his annual Freak List, which focuses on players whose athleticism is absurd.
Baylor had both offensive and defensive representation on Feldman’s list as wide receiver Monaray Baldwin (42) and defensive end Gabe Hall (45) were featured. One former Bear made the list as well, in current USF quarterback Gerry Bohanon (91).
College Football Freaks List 2023: Bruce Feldman’s rankings, with a true freshman at No. 1 - The Athletic
Feldman joined 365 Sports on Wednesday to discuss his article and explain why Baldwin and Hall qualified for the list.
As always, get the latest on Baylor Football from SicEm365.com and tune into our pregame show on the 365 Sports YouTube Channel or KWTX on local television in Central Texas!
