Staff Predictions for Baylor's Final Matchup of the Season against West Virginia

The SicEm365 Staff gives their predictions for Baylor’s (3-8, 2-6) final matchup of the season against the West Virginia Mountaineers (7-4, 5-3). Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday at McLane Stadium and will be televised on FS1.

Colt Barber (7-4) — West Virginia 38, Baylor 10

The best rushing offense in terms of raw statistics in the Big 12 is coming to Waco to end the season. I don’t see how this goes well, especially if Blake Shapen is out. 

Jack Mackenzie - SicEm365

According to ESPNBet, Baylor is an 11-point underdog against West Virginia, and the over/under is 54.5.

Brian Ethridge (4-7) — West Virginia 38, Baylor 13

Shapen is questionable, some assistant coaches likely know they're in the last game and Baylor is facing a team that loves to rush the ball.

Ashley Hodge (6-4) — West Virginia 38, Baylor 14

I see this one getting out of hand.  One team wants the season to be over.  The other has a better bowl to play for.

David Smoak (9-2) — West Virginia 30, Baylor 12

West Virginia's rushing offense is fourth overall in the country, and Baylor’s rush defense is 113th overall in the country. A year ago at this time, Neal Brown’s seat was red-hot, and a year ago, Dave Aranda’s seat was warming up. Now it’s red-hot, and Brown, although not flawless, is on the uptick.  

Paul Catalina (7-4) — West Virginia 34, Baylor 10

Baylor has been so bad at stopping the run; I just don’t even see in the most optimistic of “Win One for Coach” scenarios that they stop a WVU team that just set a school record for rushing yards in a game.  Add in the fact that Blake Shapen is likely not to play, and it makes things even worse. The 2023 season comes to an end with another thud. 

Craig Smoak (7-4) — West Virginia 41, Baylor 10

The offense was already struggling in some key areas, but Blake Shapen's potential absence really throws things for a loop. Meanwhile, a defense that can't stop the run, or much at all, for that matter, now lines up against a Top 10 rushing attack nationally, led by a dangerous mobile QB. Nope, I don't like this matchup. 

Travis Roeder (6-5) — West Virginia 42, Baylor 21

I expect WVU to essentially be able to name their score in this one; Brown tries to take it easy on Aranda in front of a pitiful crowd, but it's hard not to move the ball when you can rush for 6+ YPC. I expect Sawyer and some young guys on offense to play hard and get some drives going on the ground, but it isn't enough to keep up with Baylor's "come on through" defense. 

Sam Bradshaw (6-3) — West Virginia 37, Baylor 13

WVU wins the line of scrimmage, and without Shapen, the Bears can’t dial up enough big plays to keep it close.  The score is bad, but the low drive count keeps it from getting worse.

Jack Mackenzie - SicEm365

Baylor is set to finish the season with a losing record for the third time in four seasons under Dave Aranda.

Kendall Kaut (7-4) — West Virginia 31, Baylor 17

I think this will be Dave Aranda's final game at Baylor. Can't lose to every team you play that played in a power conference in 2022. I would expect the attendance to be terrible and the quality of play to possibly be worse. 

Grayson Grundhoefer (6-5) — West Virginia 38, Baylor 17

Another week, another blowout. I don't see this game being all that close in the second half, as the Mountaineers are going to run the ball with tons of success. I think the Bears will have some chances to score but won't execute well enough to keep up against a WVU offense that is peaking over the second half of the season.

Jack Mackenzie (6-5) — West Virginia 41, Baylor 21

Stop the WVU run if you want to win. Baylor hasn’t shown they can stop a running attack this good all year. Time for the offseason.

Garrett Ross (7-4) — West Virginia 42, Baylor 16

The Mountaineers run all over Baylor.

Levi Caraway (9-2) — West Virginia 41, Baylor 16

Neal Brown’s Mountaineers have plenty of things to play for, while Baylor only has its pride. With what was once heralded as a massive break in the schedule to get eight home games, three months later, Baylor will close out the ‘23 season 1-7 at McLane Stadium.