324 yards and 2 TD's is great but 27 of 48 isn't a good stat. I won't hold one of the interceptions again him because it was batted at the line and just happened to fall into the hands of the defense. But the second one was a bad decision/off target throw that's squarely on him. He's still off target on down field passes that could/should be going for 6 when our receivers get separation, especially our burners who have the ability to make magic in space. The receivers making some incredible catches have bailed him out a lot. I know he's the best option we have and I'm thankful that he's here to bridge the gap but let's not act like he's irreplaceable. He's an average P4 QB just like our other recent QB's have been. I hope he will continue to grow into something more but only time will tell.
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Baylor Football
Questions of the Week: Identity Crisis, Bowl Aspirations in the Balance, Robertson QB1
Baylor (2-3, 0-2) will hit the road to face No. 16 Iowa State (4-0, 1-0) at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Jack Trice Stadium. Here are some of the top questions heading into the contest.
Are Slow Starts an Identity of Dave Aranda Teams?
Slow starts have been a recurring theme for much of the Dave Aranda era, and the loss on Saturday was no exception. Before you could blink, No. 22 BYU marched into McLane Stadium and held a 21-0 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Entering the contest, something had to give. The Cougars had lost 10 straight day games against FBS opponents, and Baylor had lost seven consecutive home conference games. In his weekly press conference, Aranda mentioned the excitement of playing an 11 a.m. kickoff against BYU.
“It'll be awesome," he said. "All of us are up way early, and to get up and just play football is something that I think we're getting accustomed to, and I think we get the most energy when it's that way.”
The game itself was a huge opportunity for Baylor to make a statement and beat a ranked team at McLane for the first time since 2021. Instead, Aranda’s Bears came out flat, and their late comeback bid ultimately fell short. The hole they dug themselves early proved too insurmountable, an all too familiar theme in recent years.
Since Baylor’s loss to No. 19 Kansas State in November of 2022, the Bears have been outscored in the first half at home, 192-89. Since the start of the 2022 season, both at home and on the road, they’ve been outscored by FBS teams 440-332 in the first half. That’s an alarming trend that has continued to rear its ugly head time and time again.
Can the Bears Make a Bowl Game after Loss to No. 22 BYU?
For Baylor to make a bowl game in Aranda’s fifth year at the helm, splitting the Colorado and BYU games was critical. Now, coming off back-to-back losses, the Bears’ bowl hopes are dwindling going into the back half of the schedule.
This weekend, Baylor will head to Ames as two-touchdown underdogs for a prime-time matchup on FOX against the undefeated No. 16 Iowa State Cyclones (4-0, 1-0). After a bye week to recoup, the Bears will take on Texas Tech (4-0, 2-0) in Lubbock, Oklahoma State (3-2, 0-2), TCU (3-2, 1-1) West Virginia (2-2, 1-0) in Morgantown, Houston (1-4, 0-2) and Kansas (1-4, 0-2).
The path to six wins is technically still there, but the Bears will be forced to win a handful of coin-flip games. Going 3-4 across the final seven games feels much more likely than 4-3 with Baylor’s proverbial backs to the wall. Regardless, bowl aspirations will be interesting to monitor in the coming weeks and will likely determine Aranda’s job status in late November.
Can Sawyer Robertson Carry Baylor’s Offense Every Week?
Sawyer Robertson (RJr.) put any doubts to rest this weekend about whether he should be Baylor’s starting quarterback, even when Dequan Finn (6Sr.) returns from injury. Robertson threw for 324 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions on 27-of-48 passing; he also rushed for 29 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts.
Robertson has developed a rapport with wide receivers Josh Cameron (RJr.) and Hal Presley (Sr.) in his three starts as QB1 this season. Against the Cougars, Cameron hauled in two touchdowns and totaled a career-high 125 receiving yards on seven receptions. Presley caught a career-high eight passes for 82 yards.
However, with virtually no run game and porous offensive line play, Robertson and the wide receivers are being asked to carry the Bears' offense on every drive. Whether that’s sustainable week in and week out remains to be seen.
One thing is certain, though: Robertson has the best combination of passing-running abilities the Bears have had at the quarterback position in recent memory and will be a must-keep this offseason, depending on what happens with the coaching staff.
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