The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: West Virginia Edition

Over the last four games, the Bears have broken streaks and bettered their overall standing, but with this most recent win, they've also made history and booked a trip to the postseason. If there is any remaining doubt, head coach Dave Aranda will officially return in 2025. 

Here's a look at some of ‘The Good, The Bad & The Ugly’ from Baylor Football's statement win over West Virginia. 

The Good

• The Win: The offense was excellent in the first half, but it was fair to question whether the Bears were fatally allowing the Mountaineers to linger in the third quarter. The defense kept things from turning sour with multiple stops, and eventually, the offense rekindled its first-half flame. In complementary concert during most of the fourth quarter, the Bears didn't just pull away from WVU; they turned the game into a semi-blowout. We wondered how the bye week might affect their winning momentum and groove, but they didn't skip a beat and are well-suited to keep it going so long as the attitude, approach and playmaking remain consistent. 
   
• History Makers: The 2024 team will forever be known as the team that slayed the curse in Morgantown. Despite the relatively short history, it is no small feat when you consider the talented squads that rolled through Milan Puskar and, until Saturday, always walked away in defeat. From the 70-63 inaugural meeting, Kevin White and the officials spoiling perfection in 2014, the walkoff FG in 2022 and all points in between. The Morgantown curse is no more. What a remarkable achievement for this specific team. 
   
• Aranda Returning: The school confirmed Dave Aranda is returning next season, and based on the grapevine, it was a matter of time, regardless of what occurred Saturday. But still, I'm glad it's official and out there so that the program can shut down any negative speculation and, armed with clarity, can move full force ahead in recruiting, roster retention, etc. Also armed with momentum, the Bears have many further opportunities on and off the field in the weeks ahead to keep it rolling. All things being equal, it is the right call given the success over the last month, the extra perspective on early losses, and the amount of talent available to return or potentially interested in joining next season. I also like Aranda, and no matter the results, I don't enjoy rooting for people to lose jobs or see their families suffering. I'm happy there's a little peace of mind for all involved and that it’s also earned over the past four games. 
   
• Standings Jump: I brought this up in the ‘Midweek Tilt’ piece, but it's now official. The Bears leaped over WVU, TCU and Texas Tech in the conference standings due to head-to-head. That combination of wins is mighty impressive, and I never would have banked on winning in Lubbock and Morgantown, plus beating TCU, but here we are. And as it sits, the Bears are now right around the top five in the league.

• Great Mindset: Linebacker Keaton Thomas (RSo.) said nothing's changed from the 8-4 mindset he talked about a couple of weeks ago: "It doesn't matter where we play, who we play or what the temperature is, we're coming to dominate." 

  I love that quote and wanted to share it. I also believe Thomas. He's been an excellent addition on multiple team fronts, from the defense to leadership to media appearances. 

• Corey Gordon: Running back Dawson Pendergrass (So.) was part of the recipe, too, but the defense put the stamp on the game when Corey Gordon (RSo.) picked off Garrett Greene (Sr.) to eliminate any realistic comeback bid. He leads the team with three interceptions, the latest of which was the most important. This defense only creates a few turnovers and lets too many slip through their hands, but that was a lovely big play that gave the offense an alley-oop to seal the game, which they did. And the front deserves credit for flushing Greene and forcing him into that throw. 

• Running Wild: It starts with the OL, but Bryson Washington (RFr.) and Pendergrass have turned into a terrific one-two punch. Washington now has double-digit scores and over 700 yards with three games to play and is posting some absurd numbers over the past month, especially in the past two games with 180-plus all-purpose yards and four scores in each contest. Pendergrass had his fair share of important touches, including his game-sealing 15-yard touchdown on fourth and short. A score that capped off a Pendegrass-heavy drive. I appreciated that he played closer and drove home the win following Gordon's interception. 

• Sawyer's Leadership: Each week, his game impresses, but Sawyer Robertson's (RJr.) rise as a leader becomes clearer, too. And I'm steadily more impressed by his demeanor and delivery in the postgame setting. He had great perspective and confidence on Saturday, alongside another entertaining vocal standout in Thomas. Both are great talkers and reps who don't sugarcoat. Not to be outdone, Robertson's on-field game is fantastic at the moment, and he's in a groove within Jake Spavital's offense. The scheme is working, he's protecting the football, the line's protecting him and the playmakers are delivering. 

• Second-Half Defense: This side of the ball had some issues on Saturday but delivered huge stops on multiple occasions and held the lead together during a third-quarter scoring drought with back-to-back fourth-down stops and three overall on the day. They should have had a second-half shutout, which is crazy given the first half, but that's part of the room for improvement. 

• Bowl Eligibility: Last but not least, bowl eligibility is a great accomplishment, especially given the rebound from last year and the beginning of this year. Best of all, there's no building pressure to win a sixth contest over these next two games. Now, a team that enjoys playing together will get a few weeks extra around one another and one more game. The extra practice time benefits the program and is particularly valuable for the youngest players. Going bowling is a base-level expectation but a significant return to the postseason nonetheless. 

The Bad

• The Defense/Secondary: The need for improvement is clear, and the defense has played with fire throughout the season to varying degrees of severe burns or near-misses. The secondary's given up some inexplicable receptions and conversions, including multiple in the endzone. Aranda knows there are issues, but they are who they are and must make the best of what they have for the next few weeks, particularly on the backend. 

• Late TD: I expected Aranda would be unhappy with the late WVU touchdown in his postgame, and he didn't disappoint.

  "I wish we wouldn't have given up that touchdown at the very end. I'd probably celebrate the bowl eligibility a little bit more than I am right now."

  It didn't feel like the end of the world because the butt-kicking was apparent, but it goes back to having that killer instinct, playing until the end, and preserving the second-half shutout, which has sometimes evaded them. Much less a 15-play, 75-yard touchdown drive featuring multiple third and fourth down conversions.

The Ugly

• WVU Replay/Score: You would think pylon cams would almost be automatic for broadcasts at this point, especially nationally televised, but whatever the issue on Saturday, WVU caught a lucky and questionable break upon further review. The resulting touchdown kept things a little too close for comfort for a good stretch. Eventually, the ball didn't lie, and the Bears pulled away anyway, but it was a bad call from my vantage point. 
   
• Second Quarter Defense: Both the Mountaineers and Bears paid a wonderful tribute to the old Big 12, particularly the early Baylor-WVU shootouts.