Underdog Mentality: Baylor Finds Confidence Heading Into Clash against No. 13 Utah

Coming off their most complete performance of the season, followed by a timely bye week, Baylor is rested and refocused ahead of its toughest test of the season this Saturday, as No. 13 Utah comes to Waco.

“I would say there was a lot more focus and edge in practice over the bye week,” redshirt senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson said on Tuesday. “We didn't come out like we wanted to after last bye week, and we’ve got another good opponent in Utah. We know we have to be locked in and have to play really well in order to win this game.”

When the Bears routed the Knights, 30-3, on Nov. 1, it was the first time this season that everything came together on both sides of the ball, signaling that Baylor was capable of playing a complete game all along.

“It was big, just because we did some things that we hadn't done previously in the season,” Robertson said. “Whether it was starting fast, whether it was playing complementary football, just all those things, and to take a deep breath and say, ‘Okay. We're capable of doing this. We need to go out, and this needs to be the expectation.’ It was good for that. Just being able to put that on film and do it on a Saturday.”

When asked whether he would have rather seen the Bears keep playing after their dominating win over UCF instead of getting another bye week, Robertson believes that Baylor can continue its momentum even after the brief break.

“Yeah, it's a good question. It was nice to do that, for sure. But I don't know. I'm not gonna complain about getting the bye week to rest and recover, especially for the injured guys,” Robertson noted. “I think it's still possible to carry that same momentum from the UCF game into these coming weeks. We've got three games left, and we're looking to build on what we started with the UCF game.”

Defensively, the Bears easily had their best game of the year, pitching a near shutout and holding the Knights scoreless on 11 of their 12 offensive possessions. Baylor also neutralized UCF’s potent rushing attack to the tune of a season-low 74 yards and an average of 3.2 yards per carry.

“I feel like it was really important,” redshirt junior cornerback Reggie Bush II said of Baylor’s performance against UCF. “It showed that we can play together as a defense. We can start fast and play as a full team for once. It showed how we’re capable of it, and that we can replicate this.”

Although the Bears waited until Week 9 to put it together, they still have the opportunity to play spoiler down the stretch with three games ahead, where they will likely be the underdog in all three — No. 13 Utah, at Arizona and Houston.

“I personally enjoy being the underdog. It’s satisfying to bring someone down a notch,” Bush said. “We really just need to stay focused and locked in on what we need to do. If we play to our best ability, we’ll be okay.”

Bush later noted that playing as the underdog allows people to play more freely, saying, “It gives relief for people. They’re not too tensed up. People get to relax because no one has high expectations for us, so you’re not putting extra pressure on yourself. You can just be yourself and play.”

With a veteran roster, the Bears also have a ton of motivation to finish the season strong, just as they did last year when they closed the regular season on a six-game winning streak, and make a bowl game.

“You hear all the time, it's not, it's not about how you start, it's about how you finish. The Big 12 race, I don't know if that's within our reach, but I know we can go out and play complementary football,” Robertson said. 

He continued, “We can play to the best of our abilities these last three games and end the season on a high note, because everybody remembers the feeling from last year and how we felt at the end of last year, where we were riding that high. We're gonna try to replicate that, because that was a good feeling, and we know we're capable of doing it. And so I think it's huge just for the team to come together when we did, and to finish strong.”

As for what to expect from Utah, Baylor’s preparing for a dogfight. Under head coach Kyle Whittingham, the Utes boast one of the toughest and most physical defenses in the country.

“They're really good on defense,” Robertson said. “Great coaches. The coaches have been there a really long time. Physical up front, physical with the DBs. They're great athletes. Their cover guys are lengthy and fast — everything you want in a DB. Just the combination of those two things, physical, fast, athletic, all that stuff, that makes for a pretty good defense. The challenge is there, but we're gonna attack it.”

Defensively, Baylor has struggled all year, but is coming off its best performance of the season against UCF. Utah, however, has two projected first-round picks on the offensive line, a litany of talented running backs, and a quarterback, Devon Dampier, who has rushed for 520 yards and five touchdowns on 96 carries. If Baylor has any chance of pulling off the upset on Saturday, it starts with stopping the ground game.

“They’re pretty good at running,” Bush said. “They have a good O-line. Based on things they’ve seen in the past, they’ll try to replicate things that other teams took advantage of against us. As we’ve been doing, we’re trying to correct mistakes, keep working and prove that we’re a good defense.”

The Bears (5-4, 3-3) will face the No. 13 Utes (7-2, 4-2) at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15, at McLane Stadium. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.