College Football

CFB Top 50, #31: 2025 Baylor Bears

by
Bracket Yard
July 23, 2025

At number 31 on the Bracket Yard’s CFB Top 50 countdown, out of the Big 12 Conference, it’s the 2025 Baylor Bears.

Somewhere in between the Baylor Basin and the Brazos River is McLane Stadium, home to the Bears. The fans in the green and gold who grace Touchdown Alley on gamedays in Waco saw their team perform better in 2024 than in the one prior, which was a disappointment. In 2024, Dave Aranda’s team won eight games, their best mark since 2021, when they were the Big 12 champions.

Now, winning the Big 12 will be a tall order for any team, but do we think the Bears have any chance at competing? If nothing else, we think they are the number 31 team going into this season.

2025 Baylor Bears Basic Facts

Head Coach: Dave Aranda (6th season)

2025 Conference: Big 12

2024 Record: 8-5 (6-3), 5th in Big 12

Final Resolution of Last Season: Lost Texas Bowl

2024 Scoring Offensive Rank: T-19th (34.4)

2024 Scoring Defensive Rank: 81st (26.7)

Baylor Key Additions and Subtractions

IN – Kobe Prentice, wide receiver. Transferred from Alabama.

IN – Emar’rion Winston, linebacker. Transferred from Oregon.

OUT – Richard Reese, running back. Transferred to Stephen F. Austin.

OUT – Matt Jones, linebacker. Signed with Las Vegas as an undrafted free agent.

Best Game on the Schedule in 2025

August 29 vs. Auburn. Wow, right out of the gate with a top-tier game for Baylor, and this game is in Waco. They will have an immediate chance on a Friday night, in a “blackout game” on national television, to show the world what’s up – if they can hang with the Tigers, that is. If they do, Baylor could be setting the table for a solid year.

2025 Baylor Bears: Outlook

The Bears had a high-flying offense in 2024, exceeding 40 points four times. They also allowed 40 points on two occasions, and 30 points on seven of them. Welcome to life in the Big 12.

Quarterback Sawyer Robertson is coming back for another go, which is probably good news for the Bears, as he threw for over 3,000 yards last season, including 28 touchdowns. Robertson rushed for four more. He lost one of his backfield teammates to the transfer portal, Richard Reese, but the latter was the number-three back for Baylor. Bryson Washington and Dawson Pendergrass, the former being a 1,000-yard rusher, are both back in 2025. So, too, is the team’s top receiver from 2024, Josh Cameron. It appears Baylor will be fine on the offensive side of the ball.

On defense, they could always stand to be better. Keaton Thomas was the top tackler last season, and he’s back, but they will miss Matt Jones, who is off to the NFL. Inbound transfer Emar’rion Winston will get an opportunity to step up and fill some shoes. Where they really need the help, however, is in stopping the pass – again, welcome to life in the Big 12.

The aforementioned Auburn game out of the chute will be a tough one. It is followed by one almost equally as tough against SMU, before they get a cupcake against Samford. Baylor could easily start 0-2, with Arizona State following Samford – a brutal start to the season. It is imperative that Baylor wins at least one of these two non-conference games to avoid a slow start and show the college football world that they are legitimate. Baylor returns enough talent to make that case.