Nearly three years ago, Baylor’s defense, in a championship game, denied Oklahoma State the winning touchdown. They held a solid defense and won the Big 12 crown in Coach Dave Aranda’s second season. However, in a recent game against Colorado, Baylor gave up a rushed Hail Mary pass in the last seconds that took the game to an unexpected overtime. Colorado eventually won 38-31. This recent loss brings an unfavorable comparison to Aranda’s sparkling record, pressing the question of Baylor’s current decline in performance.
Aranda, once the highest-paid assistant in college football revered for his defensive strategies, is now facing scrutiny in his fifth year as the head coach. Following the win at the 2021 Big 12 Championship and a Sugar Bowl victory, Baylor’s performance took a turn for the worse as they recorded 11-18. This, coupled with several turnovers in the offensive and defensive staff, make Aranda’s future with Bears uncertain. In an attempt to bounce back from last year’s disappointing 3-9 finish, Aranda pledged to make changes, including utilizing the transfer portal and endorsing compensation for name, image, and likeness.
Despite the dismal finish against the Buffaloes, the first three quarters provided some encouraging moments. Baylor managed to keep the lead with key offensive plays and sustained defensive pressure. However, a series of missed opportunities and poorly executed defensive strategies led to Colorado catching up, eventually forcing the game into overtime. This loss is not only embarrassing but also potential fodder for critics questioning Aranda’s coaching strategies.
Baylor’s loss against Colorado is reminiscent of their defeat to UNLV on September 11, 1999, which many consider the Bears’ most painful. The similarities in squandering late-game leads echo the painful memory of that fumble and might reignite skepticism about the program’s capacity to sustain a lead. With the adverse reaction to this loss, Baylor now has to recover quickly to maintain its standing in an ultra-competitive conference, where early losses could be critical.
Baylor’s upcoming schedule poses more significant challenges, with matches against teams who have had significant wins. Any protraction of their losing trajectory might set the alarm bells ringing for Aranda’s coaching tenure at Baylor. There is a baseline expectation for the team to make a bowl, which seems to be a difficult milestone given their recent loss. The team, however, seems optimistic to recover from this setback and improve their performance in the upcoming matches.
Baylor’s leadership is rooting for Aranda to turn around the situation, with many emphasizing his genuine and thoughtful approach. However, with declining results, the game against Colorado might have important repercussions for Aranda’s future with Baylor. He expressed confidence in his team’s ability to bounce back stronger from the loss. Whether or not Aranda gets to lead the team into another trophy-winning season hangs in the balance of the weigh-in by Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades at the end of the season.
