By Jackson Posey | Sports Editor<\/p>\n
Expectations are sky-high in Waco.<\/p>\n
Redshirt senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson is back, along with eight other offensive starters. Offensive coordinator Jake Spavital, who took over the nation\u2019s No. 101-ranked scoring offense in 2024, helped boost the unit into the top 20 in his first season.<\/p>\n
Questions remain, however. Head coach Dave Aranda will call the defense for the second time after finishing 11th in Big 12 scoring defense last year. Secondary transfer Devin Turner and running back Dawson Pendergrass<\/a>, both of whom were expected to play significant roles this fall, suffered season-ending injuries in the offseason.<\/p>\n With a blackout season opener against Auburn looming, here are some of the Lariat Sports Desk\u2019s predictions for a high-stakes Baylor football season.<\/p>\n Foster Nicholas | Editor-in-Chief<\/p>\n Record: 10-2<\/p>\n Baylor\u2019s window to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff is wide open. With a bevy of redshirt seniors captained by Robertson, 2025 is the best chance the Bears have at playoff glory anytime in the near future.<\/p>\n Despite Pendegrass\u2019 injury, the Bears are set up to have an explosive offense with improved confidence under Spavital. The defense has playmakers, and a couple of timely stops will win games.<\/p>\n With a loaded schedule, I expect Baylor to come out firing with a sweep of non-conference foes before hitting a few road bumps in conference play. It won\u2019t be easy, but Aranda\u2019s squad is tested and ready to turn heads.<\/p>\n Braden Murray | LTVN Executive Producer<\/p>\n Record: 9-3<\/p>\n I\u2019ve historically been a hater when it came to predicting Baylor\u2019s win total, but this year I believe the hype. If everything goes right, I could easily see the Bears making the playoffs. But I was a student when Baylor had playoff aspirations in the 2022 season, and we all know how that ended: a 30-15 loss to Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl.<\/p>\n Baylor was able to retain key contributors at several offensive positions this offseason. Robertson is one of the best starting quarterbacks in college football and could be a dark-horse Heisman contender. Redshirt sophomore Bryson Washington is back as running back, but the Bears are still looking for a backup after Pendergrass\u2019 season-ending injury. Redshirt senior wideouts Josh Cameron and Ashtyn Hawkins highlight a promising receiving corps<\/a>, which picked up some high-profile transfers.<\/p>\n For the second year in a row, though, Baylor had one of the worst defenses in the country, and I frankly don\u2019t expect that much improvement on this side of the ball. But if the offense is as good as I expect it to be, the Bears\u2019 lack of defense shouldn\u2019t matter all that much. (I do expect redshirt junior Keaton Thomas to have another great year at inside linebacker.)<\/p>\n The first half of the schedule is much tougher than the second half. In their first six games, the Bears face three teams ranked in the preseason AP Top 25, including two coming off playoff berths. After playing Kansas State in week six, though, Baylor has a legitimate chance at winning out. <\/p>\n Jackson Posey | Sports Editor<\/p>\n Record: 9-3<\/p>\n