WACO – Outsiders might question why Baylor students and fans rushed the field following the 37-34 victory over TCU to push the Bears to 5-4 on the season. TCU wasn’t even ranked. Baylor didn’t reach bowl eligibility or any other tangible mark. But, for anyone who has followed Dave Aranda’s program since the Sugar Bowl win in 2021, the celebration made perfect since. 

“This is a game, if it was a couple weeks ago, we lose,” Aranda said. “It did seem in this one that, at times, we were finding ways to lose the game. We were able to overcome those times and fight for a win.” 

Everyone exhale. For the first time since knocking off Ole Miss to cap the best season in program history, there is hope for Baylor football fans. The Bears started the season 2-4 with four losses to Big 12 competition. They were 11-22 overall since the 2021 season following the Oct. 5 loss at Iowa State. The conversations were no longer about Aranda saving the season. They focused on who would replace him after it. 

What a difference a month makes. Baylor heads into the Week 1 idle week on a three-game winning streak with victories over Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and TCU. The Horned Frogs and the Red Raiders beat Baylor by a combined score of 81-31 last season. One more win secures bowl eligibility for Baylor. Two more wins guarantees the first winning season since 2021. 

The win on Saturday also significantly cooled the seat under Aranda. No one entered the 2024 season under more pressure save maybe Sam Pittman at Arkansas. He was 23-25 as head coach of the Bears after four seasons. Three of those four years ended under .500. Take away the 12-2 finish in 2021 and he was 11-23 as the head coach in Waco. 

Aranda approached Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades after last season with a plan. He’d take over play calling duties as defensive coordinator and hire an offensive coordinator with head coaching experience to remove some of those duties from his plate. Baylor also leaned into NIL and the transfer portal in a way Aranda was previously hesitant. Assistant coaches started wearing “We Pay Players” shirts at practice. It was a slow burn, but the tide has finally turned. 

“I try not to look outside because it’s just so depressing,” Aranda said about the outside noise after the 2-4 start. “At some point, do you trust what the phone is saying, or do you trust what I’m saying or what the coaches are saying? I’m hopeful we’re done with that battle.” 

One player on the forefront of the Baylor evolution is redshirt freshman running back Bryson Washington. The former Franklin star only played in three games as a true freshman in 2023, ending the season with 10 carries for 45 yards. Against TCU, he ran the ball 26 times for 196 yards and four scores. It was the third time he’s broken the 100-yard mark in 2024. 

Another is quarterback Sawyer Robertson. The West Texas native began his career at Mississippi State before transferring to Baylor ahead of last season. He was recruited over in the offseason when the Bears signed Toledo transfer Dequan Finn, who started the season as the starter. Robertson didn’t pout. He waited his turn, and he isn’t giving the keys back. 

Baylor lost close games against Colorado and BYU to start the season. The Bears gave up a Hail Mary in the closing seconds against the Buffaloes before eventually losing in overtime on a fumble. They clawed back to within one possession against BYU a week later before coming up short. Doubt is human nature. Everyone closed the chapter on the 2024 Bears. Everyone except them. 

“For the players, it is like, are we good enough? Are these moments too big? Can we do this?” Aranda explained. “So, to get past all of that is way cool.”