By the Baylor Lariat Sports Desk
Baylor football has its eye on taking the Kinder’s Texas Bowl by storm as head coach Dave Aranda meets his former team for the first time since becoming a Bear as the green and gold battle LSU at 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 31 in Houston.
The Bears (8-4) have a 3-4 record against LSU (8-4), with the last matchup being a 21-7 win in the 1985 Liberty Bowl. The Bears are undefeated against the Tigers in bowl matchups, having also won the 1963 Bluebonnet Bowl, 14-7.
Does the Baylor Lariat Sports Desk think the trend will continue, or will LSU win its first bowl game against BU? Here is what six staffers think:
Foster Nicholas | Sports Editor
Prediction: Baylor 35, LSU 24
The Bears are the hottest team in the Big 12 going against a wounded LSU team that lost 13 players to the transfer portal on Day 1. Both teams come in with less-than-ideal defensive play in the second half of the season, but without some key starters, LSU looks more vulnerable than a veteran Baylor defense with several stars appearing in their last game. I expect points to come all evening, but timely stops from the green and gold, alongside the superstar play of redshirt junior quarterback Sawyer Robertson, will give Baylor its first bowl game win since 2021.
Jackson Posey | Sports Writer
Prediction: Baylor 31, LSU 24
The last time Brian Kelly won fewer than 10 games, Barack Obama was in office. But now, here stands Kelly, coaching a team that’s looked painfully mediocre after an up-and-down start to the season (loss to USC in Las Vegas, win over South Carolina in Columbia). They’re 6-3 since, with only one of those wins — an overtime victory over Ole Miss — coming against a team with a winning record.
A three-game conference losing streak by a combined 55 points knocked the Tigers out of the SEC championship race. They’re solidly fine, and Garrett Nussmeier is talented, but losing star edge rusher Harold Perkins to injury knocked the wind out of their sails.
Baylor is peaking at just the right time — meanwhile, LSU is slumping and at risk of losing its second Texas Bowl in three years. These aren’t Joe Burrow’s Tigers. Baylor is in prime position to win a bowl game in the Lone Star State for the third time in the past three decades.
Grant Morrison | Sports Writer
Prediction: Baylor 38, LSU 34
The Baylor offense has looked almost unstoppable over the last six weeks, and I think Sawyer Robertson and the Bears can carry that momentum into a postseason win. While LSU certainly has a more robust defense than most Baylor faced this year, its run defense has been gashed more than a few times, averaging 146.5 yards on the ground to opposing teams. Baylor would be more than happy to play this game on those terms: running back duo Bryson Washington and Dawson Pendergrass are averaging 136.3 and 70.7 yards, respectively, in the second half of the season.
LSU, on the other hand, will likely lean away from the run game, as its 121.5 yards per game rank 101st out of 134 FBS programs. The Tigers’ high-flying pass attack will be the biggest challenge for Dave Aranda’s defense. Behind the arm of redshirt junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, the Tigers boast the eighth-highest passing yards per game. I see him throwing for three to four touchdowns and around 300 yards.
The other advantage Baylor has coming into the game is the attrition LSU will likely see from transfer portal entries and NFL draft hopefuls who might opt out of this game. While some might try to discount a potential Baylor win because of this, all the Bears can do is play the game in front of them, which should shape up to be a high-scoring shootout with plenty of fireworks on both sides.
Braden Murray | LTVN Sports Director
Prediction: Baylor 33, LSU 30
Riding a six-game winning streak, Baylor football is clearly one of the hottest teams in the country. Capping the season by winning a bowl game over a decent SEC team would do wonders for the future of the program. Robertson and the Baylor offense are firing on all cylinders, and I don’t foresee them having difficulty scoring. It’s the Bears’ defense that I worry about; they gave up 30 points in six different games this season. I can see this game being close late, but I think this Baylor defense has one more timely stop in them. If LSU was at full strength, this game could go the other way, but with 13 players entering the portal, I can’t pick them in good faith.
Aidan Pham | Sports Reporter
Prediction: Baylor 32, LSU 28
All three phases of the ball looked great for Baylor in its 45-17 win over Kansas to close out the regular season. Picked to be one of the worst teams in the Big 12 preseason polls, I believe Baylor will want to finish the year with a nice win and carry that momentum over to next season. Led by redshirt junior quarterback Sawyer Robertson and a strong run game, the Bears will have no trouble putting points on the board. LSU isn’t the same team due to 13 transfers hitting the portal so far, which will be too much for the Tigers to overcome in this game.
Ashlyn Beck | News Editor
Prediction: Baylor 31, LSU 17
I think LSU will score two touchdowns and a field goal, and Baylor will get four touchdowns and a field goal. Baylor’s biggest advantage is morale coming off of a six-game winning streak. In contrast to LSU’s comparatively disappointing two-game win streak following losses to No. 11 Alabama, Florida and Texas A&M, the Bears will hit the field with energy unmatchable by an underwhelming Tigers team.
