By Michael Haag | Sports Editor
Coming off the best comeback win in program history, Baylor football has seen both sides of the coin. The Bears were bested by a Sun Belt team to open the season and wound up 1-3 ahead of UCF. They then rallied from a 28-point deficit to knock off the Knights 36-35, giving them a reason to celebrate for the first time in a while.
Junior wide receiver Monaray Baldwin said the team needs to stay grounded with Texas Tech on the horizon. Baldwin said they can’t get caught up in the emotions of the historic victory.
“It’s easy to get caught on social media and see that people are praising you or criticizing you,” Baldwin said. “They’re going to say whatever. If you have a good game, they’re going to praise you. If you have a bad game, the same people are going to criticize you.”
Baylor (2-3, 1-1 Big 12) rolls into this weekend facing another conference foe in the Red Raiders (2-3, 1-1 Big 12), who have an eerily similar resume to the Bears. On one hand, Texas Tech lost its season opener to a Group of Five team (Wyoming), similar to Baylor’s loss. Then, a week later, both the Bears and Red Raiders fell in heartbreakers to ranked foes at home.
Baylor was topped 20-13 by then-No. 12 Utah, while Texas Tech fell 38-30 at the hands of then-No. 13 Oregon. If those similarities aren’t scary enough, don’t look at who’s on opposite sidelines.
Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire spent five years on Baylor’s coaching staff, including two years under Baylor head coach Dave Aranda. McGuire was Aranda’s associate head coach and outside linebackers coach for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
McGuire took the head coaching job in Lubbock following the Bears’ historic 12-2 season in 2021. Aranda’s former right-hand man also brought several assistants from Baylor to help round out his staff at Texas Tech.
Aranda and McGuire have spoken highly of each other since becoming opponents, and Aranda said the Red Raiders present “another big test” for his squad.
“They compete,” Aranda said. “You watch that Oregon game, and that was back and forth and that was tooth and nail and all of it. So we are going to get their best shot, for sure. And they’ve been giving their best shot to every opponent that they play.”
Aranda said he still expects “a lot of emotion” given the ties between the programs. The Bears have won nine of the last 12 clashes with TTU. The Bears blasted the Red Raiders 45-17 in Lubbock last year, and snuck away with a 27-24 win in Waco in 2021 to keep its Big 12 championship hopes alive.
For McGuire, this will be his first trip back to Waco since being on staff at Baylor in 2021.
“I know those guys well,” McGuire said. “I know that coaching staff well. I have some really good friends [there]. I’m excited to go back to Waco and play in that stadium. It’s a cool place to play, and it’s going to be a great atmosphere.”
Texas Tech super senior starting quarterback Tyler Shough broke his fibula in the Red Raiders’ 20-13 loss at West Virginia on Sept. 23. The Bears are preparing for TTU backup sophomore quarterback Behren Morton, as he’s stepped in for the injured Shough. Morton has appeared in three games and has completed 35 of 72 passes for 391 passing yards, five passing TDs and one interception.
Baylor found success against both Shough and Morton in last year’s matchup, intercepting the two quarterbacks a combined four times. Aranda said Shough was showing leadership and poise before he went down with the fibula injury. He added that Morton’s lack of experience could be something the Bears can exploit on Saturday.
“The guy we’re playing now is very talented and can make all the throws, can run and everything else,” Aranda said. “He’s still working through getting over the moments. … Would like for that to continue for them at least one more week.”
Texas Tech is averaging 33.2 points per game with 227.4 passing yards and 177.4 rushing yards per game. Defensively, the Red Raiders are holding opponents to 24.8 points per game with 148 rushing yards and 227.8 passing yards per game.
Saturday marks the second-straight night game at McLane Stadium. Baylor fell 38-6 to No. 3 Texas on Sept. 23 in front of a sold-out crowd. This is the first year the Bears have had at least three night games in Waco since 2019.
Baylor’s first four games of this season were at home, and the team only came away with one win over an FCS opponent. Aranda said there’s a huge emphasis on performing well for the home crowd.
“Our guys love playing at home, where we want to be able to see a big crowd and then we want to play well for our home crowd and just get the energy going at McLane like we know it can be,” Aranda said.
Saturday’s contest will kick off at 7 p.m. at McLane Stadium and will be broadcast on ESPN2.
Injury room:
- Aranda said fifth-year senior starting inside linebacker Mike Smith Jr. tore his ACL against UCF. Smith will miss the remainder of the year.
- Redshirt sophomore long snapper Garrison Grimes also tore his ACL on Saturday, per Aranda, and will miss the rest of the season.
- Junior running back Dominic Richardson is still pushing through a high ankle sprain, according to Aranda. Aranda said Richardson will still get limited carries as he nurses the ankle.
- Aranda said redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Jerrell Boykins Jr. is working his way back into playing shape.
- Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Tre Emory is also conditioning to get back into playing shape, per Aranda.
- Aranda said true freshman defensive lineman Trey Wilson suffered a concussion. Wilson will be questionable for Saturday’s contest.
