By Foster Nicholas | Editor-in-Chief, Braden Murray | LTVN Executive Producer
Each time head coach Dave Aranda has taken the podium during game week this season, he has preached two goals, complementary football and starting fast — both of which set the tone for a 30-3 dismantling of UCF Saturday afternoon at McLane Stadium.
LTVN’s Braden Murray brings you field-level for Baylor’s dominant victory
Baylor’s mentality was on display before the game even started, winning the coin toss and electing to receive rather than defer for the first time this season. Starting fast wasn’t just the Bears’ mentality; it was their mission.
“I do as I’m told; I was told to take the ball if we win the toss, and we won the toss and I took the ball,” redshirt senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson said. “They were the ones that were on their heels, and they were going for a lot of those fourth downs in the fringe area … It’s been the other way around, where we’re the ones having to convert those.
“For the first time this season, they were the ones having to do that, and I think that’s why our defense was able to almost pitch a shutout.”
The move paid off, as the Bears dropped two touchdowns in the first quarter against a Power Conference opponent for the first time since Nov. 30, 2024, a 45-17 home win against Kansas.
“We’ve been working hard to get [out to a fast start], and so to get it, I think that shows that, ‘Hey, we can do it. You can do it. This is who we are,’” Aranda said. “I thought the energy from defense to offense and special teams all the way around was multiplied throughout the game.”
Robertson laid the groundwork for an 11-play, 75-yard opening drive. He dialed up first-down passes to wide receivers Kole Wilson and Ashtyn Hawkins before slinging a 13-yard touchdown pass to redshirt senior tight end Michael Trigg, who reached over a defender to corral the pass.
Following a UCF three-and-out, the Bears went back to work, marching 48 yards on eight plays in three minutes. Highlighted by a diving, one-handed, 22-yard grab by Trigg and a 2-yard touchdown for redshirt senior wide receiver Josh Cameron, Baylor established its first two-possession lead since September.
“We’ve talked about starting fast and getting our offense the ball,” redshirt senior defensive lineman Jackie Marshall said. “We know our offense can score; we just have to give them the ball. That’s what we did. That was the motto: starting fast, get our offense the ball, letting them go and make plays and score.”
Through the first two drives, Robertson completed 9-of-11 passes. By the end of the quarter, Baylor had outgained UCF by 141 yards (190-49). Coming into Saturday, UCF had allowed just seven points in the first quarter all year; the Bears doubled that number in less than nine minutes.
In back-to-back losses to TCU and No. 17 Cincinnati coming out of the bye week, the Bears failed to pick up steam on game-opening drives, posting a pair of punts after a three-play, 4-yard drive and a six-play, 10-yard drive, respectively. Breaking the narrative, Baylor has now scored on five of nine drives to start games this year, including touchdowns against Samford, Oklahoma State and UCF.
“The guys woke up choosing to be great and choosing to — no matter what, if stuff didn’t line up — they were going to go attack,” Aranda said.
Back above .500, the Bears (5-4, 3-3 Big 12) move into their second idle week of the season and will be back in action against No. 24 Utah (6-2, 3-2) Nov. 15 at McLane Stadium.
