GET UP! The Lariat’s Sports Buzz is back for another semester of Baylor Athletics. The stove is starting to get a little hot only one week into classes, as soccer and volleyball have successful weeks and the Bears are itching to return to the gridiron.
College football is back
The long wait for another season of college football is back. While eyes were on week zero across the country and across the pond in Dublin, the Bears are gearing up for their week one rematch against Auburn.
Baylor suffered the opening loss to the Tigers last year 38-24 under the shine of the returning gold chrome helmets. The Bears now look to avenge the defeat, heading eastbound and down to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the Aflac Kickoff Game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The focus will lie on both quarterbacks in the upcoming matchup. South Florida transfer Byrum Brown followed his head coach Alex Golesh to the SEC. Florida transfer DJ Lagway is set to make his first start for his father’s alma mater, looking to turn his career around after two underwhelming seasons with the Gators.
Expectations for Baylor may not be as high as they were leading into 2025, but it is now time to be glued to your couch on Saturdays with full slates of college football each week until late January.
Soccer gets back on track
It has been a roller coaster when it comes to Baylor soccer and the top 25. The Bears began the season unranked, but wins over then-No. 10 Arkansas and Texas A&M helped them leap into the No. 6 spot a week later. Baylor then dropped its second home match of the season to Texas State, falling right back out of the rankings after reaching the highest spot in program history.
The Bears did not let the one loss get to them. They pulled off a comeback against Texas in Austin behind second-half goals from senior midfielder Aryanna Jimison and senior forward Theresa McCullough to return to the win column.
Baylor continued its strong week with a Sunday night matchup against Pepperdine. Both sides came out of the gates swinging with goals in the first five minutes of the match. It took two late-game goals to give Baylor back-to-back victories. The Bears look to continue their winning ways against LSU at 7 p.m. Thursday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Volleyball hangs three in Hawaii
While it is consistently hitting over 100 degrees in Waco, No. 21 Baylor volleyball hit the sand and waves of Hawaii to begin its 2026 season.
The Bears began the week hanging 10 and hitting the waves before their weekend slate. They turned around and took care of business, taking all three matches, including a win over Hawaii and former Baylor assistant coach Joshua Walker.
This is only the beginning for the now-sophomore trio of Ksenia Rakhmanchik, Bailey Warren and Morgan Madison, who made waves throughout college volleyball as freshmen in 2025. The Bears play their home opener at 7 p.m. Thursday against North Texas at the Ferrell Center.
Syllabus week is over, but so is a slow sports schedule. Fall athletics is getting into full swing for Baylor and can keep you busy while you try to avoid studying for that class you weren’t sure you wanted to take.
Let’s have another good week.
—Jeffrey Cohen
