(RB Dominic Richardson – Waco Tribune-Herald)
Key Players Returning:
RB Dawson Pendergrass, RB/KR Richard Reese, RB Dominic Richardson, WR Monaray Baldwin, WR Ketron Jackson Jr., OC Coleton Price, OT Campbell Barrington, OT Gavin Byers, OT Alvin Ebosele, NT Cooper Lanz, LB Brooks Miller, LB Matt Jones, CB Caden Jenkins, NB Corey Gordon Jr., FS Devin Lemear, WS Devyn Bobby, PR Josh Cameron, PK Isaiah Hankins, and PT Palmer Williams.
Key Players Departing:
QB Blake Shapen (Mississippi State transfer), TE Drake Dabney, OG Clark Barrington, DE TJ Franklin, DT Gabe Hall, LB Mike Smith Jr., LB Byron Vaughns, and NB Bryson Jackson.
(QB Dequan Finn – Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: QB Dequan Finn (Toledo transfer).
3 Star Recruits: DS Kendrick Simpkins (Western Kentucky transfer), OL Omar Algbedion (Montana State transfer), TE Michael Trigg (Ole Miss transfer), DE Alex Foster (Greenville, Mississippi), DS Joshua Lair (Missouri City, Texas), WR Ashtyn Hawkins (Texas State transfer), OT Colton Thomasson (Texas A&M transfer), EDGE JaQues Evans (Western Kentucky transfer), and DE Steve Linton (Texas Tech transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 TEXAS STATE L 31-42
G02 #12 UTAH L 13-20
G03 LONG ISLAND U W 30-7
G04 #3 TEXAS L 6-38
G05 @ UCF W 36-35
G06 TEXAS TECH L 14-39
G07 @ Cincinnati W 32-29
G08 IOWA STATE L 18-30
G09 HOUSTON L (OT) 24-25
G10 @ #25 Kansas State L 25-59
G11 @ TCU L 17-42
G12 WEST VIRGINIA L 31-34
Team Info:
2023 Record: 3-9 (13th in Big XII)
Home: 1-7
Away: 2-2
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 2-7
Non-B12: 1-2
Head Coach: Dave Aranda
Baylor: 23-25
Career: 23-25
Bowls: 1-1
(WR Monaray Baldwin – USA Today Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Sawyer Robinson (66-117, 864 yards, 56.4%, 7.4 avg., 2 TD, 4 INT)
Rushing: Dominic Richardson (125 car., 519 yards, 4.2 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Monaray Baldwin (38 rec., 623 yards, 16.4 avg., 4 TD)
TDs Scored: Dawson Pendergrass (7)
Sacks: Matt Jones (3)
Tackles: Matt Jones (82)
Tackles For Loss: Matt Jones (11.5)
Interceptions: Caden Jenkins (3)
Pass Deflections: Devyn Bobby (6)
Forced Fumbles: Cooper Lanz (2)
Kick Returns: Richard Reese (12 ret., 394 yards, 32.8 avg., 2 TD)
Punt Returns: Josh Cameron (13 ret., 201 yards, 15.5 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Isaiah Hankins (18-25 fg/fga., 72%, 21-23 xp/xpa., 75 pts.)
Punting: Palmer Williams (35 punts, 1501 yards, 42.9 avg., 8 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 12 Dequan Finn (RS SR/TR)
RB: 21 Dominic Robinson (JR/TR)
WR: 11 Ketron Jackson Jr. (SR/TR)
WR: 16 Hal Presley (SR)
WR: 80 Monaray Baldwin (SR)
TE: 86 Michael Trigg (RS JR/TR)
LT: 79 Alvin Ebosele (RS SO)
LG: 75 Kurt Danneker (RS SR/TR)
OC: 72 Coleton Price (RS SO)
RG: 68 Omar Algbedion (JR/TR)
RT: 53 Campbell Barrington (SR/TR)
KR: 29 Richard Reese (JR)
PK: 98 Isaiah Hankins (RS JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 91 Trey Wilson (SO)
NT: 97 Cooper Lanz (RS JR)
DE: 48 Treven Ma’ae (RS SR/TR)
LB: 55 Garmon Randolph (RS SR)
LB: 2 Matt Jones (GR)
LB: 41 Brooks Miller (RS SR)
NB: 13 Carl Williams IV (SO)
CB: 19 Caden Jenkins (SO)
CB: 21 Chateau Reed (RS SR)
FS: 16 Kendrick Simpkins (RS SR/TR)
WS: 28 Devyn Bobby (JR)
PR: 34 Josh Cameron (RS JR)
PT: 94 Palmer Williams (SO)
(LB Matt Jones – Waco Tribune-Herald)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: B
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/31 TARLETON TEXANS | First meeting between schools.
09/07 @ Utah Utes | Last season’s 13-20 loss was the first meeting between schools.
09/14 AIR FORCE FALCONS | Baylor leads the series 3-1. The Bears lost (15-30) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
09/21 @ Colorado Buffaloes | Baylor trails the series 7-9. The Bears won (31-25) the last meeting between schools in 2010.
09/28 BYU COUGARS | The series is tied 2-2. The Bears lost (20-26) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/05 @ Iowa State Cyclones | Baylor leads the series 12-10. The Bears are 6-4 since 2014, and their last series win (31-24) was in 2022.
10/19 @ Texas Tech Red Raiders | Baylor leads the series 41-40-1. The Bears are 6-4 since 2014, and their last series win (45-17) was in 2022.
10/26 OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS | Baylor trails the series 19-23. The Bears are 6-4 since 2014, and they lost (25-36) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
11/02 TCU HORNED FROGS | Baylor trails the series 53-59-7. The Bears are 2-8 since 2014, and their last series win (29-23) was in 2019.
11/16 @ West Virginia Mountaineers | Baylor trails the series 4-8. The Bears are 3-7 since 2014, and their last series win (45-20) was in 2021.
11/23 @ Houston Cougars | The series is tied 14-14-1. Last season’s 24-25 loss was the first meeting between schools since 1995.
11/30 KANSAS JAYHAWKS | Baylor leads the series 18-4. The Bears are 9-0 since 2014, and they won (35-23) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 4-2
Road: 2-4
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 4-5
Non-B12: 2-1
Overall: 6-6 (8th in Big XII)
gridironpredictions.net 