2023 Ultimate College Football Preview-Baylor

Welcome to the Ultimate College Football Preview for 2023. Every team in FBS Football will be covered in this daily blog release. All of your favorite teams from the ACC, AAC, Big 12, Big 10, C-USA, MAC, Mountain West, PAC 12, SEC, Sun Belt & even every Independent. Think of these daily college football previews as a cheat sheet going into next year.

2022 Recap:

What to say about the Baylor Bears in the 2022 season hmmmmm? Disappointing I think is the best word to describe the Bears last year. They only had 5 wins vs. FBS schools and 6 wins overall. But if you ask any Baylor fan last year was kind of a dumpster fire. The Bears stared off the first two thirds of the season with a respectable 6-3. Then they lost the last 4 games including a bowl loss to a service academy in Air Force. That is just not acceptable for the fans in Waco. Yes their last 3 regular season games were against 3 ranked in conference teams but you have to win won. They let TCU squeak out a last second win, good teams don’t allow that to happen. There is too much talent and the coaching is too good to go .500 on the year. Just what could have been, they were in contention to make the conference championship the last third of the year and just shit the bed.

Head Coach:

One thing I do like about Baylor is Head Coach Dave Aranda. I think he has the exact temperament needed in Waco after all the bullshit that has gone on there in years before. Aranda is a defensive wizard and he teams usually always compete. After a terrible covid laden 2020 first season at Baylor, where he went 2-12 he bounced back. His second year on the job he took the Bears to a 12-2 season. They won the Big 12 and the Sugar Bowl. That is what I believe the ceiling is in Waco and Aranda hit it year 2. Last year was a regression year going 6-7 with a bowl loss. Baylor is not a national power that is suppose to win double digit games every year. I do think however a bowl game each year and playing for the conference title and ten wins every 2 or 3 years should be the goal for Aranda. I just hope his early great success doesn’t cost him in the long run in Waco. the fans need to realize they have a great coach but they are Baylor, not Alabama.

Key Players:

Red Shirt Junior QB Blake Shapen is back in Waco after last year he had 2,790 yards on a 63.3 % completion percentage. Shapen had 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in Baylor’s Power Spread offense. Honestly I think he could do a lot better and they expect him to take a huge jump up this year. His number one target, Monaray Baldwin who had 33 catches 565 yards and 4 touchdowns is back for his Junior year. He has his second leading WR, Hal Presley back after having 32 catches for 382 yards and 4 touchdowns last year. I think these two along with new guys stepping up could make an electric passing game in Waco. The backfield has the biggest contributor on offense coming back in Richard Reese , who as a true freshman had 972 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. The youth from last year on offense is now experienced. That usually makes for big time play making! The loss of the top two tacklers from last year will need to be replaced. One guy ready for that job is LB Matt Jones who last year had 65 tackles, 4.5 TFL’s and 2 sacks. I am expecting him to be the captain of that defense. Along with Garmon Randolph who lead the team in sacks at DE. I love doing a college football preview about a team that is on the up and up.

2023 Prediction:

One of the most important parts of a college football preview is, well it is previewing the season opponents. I believe the Bears are guaranteed to go at worst 2-1 in the non-conference. They are playing home vs. Texas State and LIU, definite wins. If somehow they pull an upset of Utah, which isn’t too crazy because it is in Waco 3-0 is on the table. Their road games in conference are tough vs. new comers UCF and Cincinnati. They also play Kansas State and TCU on the road. If they can split that, which is very possible that is a 5-2 record. Hmm. I am actually going over the games while writing so excuse the moments of thoughts in this blog. They do have to play Texas. I am saying 8 wins plus all day for the Baylor Bears. I can see a great season at 10-2 and I think the floor, the very bottom is 7 wins. The way the schedule lines up, the talent back, the coaching, I like Baylor this year. It is fun doing these previews and realizing who might be a surprise and Baylor will be one of those teams this year.