In one of three bowl game matchups between the SEC and the Big 12, Dave Aranda and the Baylor Bears could not get out of their own way. The team moved the ball down the field with relative ease, but costly mistakes and turnovers halted the comeback push for the Bears. LSU did enough to outlast Baylor, 44-31, finishing the season off at 9-4.
With that said, here are three takeaways from the contest.
Special Teams Momentum
In some games, special teams fade into the background, and at other times, they are the main difference maker. The latter was the case in the Texas Bowl.
Both teams experienced big plays, positive and negative, in the special teams game, with the bulk of them coming just before halftime. In a span of two minutes, Baylor blocked a field goal, which led to a momentum-swinging touchdown. Shortly after, the Bears allowed a 95-yard kick return touchdown to LSU’s Zavion Thomas, which was capped off by a missed extra point.
Later in the contest, Baylor had a punt return touchdown wiped off the board that would have cut the game to one possession. The Bears’ special teams unit made a critical mistake, roughing the kicker, which sealed the deal for an LSU win.
Give it Away
While LSU showed flashes of a talented team, it’s nearly impossible to not view the game as a blown win for Baylor. The team had two touchdowns wiped off the board, one being the previously mentioned punt return by Josh Cameron and the other being a fourth-down touchdown pass to Ashtyn Hawkins in which he was ruled out of bounds.
The call generated some serious backlash on social media as Hawkins, without question, touched down in-bounds for the Bears.
In addition to the two non-score scores, Baylor made one of the biggest mistakes of the game on a 4th and 1, deep inside the LSU red zone. An errant snap from Baylor’s center saw the football roll 30 yards in the opposite direction, way over the head of Sawyer Robertson.
With all of that occurring, Baylor still found a way to make it a two-score game.
Baylor’s 2025 Outlook
Although coaches, athletes, and fans all typically roll their eyes at the notion of moral victories, it’s hard to miss Baylor’s talent. The team was one of the hottest teams in college football down the stretch, winning six of their last seven games following a 2-4 start.
Sawyer Robertson has a legitimate case to be named Preseason Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and he showed up in a big way in the Texas Bowl. The Texas native completed 30-51 passes for 445 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with Josh Cameron eight times for 111 yards and a score, while Dawson Pendergrass found the end zone twice on 21 carries.
While teams like Arizona State, Iowa State, Kansas State, and several others enter the 2025 season with young but talented teams, the Baylor Bears have a serious argument to sit near the top.
