Baylor has fired head football coach Dave Aranda after seven seasons with the program, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
The decision comes one day after Baylor suffered a 25-24 loss to Kansas, dropping the Bears to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in Big 12 play. Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman will serve as Baylor’s interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
Dave Aranda Fired After Baylor’s Loss to Kansas
Saturday’s loss proved to be the final straw for Aranda after several seasons of uncertainty surrounding his future in Waco.
Baylor held a 21-10 second-half lead against Kansas before the Jayhawks rallied. The Bears still had an opportunity to win the game in the closing seconds, but Kansas blocked a 45-yard field goal attempt with 22 seconds remaining to preserve the 25-24 victory.
The loss was Baylor’s second straight after falling 17-6 at home against rival TCU the previous week.
Aranda finishes his Baylor tenure with a 40-40 overall record and a 26-32 mark in Big 12 play.
Dave Aranda’s Baylor Tenure
Aranda took over at Baylor ahead of the 2020 season after serving as LSU’s defensive coordinator and reached the peak of his tenure one year later.
The Bears finished 12-2 in 2021, won the Big 12 Championship and capped the season with a Sugar Bowl victory over Ole Miss.
Baylor was never able to sustain that success.
The Bears went 6-7 in 2022 and 3-9 in 2023 before rebounding to an 8-5 record in 2024. But Baylor slipped back to 5-7 last season, putting significant pressure on Aranda entering 2026.
A 4-1 start this fall appeared to cool his seat, but consecutive losses to TCU and Kansas quickly changed the direction of the season.
What’s Next for Baylor?
Klanderman now takes over a Baylor team with five regular-season games remaining. He joined the Bears this offseason after spending the previous seven seasons at Kansas State, including six as defensive coordinator.
Baylor won’t have much time to regroup.
The Bears travel to Orlando to face UCF on Friday night, while Baylor’s administration begins its search for the next head coach of the program.
