The Baylor Bears head into the 2025 college football season with optimism and a solid foundation built on last year’s 8–5 campaign, which included a strong finish and a bowl win that reinforced Dave Aranda’s status as one of the more methodical and defensively savvy coaches in the country. While their 2024 season featured ups and downs, including some tight Big 12 battles, Baylor’s high-powered spread offense and steadily improving defense provided enough consistency to keep them competitive throughout. Quarterback play will be central to Baylor’s success this year, and with returning experience at the position, the Bears have every reason to believe their passing game will remain one of the conference’s most efficient. Their offense averaged over 34 points per game in 2024 and returns a loaded wide receiver corps along with a reliable backfield tandem that keeps defenses guessing and allows Baylor to dictate pace. Aranda’s offense thrives on timing, tempo, and execution, and with an experienced offensive line returning, the Bears should be able to protect the quarterback and open up downfield opportunities early and often.

Defensively, Baylor was middle-of-the-pack last year but improved significantly in the final month of the season, especially in generating turnovers and red-zone stops. The defensive front will need to be stout against an Auburn team that will attempt to control time of possession and wear down the defense with power runs and play-action shots. Linebacker depth and secondary communication will be tested by Auburn’s versatile backfield and shifting formations, but Baylor’s offseason emphasis on tackling and assignment discipline should help offset those challenges. At home in Waco, where the Bears have been strong under Aranda’s tenure, crowd energy and comfort in familiar surroundings should give Baylor an edge in confidence and tempo control. This is a prime opportunity for Baylor to pick up a statement win over an SEC opponent, the kind of victory that resonates in national perception and builds momentum early in the season. Special teams may prove pivotal, and the Bears have an edge there with a consistent kicking unit and dynamic returners who can flip field position or swing momentum with a single play. The coaching staff has focused on execution, eliminating costly penalties, and situational preparedness during camp, aiming to avoid the kind of mid-game lapses that led to narrow losses last season. Aranda’s team will also benefit from veteran leadership on both sides of the ball, with several key players entering their third or fourth years in the system. If Baylor can start fast, stretch the Auburn defense horizontally, and generate early pressure defensively to rattle a still-developing Auburn quarterback room, they’ll be in excellent shape to open the year with a quality win. This game is more than just a season opener for Baylor—it’s a chance to showcase that they’re more than a solid Big 12 team and that they can legitimately contend for conference honors and earn national respect through disciplined, dynamic play.