X-Factors and key questions for Baylor moving forward

Week 1 left Baylor with more questions than answers. The Bears were outpaced by Auburn in a 38-24 opener, struggling against a mobile quarterback, an inconsistent passing attack, and the weight of early-season expectations. With a ranked showdown against SMU looming this Saturday, this week presents a pivotal chance to show growth and steady the season’s direction. The next few games won’t just test Baylor’s execution — they’ll reveal the traits that determine whether this team can rebound or slide into another early-season spiral.

Run Defense

In a Week 1 where most offenses looked sluggish, Baylor struggled to contain the legs of Jackson Arnold, allowing him to post his first career 100-yard rushing game with two touchdowns, fueling Auburn’s 38-point outing. Now, the Bears face a similar dual-threat in Kevin Jennings — one of last season’s breakout stars and one of only six FBS quarterbacks to eclipse 3,000 passing yards and 300 rushing yards in 2024. Even with star running back Brashard Smith off to the NFL, Baylor must prove it has the front-seven depth to keep teams from running at will — a lingering weakness throughout Dave Aranda’s tenure. The health and availability of Jackie Marshall will be critical, but beyond Week 2, the Big 12 is filled with athletic quarterbacks and power-running offenses. The Bears need to show quickly that their Week 1 performance was an outlier, not a warning sign.

Pass Game Consistency

As David Pollack highlighted in his instant recap, Sawyer Robertson was far too inconsistent in Week 1. His sub-60% completion rate and frequent off-target throws consistently put Baylor behind the chains, leading to just 5-of-15 conversions on third down and 3-of-6 on fourth. Beyond accuracy, there has to be a better balance in how the Bears use their weapons. More than half of Robertson’s 48 attempts went to just two players — Kole Wilson and Michael Trigg. While both mostly capitalized on their opportunities in the game, that target concentration risks predictability and locker room frustration. Wilson’s breakout as a downfield threat was encouraging, but veterans Josh Cameron and Ashtyn Hawkins have to see the ball more than the six times combined that they did versus Auburn. Kobe Prentice was only targeted twice, with one of those being a “gotta have it” 33-yard touchdown on 4th down in the second quarter. Offenses generally, especially the pass game, are built on rhythm, reps, and continuity, so this is set to improve as the year goes along, but, if Baylor wants to go into conference play equipped for a shootout for any and everybody, Robertson has to be better, and there has to be more balance and sharing of the sugar amongst the receivers