Baylor’s 2025 slate stays hot as the Sun Devils roll into town for Big 12 opener
BY CRAIG SMOAK | 365 SPORTS
Baylor Football is 2-1 and headed straight into a heater as they welcome Arizona State to Waco for the first time ever.
Ahead of this freshly minted Big 12 matchup, with potential significant implications now and in the future, here are a few things on top of mind for me this week.
1- SLOPPY WIN: I’m not going to pick apart a 42-7 win. I wasn’t surprised by an emotional letdown after revving up to play SEC Auburn and in-state Top 25 ACC counterpart SMU in back-to-back weeks to start the season. There was never any real imminent threat with Samford last weekend. But from here on out, the Bears will face nothing but threats, so hopefully Saturday’s performance serves as a timely reminder of the need to focus and play sharp.
2- HEISMAN TALK: The Heisman talk surrounding Sawyer Robertson is ridiculously premature, but I understand it’s a hype contest in some ways, and it doesn’t hurt to have your QB mentioned alongside such honors. So, if you’re into that sort of thing, last Saturday’s performance against Samford did him no favors. I expect a strong rebound against ASU, and this has the makings of a star quarterback showdown as he opposes Sam Leavitt, who has yet to live up to his own lofty preseason expectations through three games. I think the QB play goes a long way in determining the outcome of this game.
3- ASU RIVALRY?: There is almost no history between these two programs, save a 34-13 win by the Sun Devils all the way back on September 8, 1990. So this marks a new chapter between a pair of teams who never could’ve pictured being conference mates. I know everyone leans into the obvious historical rivalries with the Big 12. However, if we want to see the league truly succeed — and knowing full well that it hasn’t fully evolved yet — then we need some new rivalries and new history to develop. Maybe it’s just another team on the schedule, or perhaps it’s the start of something cool.
4 – BEAR COAT: Baylor’s twist on the seemingly endless turnover prop craze — a bear coat — had me chuckling at first, but after a four-turnover performance by the defense, including three interceptions, I’m all for whatever works and am anxious to see more of this coat’s effect. The potential story is even greater when it was revealed that the coat originally emerged from Vic Viloria’s closet. Whatever works.
5 – REAL CHALLENGE: No offense to Samford, but the Bears’ defense going from the Bulldogs to the Sun Devils offense is like guarding against a pea shooter vs. a machine gun. The Sam Leavitt-Jordyn Tyson combination is as good as any QB-WR duo in the country, and it’s proven. They have talent at RB too, despite the loss of Cam Skattebo. Leavitt and company will be a great challenge for the Baylor defense, which remains the most significant question mark entering league play.
6 – LEAGUE PLAY: Speaking of conference action, there’s no better way to kick things off than a home game against last year’s champion. Both schools have the opportunity to set a terrific early tone without the do-or-die implications that come later. These are two programs very much fighting for the same turf, in the league, in recruiting the state of Texas, and in the national consciousness.
7 – PREDICTION: I usually have a firm grasp of predicting Baylor’s wins and losses. Not to say I don’t get games wrong on occasion, but I am 3-0 right now. My gut told me they’d beat SMU, but this week I still don’t have a great feel other than I’m anticipating a shootout.
With that said, forced to choose, I’ll take Baylor to nab the close win, 35-31.