Injury Blow for Baylor Bears Ahead of Auburn Clash

The Auburn Tigers open the 2025 season on the road at Baylor on Aug. 29, and the Bears will be without a key offensive weapon.

The Baylor Bears will be without one of their key offensive weapons in Dawson Pendergrass when the Auburn Tigers travel to Waco to open the 2025 season. | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

WACO, Texas-- Storylines continue to build for the Auburn Tigers’ season opener in Waco, as the Baylor Bears have lost a key weapon from their talented backfield ahead of 2025.

Junior running back Dawson Pendergrass suffered a season-ending foot injury during fall camp practice, Baylor head coach Dave Aranda revealed in a press conference Saturday. The injury will require surgery, causing him to miss the entirety of the 2025 campaign.

“He’s out for the year. It’s too bad. It’s a misfortune. He’s going to have to get surgery on his foot,” Aranda said on Pendergrass’ status.

“He’s out for the year. It’s too bad. It’s a misfortune. He’s going to have to get surgery on his foot.”

Head coach Dave Aranda’s full quote on RB Dawson Pendergrass’ injury🐻👇 pic.twitter.com/buRUHZv31p

— Baylor Bears on SicEm365 (@SicEm365) August 10, 2025

Pendergrass played a prominent role in Baylor’s two-man running back rotation last year, posting 671 yards and six touchdowns on 121 carries in 2024. He rushed for more than 100 yards twice as a sophomore – against Oklahoma State and Kansas – and many predicted Pendergrass to record 1,000 rushing yards this season.

The other half of the Bears’ dynamic duo is redshirt sophomore Bryson Washington, who is expected to be the Big 12’s top running back and one of the nation’s most elite in 2025.

Washington recorded the best rushing season of any freshman in Baylor history, shattering the program record for rushing yards with 1,028, resulting in 12 touchdowns on 175 touches last year. He has been named to the Maxwell Award and Doak Walker Award Watch Lists – presented to the best player in the country and most outstanding running back in college football, respectively – in addition to earning a plethora of preseason First-Team All-Big 12 and Third-Team All-America honors.

Nov 30, 2024; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears running back Bryson Washington (30) runs the ball as Kansas Jayhawks safety Jalen Dye (14) defends during the second half at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

With the one of the country’s best one-two backfield punches now depleted for the 2025 season, Washington will likely take on a heavy dosage of Pendergrass’ presumed touches, which gives Auburn one less asset to have to prepare and gameplan around.

Nonetheless, Pendergrass’ injury is a brutal blow for Baylor’s offensive attack, and is undoubtedly a trend to keep an eye on ahead of and during the matchup.

The Tigers and Bears are set to kickoff at 7 p.m. CST on Friday, Aug. 29, at McLane Stadium in an enormous clash with meaningful implications for both squads.