Baylor makes college basketball insider's top 45 after Week 1 of the 2025-2026 season
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The college basketball season is back and better than ever, and week 1 is in the books. Most teams begin their season with their nonconference schedule, which means there can be a significant talent gap between a team and its opponent, especially as it pertains to Power 5 schools. In the case of the Baylor Bears, that was the case as the Bears opened their season with a convincing win over the UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros.
In that game, Baylor freshman Tounde Yessoufou and transfer guard Cameron Carr excelled, combining for 52 of the Bears' 96 points. Instead of playing another non-power 5 school, the Bears then faced a very difficult nonconference opponent in the Washington Huskies, led by a pair of USC transfers in Wesley Yates and Desmond Claude, as well as highly touted freshman Hannes Steinbach. The Bears also left that game with a hard-fought win with a final score of 78-69.
Going into the 2025-2026 season, the national media were divided on whether the Baylor Bears would have a successful season. When it came to preseason predictions, some had the Bears within the top 3 of the Big 12, while others had them near the bottom. With that being said, one of the more well-known rankings comes from CBS Sports' College Basketball Insider, Jon Rothstein.The Rothstein 45 is a list that ranks and breaks down college basketball's top 45 teams, and is adjusted daily. In Rothstein's preseason edition of the list, the Bears barely made the cut, having been ranked 45th. However, following the first week of collegiate action, the Bears jumped significantly and are currently ranked as the number 30 overall team on Rothstein's list.
Although the college basketball season has only been back in season for less than 10 days, it appears as though Scott Drew and the Bears have yet again found a way to retool their roster and compete against some of the best teams in the country. As the Bears continue to play their nonconference schedule, they will face a couple more tough tests playing top 25 teams like Creighton and St. John's. However, if this team can continue to gel and build the necessary chemistry, I have no doubt that come March, this team will be competing in March Madness and pushing to be one of the best teams in the Big 12.
More From Baylor On SI:
- Former Baylor star VJ Edgecombe, others impress early in NBA’s opening week
- Expectations set: Analyzing Baylor basketball's spots in the AP Preseason Poll
- 3 Keys to a Baylor football victory over UCF
- Former Baylor football great Robert Griffin III weighs in on the current Heisman race
- The Baylor Bears are back in town
Josh started covering Baylor athletics in July 2025. Prior to Baylor Bears on SI, he worked as an intern for TheMichiganInsider at 247Sports. Josh graduated from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, with a bachelor’s degree in economics, where his passion for collegiate athletics continued to grow after attending his first game in The Big House. Combining his analytical background and his affinity for collegiate sports, Josh enjoys providing his unique perspective on the shifting dynamic equilibrium of the collegiate athletics landscape. When not watching sports, Josh enjoys cooking a nice meal, running, and traveling to new places with his friends and family.