Baylor Football Stock Report: Risers and Fallers After Bears' Week 1 loss to Auburn
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For the second consecutive season, the Baylor Bears football season started off with a loss to the Auburn Tigers. Despite that, the results of the game and the takeaways are drastically different from last year's shootout, and the roster and what fans can expect after Week 1 are as well.
There are things to be excited about, surprised about, and concerned about, so we here at Baylor on SI have it all covered for you
Stock up: DJ Lagway’s arm talent
In a nationally televised primetime game in ATL, Lagway showed off the arm talent that made him a 5-star prep prospect. Even with limited mobility after the ankle injury, Lagway was able to consistently push the ball downfield, especially in crucial situations, such as Gavin Freeman’s 4th-quarter 4th-down conversion, and fit the ball into tight windows within the numbers.
Lagway flourished in the first half, getting into a rhythm with Jake Spavital’s system, and Baylor fans should be excited, based on Game 1, about what 60 minutes of a healthy DJ Lagway can do in the Big 12
Stock Down: Dave Aranda
Our editor and boss Trent Knoop mentioned it in real time, but this has to be the most questionable 2-point conversion decision Dave Aranda has made at the helm of the Bears. Baylor’s revamped defense held Auburn to just 3.4 yards per carry (including Baylor transfer Bryson Washington being a non-factor with just 7 yards) and forced two turnovers.
Aranda should have had the confidence to go into overtime with how his defense and quarterback had performed thus far. Very interesting decision for a coach who is openly on the hot seat, and now drops both games of the home-and-home series to Auburn.
Stock Down: DJ Lagway’s decision-making
Even before the injury, Lagway showcased why his experience at Florida was a rollercoaster. Lagway led the SEC in turnovers last year, and his first two drives as a Bear ended in turnovers, including his curious decision to go for the hurdle on 3rd & 2 in enemy territory.
While Baylor’s offensive line did him no favors working from a consistently muddy pocket, Lagway’s first interception went into the hands of a dropping EDGE as a result of the pressure of an A-gap linebacker blitz.
The talent is there, but it is clear that Lagway’s processing and football intelligence still have room for growth. This year will be a much different quarterback experience for the Bears than the last two years of Sawyer Robertson.
Stock Up: Baylor’s defensive front
After being one of the worst units in FBS last year with just 12 sacks, Dave Aranda went portaling to find a defensive identity up front, and Week 1 results show that he may have compiled the best defensive unit in his time in Waco.
Interior DL transfers Jordan Mack and Hosea Wheeler dominated inside to shut down Auburn, and Killeen native Devonte Tezino provided the pass rush with two of Baylor’s six sacks. On the back end, Baylor picked off star portal transfer Byrum Brown three times.
It was night and day from the over 300 rushing yards and 38 points that the Bears surrendered to the Tigers last year, and if Baylor’s defense can replicate that effort week in and week out, they can beat anybody in the Big 12.
Stock Up: Baylor’s receivers
Without a major portal addition or any preseason all-conference selection at wideout, one of the main questions coming into the season was the level of playmakers Lagway had on the outside to catch passes. Baylor’s receivers responded with a resounding declaration of just how good they are. Oklahoma State transfer Gavin Freeman was unguardable all game and the best player on the field, with a career-high 12 receptions and 154 yards.
Redshirt senior holdover Louis Brown IV proved he made the right decision, hauling in five receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown. And after a summer and spring of generating buzz, junior Jadon Porter looks to be the third member of a strong three-headed core at receiver, with his five catches and 77 yards showcasing him as a reliable target in the middle of the field for Lagway.
Baylor’s skill guys were able to consistently separate against SEC cornerbacks, so if that can build upon that and be playmakers after the catch, it raises the ceiling for this Baylor offense.
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Josh began covering Baylor athletics in July 2025. Before this, he previously wrote for Syracuse men's basketball and football at SI from 2022-24. As a former Division I defensive lineman at Prairie View, Josh is passionate about storytelling from a former athlete's perspective. When he's not covering Baylor, he enjoys traveling, listening to podcasts and music, and loves cooking a good meal.
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