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Bearly believable: Top 5 plays in Baylor's loss against Arizona State

Top 5 Plays from Baylor's loss Against Arizona State

Joshua Abraham

Arizona State Sun Devils running back Raleek Brown (3) carries the ball against Baylor Bears cornerback Caldra Williford (18) during the second half at McLane Stadium
Arizona State Sun Devils running back Raleek Brown (3) carries the ball against Baylor Bears cornerback Caldra Williford (18) during the second half at McLane Stadium / Chris Jones-Imagn Images
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In a back-and-forth game, the Baylor Bears ultimately came up short on Saturday against the Sun Devils, losing 27-24. Below, I chose five plays that really stuck out.

1. First Drive; First turnover

With the energy in the stadium at a high, and fans screaming in support of their hometown Bears, Sawyer Robertson and company were ready to march down the field and set the tone for the rest of the game. Unfortunately for them, on 2nd and 9, Robertson completed a quick screen pass to Josh Cameron, who managed to cross the 50-yard line. However, Cameron was hit from behind, forcing the ball out of his hands and leading to a fumble recovery by the ASU defense. On the first drive of the game, this was certainly a mistake that Dave Aranda did not want to see, and it certainly swung the initial momentum ASU's way.

2. Baylor's Defense Stands Strong

Moving into the 3rd quarter, back-and-forth was still the name of the game. Both offenses and defenses had been making key plays and pushing each other to the brink. However, as Arizona State marched down the field into Baylor territory, a touchdown here would've made it a two-possession game. On a critical fourth down, the Bears' interior defensive line shored up and prevented the ASU running back from gaining any ground, forcing a huge turnover on downs. While the Baylor defense has not been perfect this season, the key transfer portal additions made by Dave Aranda and staff, along with more emphasis on defensive strength, Baylor was able to swing the momentum back their way.

3. Sam Leavitt Fights Back

Following a Baylor touchdown, Arizona State found themselves down 1 with time quickly waning in the fourth quarter. Sam Leavitt, with the game in his hands, marched the ASU offense down the field through a good selection of running, passing, and QB improvisation. In the clip below, Leavitt and ASU made it to the Baylor 19-yard line, before throwing an absolute rocket to the left side of the endzone where receiver Jordyn Tyson was able to high-point the ball, and bring it in for the touchdown. A tough throw, and even tougher catch, Tyson's touchdown was key to giving the Sun Devils the lead late in the fourth.

4. Michael Trigg beating the defense

As the weeks go on in the college football season, one threat has been quite consistent for the Baylor Bears: Michael Trigg. Trigg, through his first 4 games of the season, has accrued 18 receptions for 222 yards and 3 touchdowns, an impressive stat line. What makes Trigg so valuable to this team is his ability to pick apart defenses, coupled with his rare combination of size, speed, toughness, and catch radius. With almost 2 minutes remaining on the clock and the Bears in need of some magic, Sawyer Robertson found Trigg on a 34-yard strike over the middle of the field, where Trigg was able to bring in the pass and convert it for 6 points.

5. Jesus Gomez closes the curtain

Although the Bears had done everything they could to put themselves in a position to win this game, they did leave some time on the clock following their touchdown. That time was just enough for Sam Leavitt to march his team down the field into field goal range. Jesus Gomez, Arizona State's kicker, up to this point, had been perfect from the field. The end of this game was no different: as time expired from the clock, Gomez booted the 43-yards field goal through the uprights to give the Sun Devils the win.

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Joshua Abraham
JOSHUA ABRAHAM

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.

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