Dave Aranda: Bears Loss to BYU 'Humbling' But A 'Great Learning Experience'
When the Baylor Bears hit the road in Week 2 for a non-conference matchup against the BYU Cougars, they did so hoping for a repeat of last season's matchup.
However, what actually happened was an all-out slugfest in which the Bears would lose to the Cougars 26-20 in double overtime. As they move forward, it is evident the Bears still have plenty to improve upon ahead of Big 12 play in the coming weeks.
Of course, you never want to lose a game, but should you lose it is best to find some silver lining to reflect on moving forward. For coach Dave Aranda, he made sure to focus on what can be learned from the loss to the Cougars.
"The review of the game was humbling, but at the same time it's just a great learning experience," Aranda said. "There's a lot to be improved upon."
Against the Cougars, the Bears only managed to score 20 points on 289 yards of total offense, while the defense allowed 366 yards of offense. The two teams were polar opposites through the air, as Cougars' quarterback Jaren Hall had no trouble against the Baylor defense.
Hall finished the game completing 23-of-39 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown. For the Bears, quarterback Blake Shapen struggled to find a rhythm, only completing 18-of-28 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown. Simply put, this was not a good game for the Bears offensively.
This is a young Bears team, even with the experience returning from their Big 12 championship team last season. As a result, there will be definite growing pains as they learn what it takes to compete at a caliber that can lead them to another Big 12 crown.
Of course, those growing pains will ultimately be worth it in the long term. In the moment a loss to the Cougars stings, but it doesn't definitively eliminate the Bears from either Big 12 title contention or even a College Football Playoff berth. If they can take the mistakes from the BYU game and learn from them, then this could be another special season for Aranda and the Bears.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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