Top 25 oversight? National analyst says 'Baylor deserves a spot'

CBS Sports and college football analyst Shehan Jeyarajah believes Baylor should have been in the AP Top 25 that was released earlier this week. Jeyarajah stated that the reasons that Baylor should have been included were the Bears strong finish to close the 2024 season with six straight Big 12 wins, having one of the best QB/RB duos not just in the Big 12 conference but in the country and a defense that could possibly take the next step to having a shot at winning the conference in the upcoming 2025 season and possibly making the college football playoff.

Baylor finished the 2024 season with six consecutive conference wins, along while having victories over multiple bowl-eligible programs in that winning streak. Baylor's returning QB and RB duo of Sawyer Robertson, who recorded 3,071 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns and 8 interceptions in 2024, looks to come back and finish his final season in Waco with a strong winning impact on this program as it can set up great things for Baylor in the future. Also, sophomore running back Bryce Washington, who finished his freshman campaign in Waco with 1,028 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns on 5.9 yards per carry.

The Bears have a lot of returning pieces on the offensive lineman that can really turn things around in the 2025 season as they face a tough schedule but with veteran offensive lineman that is a positive thing to have as if this offensive lineman played like they did to finish the 2024 season they can really have a shot to make some noise this season.

Veteran wideouts with the ability to be big time playmakers like Josh Cameron who recorded 52 receptions for 754 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns all while averaging 14.5 yards per catch is a real nightmare for Big 12 defenses as he looks to have a big season, Ashytn Hawkins who was second on the team in all three categories with 45 catches, 567 receiving yards and 5 receiving touchdowns was just granted an extra year of elgibility from the NCAA at the beginning of fall camp. Hawkins who is very explosive with the ball in his hands had a his best game of the 2024 season in a 31-3 win at home over Air Force recorded 4 receptions for 81 yards and 1 touchdown catch looks to also make a huge impact this season and cause havoc for defenses across the country and become one of Robertson's favorite targets. Tight-end Michael Trigg is also one of the most underrated tight ends in the country, coming into the 2025 season had 30 receptions for 395 yards and 3 touchdowns with his best game coming in a win 20-10 against Houston caught 4 receptions for 96 yards.

Baylor's defense comes into this season with some secondary concerns, as they allowed a lot of big time plays during the 2024 season, ranked in the bottom half of the conference in passing yards allowed per game. Jeyarajah's key point is if they fix up the miscues on the back end, then this program could have easily been listed as a Top 25 team. Baylor is returning one of the top linebackers in the Big 12, Keaton Thomas, who recorded 62 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 1 interception that he returned for a touchdown in the 2024 campaign. The Bears' defense has the potential to be a rising team in the conference and with Keaton Thomas, I think he takes this defense to another level this season as they start the season at home in the season opener against an SEC program, the Auburn Tigers. Baylor has the tools to crash into the AP Top 25 early in the season if they can come out with a win at home on August 29th.

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