ESPN predicts Baylor to face an SEC opponent with a lot of history in a bowl game

The college football season hasn't kicked off yet -- six days away to be exact -- but analysts and experts are already thinking about the end of the football season. Two ESPN analysts, Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach, came out with their final preseason bowl predictions.

Neither has Baylor in the College Football Playoff, and both have the Bears playing polar opposite teams.

Bonagura predicts Baylor to face Big Ten opponent, Iowa, in the Rate Bowl held in Phoenix, Arizona. As far as Schlabach, he has Baylor facing a former Big 12 opponent, Oklahoma, in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee.

Iowa Footbal — Joseph Cress/For the Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This isn't the first time we've seen Baylor predicted to face the Hawkeyes. CBS Sports also predicted Iowa to take on the Bears in the postseason. Unless the Hawkeyes revitalize the offense -- it's possible with new QB Mark Gronowski -- this would go down as an offensive juggernaut vs. a defensive power. The Baylor Bears are expected to have one of the top offenses in college football with Sawyer Robertson back, and as far as Iowa, it always has a top defense.

Then there is a clear history between Baylor and Oklahoma -- not in the Bears' favor. Baylor is just 5-27 all-time against the Sooners, but Baylor did win the last matchup. Back in 2022, Baylor won a slugfest, 38-35. In fact, the Bears have won the past two games against the Sooners -- coming after they lost the previous seven games.

Baylor would love nothing more but to play and beat the Sooners one more time, but like fans, the Bears would love to do that in the College Football Playoff. If Baylor can get good defensive play, to go along with the duo of Robertson and Washington, the Bears have a legit chance to make a run for a Big 12 title, and make the CFP.

Baylor, Oklahom — NATHAN J FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

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