How to watch Baylor vs Arizona State
The Baylor Bears host the Arizona State Sun Devils this weekend to kick off their Big 12 schedule. Both teams have already suffered their first loss of the season - coincidentally, both came to SEC schools - and if they want to keep their College Football Playoffs hopes alive, a win this weekend would really help them out.
Whichever team wins this game will control its own destiny moving forward. Winning the Big 12 is the clearest path for either of these teams to make the College Football Playoff, but if they start 0-1 in conference play, they're already relying on other teams to lose for them to have a shot at making the conference championship. If they start with a win, then all that matters is how they play down the stretch.
The quarterback battle is going to draw a ton of eyes to this game. Sawyer Robertson is putting up Heisman-like numbers through the first three weeks - which included throwing for 400+ yards against Auburn and SMU - and while Sam Leavitt hasn't been as good as many expected him to be early this year, it's only a matter of time before he has a breakout game. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw over 600 passing yards in this game between these two quarterbacks.
This game is really going to come down to which defense can get the most stops. Baylor's defense has looked horrible against its two Power Four opponents this year, but they were able to make a couple of key stops against SMU to help complete the Bears' 14-point comeback. Arizona State's defense has looked better than Baylor's, but they haven't faced an offense as explosive as the Bears'.
Which defense will be able to get off the field on third down? Which offense can convert red zone trips into touchdowns instead of field goals? Which quarterback will out-duel the other? The answer to these three questions will dictate the winner of this game.
How to watch the Baylor Bears take on the Arizona State Sun Devils
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Date: Saturday, September 20th
Venue: McLane Stadium, Waco, Texas
Spread: Baylor -2.5
O/U: 59.5
TV: FOX
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Luke is a writer for the Baylor Bears On SI. He's an LSU graduate and previously covered the Tigers for two years. He also covers the New Orleans Saints and Formula 1. Luke's passion for sports and storytelling led him to become a sports writer.