National Media's Takes after Baylor's Thrilling 2OT Victory
Wow.
Sometimes, we as writers and journalists get into a habit of overanalyzing, trying to complicate simple things. But, the wide range of emotions Baylor fans went through on Saturday — the twists, turns, peaks, valleys, excruciating frustration, and the delirious joy that Bears fans experienced all in that three-hour window on Saturday — all lead back to the one simple phrase above.
That double-overtime thriller, which former NFL scout and current Ringer analyst Todd McShay called the best game of the day, kicked off an overall great Saturday slate for the sport, which featured two top-15 upsets with Florida and Arizona State going down, a near third with the diasterclass that was Clemson vs. Troy, a thrilling early-season rivalry game with Iowa/Iowa State, and a coming out party of sorts in primetime for Oklahoma QB John Mateer in their win vs. Michigan. With all that, let's check in on what national media members are saying after Baylor secured what essentially a Week 2 must-win game for the psyche of this Baylor team and its fan
ESPN
On their "College Football Scoreboard" whiparound show, ESPN analyst and former BYU All-American offensive lineman Trevor Matich heaped praise on Sawyer Robertson in their recap of the game, with Robertson having totaled over 850 yards and 7 touchdowns (with no interceptions), through just two games.
"Robertson is one of the best quarterbacks in the country, not just the Big 12,' said Matich of the redshirt senior. 'They won their last six games in a row last year because he got hot, and he was hot today."' They showed love to Kobe Prentice and Bryson Washington for their respective touchdowns, and noted the Bears' explosive offense and resilience in closing out the segment
"What a win. They outgained Auburn last week in a loss, this week, this week, SMU seemed to have them on the ropes, but Baylor would not go away." said Matich. Also, analyst Joey Galloway awarded Robertson a "Helmet Sticker" highlighting Week 2 standouts on the network's airwaves
The Ringer
Todd McShay, who was a big believer in Sawyer Robertson coming into the season, took the time towards the end of his weekly YouTube college football recap, took some time to feel validated about
"I've told you he's 6'4, I've told you he's 220, I've told you he throws well on the run," McShay started. "What I haven't told you is how resilient and tough this kid is. There's an ease about the way he plays the game, there's a confidence there." McShay highlighted Robertson's bounce-back efforts in the second half of both games this year, but he did note his observation about this Bears' defense that many local fans and media have noted since the start of Aranda's tenure.
Hopefully folks are starting to see it with Baylor QB Sawyer Robertson now.
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) September 6, 2025
"This defense is unacceptable.' McShay said plainly. 'Dave Aranda's a defensive guy, and I really think he's a smart coach. But, at the half, did you know [Kevin] Jennings was 10-for-10 for 236 yards and two touchdowns? And Robertson brought them back to make it a three-point deficit going into half?[Robertson]'s got something special about him...for a guy that last year, they didn't even know if he was going to start, and he transferred from Mississippi State, and you wondered if it was ever going to come together for him."
Also McShay shed the first real national spotlight on senior receiver Josh Cameron, who quickly became Robertson's go-to target in the second half, with TE Michael Trigg exiting with a shoulder injury. Cameron would end the game with 9 catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns.
"You know who else impressed me? Josh Cameron. NFL scouts know him. He's 6'1, 218 [pounds], inconsistent throughout his career but talented. 21 miles per hour he's been tracked at, estimated 4.45. Dynamic punt return man. I've talked to NFL scouts about him, and he could be a top-100 pick, could be first three rounds. But need to see more games like this stack. But, he is a name that NFL scouts are on, and I'm excited to see if he can build on this."
CBS Sports
National CBS college football writer Shehan Jeyarajah, a Baylor graduate, didn't do any substantive on-air or written work about the Bears, but he did fire off a series of tweets related, especially in the first half, about Dave Aranda's aggression on 4th down, job security, and the general craziness of the game
Dave Aranda is coaching like he's me on Madden (derogatory)
— Shehan Jeyarajah (@ShehanJeyarajah) September 6, 2025
I don't really know how or why Baylor won that game
— Shehan Jeyarajah (@ShehanJeyarajah) September 6, 2025
So... UTSA vs. Texas State for the Baylor job?
— Shehan Jeyarajah (@ShehanJeyarajah) September 6, 2025
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Josh began covering Baylor athletics in July 2025. Before this, he previously wrote for Syracuse men's basketball and football at SI from 2022-24. As a former Division I defensive lineman at Prairie View, Josh is passionate about storytelling from a former athlete's perspective. When he's not covering Baylor, he enjoys traveling, listening to podcasts and music, and loves cooking a good meal.