Ranking Baylor's schedule by difficulty for the rest of the season after six games
The Baylor Bears are 4-2 halfway through the year. With just six games remaining in the regular season, all against Big 12 opponents, the schedule won't be easy the rest of the way. Here's a ranking for the rest of the season.
6. UCF Knights
Baylor will host the UCF Knights in Week 10. Through five games of the season, UCF has a 3-2 record, with both losses coming against Big 12 teams. While the Knights are above .500 on the year, their wins haven't been impressive. UCF has beaten the 2-3 North Carolina Tar Heels, the 2-3 Jacksonville State Gamecocks, and the 1-5 North Carolina A&T Aggies.
The Knights have struggled early in Big 12 play and have yet to face an offense as strong as the Bears'. With the UCF defense allowing 30.5 points per game to Big 12 opponents while scoring only 20 points per game, they appear to be the weakest opponent through the team's final six games. However, Baylor must be wary, as the Knights have had a strong rushing game through the first six games of the season and can capitalize on the Bears' weak run defense.
5. Houston Cougars
The Houston Cougars have started the 2025 season with a 4-1 record. Through six games, the Cougars have put up 25.7 points per game while only allowing 19.7 points per game. Despite the strong record, Houston struggled against the 0-6 Oregon State Ducks before losing 35-11 to Texas Tech.
The Cougars' offense has been lacking in the 2025 season, and despite putting nearly 26 points a game, they are averaging just 297.5 yards per game on offense. The Baylor offense has put up over 35 points in four of its six games and may be too much for the Houston offense to compete with.
4. Arizona Wildcats
The Arizona Wildcats are coming off a big 41-13 victory over the Oklahoma State Cowboys; unfortunately for the Wildcats, that win comes right after a terrible 39-14 loss to Iowa State. Arizona is currently 1-1 in the Big 12 and has a 4-1 overall record.
Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita has had a strong 2025 campaign, throwing for 1,341 yards and 13 touchdowns while adding another three scores on the ground. Fifita's strong performance has led to 33.2 points per game for Arizona, and they're set to go toe-to-toe with the Baylor offense.
3. Cincinnati Bearcats
The Cincinnati Bearcats are coming off a statement Big 12 win after knocking off the ranked Iowa State Cyclones in a 38-30 shootout. With the win, the Bearcats improved to 4-1 on the season with two wins in the Big 12.
Quarterback Brendan Sorsby has been the definition of efficient for Cincinnati. The junior quarterback has passed for 1,257 yards and 12 touchdowns, while only taking one sack and throwing one interception in six games. The Baylor pass rush has struggled throughout the season, and will have to find an answer to Sorsby, who has been comfortable all season.
2. TCU Hornfrogs
The TCU offense has been strong through six games of the season. The Horned Frogs are putting up 36.8 points per game. The Hornfrogs have a top 15 offense in the nation in terms of scoring, and have ridden their offense to a 4-1 record that started with a 48-14 win over the North Carolina Tar Heels in primetime.
The Horned Frogs are quickly earning respect and have received 14 votes from AP poll voters. If TCU can get a strong win over Kansas State, they may be ranked when they host Baylor in Week 8, in what is certain to be a shootout between two talented offensive teams.
1. Utah Utes
The Utah Utes have dominated their opponents this season. Despite their one loss to Texas Tech, the Utes have an average margin of victory of 36.5 points. Utah's offense is averaging 39 points per game, while its defense has allowed just 14.6 points per game.
Despite their 1-1 Big 12 record, the Utes are one of the best teams in the conference and will be competing for a spot in the Big 12 championship in December. If Baylor wants to stay competitive in the conference, it will likely rely on their late November matchup when they host Utah.
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Kyle is a writer for the Baylor Bears on SI. He is a student at the University of New Orleans and studies journalism. He also covers the New Orleans Saints and has previously covered the LSU Tigers football team. Kyle loves all aspects of sports and has used that to pursue a career as a writer.