College football's toughest schedules in the 2025-2026 season
With the college football season right around the corner, media outlets have begun honing in on the first few weeks of action. In a recent article published by On3, author Pete Nakos listed his thoughts on universities with the most difficult non-conference schedules in college football. Among those teams listed were the Baylor Bears.Â
Toughest nonconference schedules in college footballđź’Ş
— On3 (@On3sports) July 19, 2025
(via @PeteNakos_)https://t.co/urrerkB4lP pic.twitter.com/bX2oqwElPp
When taking a deeper look into Baylor’s first three weeks of action, the Bears have a difficult path to remaining undefeated before their Big 12 conference schedule. In Week 1, the Bears face off at home against SEC foe Auburn, which is coming off a top-10 finish in the 247Sports 2025 recruiting team rankings. Following two seasons in which the Tigers went 0-4 against SEC powerhouses Alabama and Georgia, the Tigers and head coach Hugh Freeze find themselves in a “prove it” year.
Headlined by Oklahoma QB transfer Jackson Arnold, the Tigers have high expectations for this year, with incoming five-star freshman receiver Cam Coleman looking to provide a spark to the offense. On the defensive side of the ball, Auburn returns defensive coordinator DJ Durkin along with a few other key players whose continuity could prove helpful for a stout 2025-2026 defense. Most notably, defensive lineman Kendrick Faulk, who is coming off a 7.0 sack season and has the potential to be a high-round draft pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and sophomore safety Kaleb Harris will serve as cornerstone pieces for a potentially powerful defense.Â
Following a home game against the Tigers, the Bears then face off against the SMU Mustangs in Dallas, who are coming off a phenomenal season capped by a College Football Playoff appearance. In the 2024-2025 season, SMU's offense ranked 8th in the NCAA, averaging 36.5 points per game. One of the primary catalysts behind SMU's success was sophomore quarterback Kevin Jennings, who threw for over 3200 yards, 23 touchdowns, and a completion percentage of 65.0% in his first full year as a starter with SMU.
Now back for his junior season, SMU and Jennings will look to build upon last season's success and continue to spread the ball around their balanced offense. On the defensive side of the ball, the star player to keep an eye on is returning safety Isaiah Nwokobia. After having a season where he totaled 100 total tackles and three takeaways, Nwokobia looks to return to a veteran secondary group that will look to lock down all opposing teams' receivers.
Between the Mustangs and the Tigers, the Baylor Bears will have their hands full in the first two weeks of college football action. While certainly a challenge, both games will provide the Bears the opportunity to obtain wins over quality non-conference opponents, and will look strong on their resume should they make a push for the Big 12 Championship and the College Football Playoffs.
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Josh started covering Baylor athletics in July 2025. Prior to Baylor Bears on SI, he worked as an intern for TheMichiganInsider at 247Sports. Josh graduated from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, with a bachelor’s degree in economics, where his passion for collegiate athletics continued to grow after attending his first game in The Big House. Combining his analytical background and his affinity for collegiate sports, Josh enjoys providing his unique perspective on the shifting dynamic equilibrium of the collegiate athletics landscape. When not watching sports, Josh enjoys cooking a nice meal, running, and traveling to new places with his friends and family.