What Dave Aranda and Baylor expect to see against UCF

The Baylor Bears (4-4) are coming off a 40-21 loss at Cincinnati, their second consecutive defeat. To get back on the winning path, the Bears will have to pull out all the stops against a UCF Knights (4-3) team that is coming off a 45-13 victory over West Virginia.

At his weekly press conference, head coach Dave Aranda spoke about what his team will see from the Knights. In a story by Trent Knoop, Aranda said this about UCF,

“They're explosive on offense, very, very multiple. I think they have really good skill. Special teams is very explosive too. Their returners are really dangerous. Up front, you know, in the past coach has been really kind of multiple and a lot of line movement and kind of disruptive stuff. They've got a very big and really good front. And so he kind of lets them go a little bit more.

And so it'll be interesting just with the news that came out today and just all the things, how much movement and everything we get. I'm sure that's probably going to spike up a little bit because I think he's got always an itching to do that. But they've got really good skill on offense, really good front people on defense. It's a good team. They're coming off a bye.”
Baylor head coach Dave Aranda

UCF is special on defense. The Knights allow 17 points per game and are nationally ranked in the following categories:

No. 15 in total defense

No. 6 in passing defense

No. 16 in scoring defense

No. 10 in opponents’ 3rd down conversions

This unit is led by Nyjalik Kelly and Malachi Lawrence, who have combined for 12.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. In addition, Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson will face off against a UCF secondary that has allowed just five TD passes all season, including just two in the last three games. Against West Virginia, UCF gave up only 79 passing yards.

Robertson has passed for 2,513 yards, 23 TDs and seven INTs. In the loss to Cincinnati, Robertson passed for 137 yards and accounted for three touchdowns.

On offense, UCF platoons a one-two punch at running back with Jaden Nixon and Myles Montgomery, who have combined for 955 yards on the ground and nine rushing TDs. Baylor linebacker Keaton Thomas and company must shut them down early.

And-1 👀😮‍💨 @Josh_Cameron34

📺: ESPN2#SicEm pic.twitter.com/eghJFwRJRs
— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) October 25, 2025

In addition to Robertson, the usual Baylor skill players, Josh Cameron (a TD vs Cincinnati), Kobe Prentice, Michael Trigg (a TD vs Cincinnati) and Michael Turner (90 yards vs the Bearcats) must show up and show out against this Knights defense in front of the green and gold home crowd on the banks of the Brazos River. This is an opportunity for Aranda and Baylor to turn a corner down the stretch and salvage their 2025 campaign.

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