Where Baylor Bears Rank in National Polls After Week 4

The perception of the Baylor Bears has essentially held steady since last week.

Sep 26, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears head coach Dave Aranda reacts on the sideline during the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In Week 4, the Baylor Bears improved their record to 3-1, holding off the Colorado Buffaloes in each program's first intraconference matchup of the season. The game saw DJ Lagway return from the ankle injury that cost him multiple weeks, and though he displayed some rust and lacked his usual mobility, the Bears still managed to get the job done at McLane Stadium.

With another win in the bank, Baylor can now begin preparations for next Saturday's matchup with the 2-1 Arizona State Sun Devils. That game will kick off at Mountain America Stadium at 9:30 p.m. CT, by far the latest start for any contest in which the Bears have played thus far. While an unusual time slot for the Bears, it will spare them the oppressive Arizona weather, currently forecasted to reach nearly 100 degrees during the day.

All of which provides the backdrop to this week's national polling.

AP Top 25

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For the third consecutive week, Baylor notched a win but didn't pick up any votes in the AP Top 25. Previously, that outcome raised no eyebrows, as the program feasted on the Prairie View A&M Panthers and Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, two non-Power Four programs and heavy underdogs in their respective matchups.

However, the Bears' win over Colorado at least represents success within the power conferences. That doesn't make the lack of votes for Dave Aranda's program unreasonable. However, if Baylor can stack more victories over Big 12 opponents, that should change.

ESPN FPI

Whereas few would have expected Saturday's win over Colorado to catapult the Bears into the top 25, it doesn't seem irrational to expect their slide in ESPN's FPI to halt. Instead, Baylor dropped a spot, barely holding onto a position within the top 40. That probably says more about the Buffaloes than it does anything else.

The Athletic's Rankings

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As with ESPN's FPI, The Athletic's ranking of all 138 college programs saw the Bears fall one spot from the previous week. Again, this development probably says more about their opponent, as the write-up frames the outcome as a loss for Colorado rather than a victory for Baylor.

CBS Sports Power Rankings

To no one's surprise, Baylor did not appear in CBS Sports' latest batch of power rankings. Of course, they didn't appear in the previous edition either … or the one before that … or the one before that.

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