Inside The Bears

Social media reacts to Baylor's closing game vs. Houston

With bowl hopes at stake, Baylor welcomed Houston to McLane searching for a season-saving win after a year that fell far short of expectations. Social media reacts to the disappointing year.
Jacob Haddadin|
Quarterback Sawyer Robertson and Center Colton Price
Quarterback Sawyer Robertson and Center Colton Price | Data Skrive

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Baylor welcomed the Houston Cougars to McLane Stadium on an overcast Saturday Morning for a regular season finale which would either see Houston hit 9 wins in year two of Willie Fritz or Baylor reach a bowl game. Both these programs are finishing their seasons way off from preseason expectations. Houston, who were expected to be in the fight or clamouring to make a Bowl game, has unexpectedly been bowl eligible for a month. Baylor, on the other hand, expected to compete for a spot in Arlington come November, finds itself in a dog fight to close the season with bowl eligibility on the line.

The Bears would have to do without two key starters this game as well. Tight end Michael Trigg and Safety Jacob Redding were both listed as out Saturday morning, meaning Matthew Klopenstein would have to step in as the starting Tight end. The injury bug would not leave Baylor alone, as after his second carry, Bryson Washington would go down with an apparent ankle injury. He would be carted off and seen later in warmups and on crutches. Fans on Twitter fantasise of what could have been if Bryson Washington and Dawson Pendergrass were healthy all year.

The game started as most Baylor games have, with a 14-point deficit. Baylor also failed to find the end zone in the first half for the first time this season. Connor Weigman was able to run all over the Baylor defence, and tight end Koziol for Houston found himself open far too often. A Keaton Thomas interception for Baylor kept them in this game, and three Connor Hawkins field goals kept the Bears within a score at halftime. Hawkins also hit the longest field goal in McLane Stadium history, an impressive 54-yarder right down the middle. The half finished 17-9 with Houston receiving in the second half.

The offense continued its slow start. The Houston defence smothered the receivers, and without the threat of Michael Trigg downfield and Bryson Washington's downhill running, Baylor stalled out multiple times. Connor Weigman's legs would once again find the end zone after a long run and QB sneak which turned into 6 for the Cougars. Baylor found themselves down 15.

I do want to mention that at this point in the game, Caden Knighten went down on what looked like a routine play and, in a very scary situation, was carted off to an ambulance and taken to the hospital. The Bears now saw themselves down four running backs: Bryson Washington, Dawson Pendergrass, Caden Knighten, and Michael Turner. They were left with one running back, Sophomore Joseph Dodds, as the primary ball carrier. The game very much felt out of reach after not converting in the red zone at the end of third.

Baylor would score at the start of the fourth quarter with Joseph Dodds. Sawyer Robertson would then dive into the end zone for the point conversion to cut the lead to 7. The Baylor defense would make a great stand, including a fourth down stop in Houston territory to get the ball back to the offense, who would convert a 4th and 10 from the 31 for a touchdown, and the Bears were all of a sudden even with 9 minutes to go. The Cougars would then complete a 15-play, 74-yard drive that ate up 7 minutes of the clock to regain the 7-point lead. Baylor would drive down the field but turn it over on downs in the red zone after four straight incompletions. Conor Weigman would finish the game with a career high in rushing, and Houston would win the game 31-24.

Baylor fans have felt a general apathy since the blow out loss at Cincinnati, and it was more of the same today, with lots of fans calling out President Linda Livingstone's message about retaining Aranda for the 2026 season and not settling for mediocrity. Let's check in on Baylor fans on Twitter.

Fan frustration with President Livingstone and Dave Aranda

Critiscm of the coaching and defense

Baylor will miss a bowl game for the 3rd time in 6 seasons, and fans are fed up. The 2025 season concludes with Baylor disappointment, finishing the season 1-5 in the last six. Fans have been vocal about wanting change, and the school says they have already made their decision. How will fans react this offseason? What will turnout look like in 2026? Will coach Aranda be able to retain this recruiting class? A bunch of questions that will need answering once the new athletic director is hired.

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Jacob Haddadin
JACOB HADDADIN

Jacob is a contributor for Baylor Bears On SI. A lifelong sports fan, he started writing game reactions and opinion pieces during Baylor football and basketball seasons, turning that hobby into a growing presence in sports media. He brings an authentic, fan-driven voice to his work and is excited to keep building his voice and breaking down the topics Baylor fans are talking about every day.

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