Baylor vs. BYU football preview, prediction
A future of what's to come in the Big 12 comes early this Saturday as Baylor goes on the road to BYU in a battle of top 25 ranked teams in Week 2 action.
Baylor checks in at No. 9 in the latest AP football rankings, and BYU moved up to No. 21, both after easily winning their season opening games.
Here's what you need to know about the big Week 2 matchup.
Baylor vs. BYU football preview, prediction
Week 2 college football schedule: Baylor vs. BYU
How to watch
When: Sat., Sept. 10
Time: 10:15 p.m. Eastern
TV: ESPN network
Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
Odds, point spread, betting lines
Line: BYU -3
O/U: 53
Moneyline: BAY +125 BYU -161
FPI pick: Baylor 57.6%
Baylor vs. BYU: What to watch
Baylor: The defending Big 12 champions bring on what looks like an elite piece at quarterback Blake Shapen, who had a big day passing against Albany, playing behind a superb offensive line that returns four starters, and aided by a 4-back committee that can control pace and time of possession, coming off a 259 yard, 7 TD showing. Not much was asked of Baylor's defensive front in the opener, but it has the power and athleticism to challenge BYU's protection, which might be the best it plays this season.
BYU: Jaren Hall connected on 25 of 32 passes for 261 yards and 2 TDs in the opener, aided by that excellent front line, which played the run game very well, allowing BYU backs to run for 312 yards, and could have the overall advantage when aided by the home field crowd. The showing from the Cougars' ground attack is a good sign after the team lost back Tyler Allgeier, who scored 43% of BYU's total TDs a year ago before departing to the NFL.
BYU vs. Baylor: Fast Facts
+ Baylor's defense has forced a turnover in 23 straight games
+ BYU is 6-8 against ranked teams under Kalani Sitake
+ Baylor allowed opponents to score 30 or fewer points in each game last season
+ BYU allowed 3 of 12 third down conversions to USF (25%)
+ Baylor is 124-60-2 as a ranked team and went 5-1 against ranked teams in 2021
+ BYU ranked 12th a year ago with 4 special team returns of 20-plus yards and averaged 18.3 yards per return
+ Baylor ranks 2nd nationally with an O-line that has 171 games' experience
+ BYU is 92-51 (.641) as an independent and won 23 of 50 games against Power 5 opponents
+ Baylor is 12-2 under Dave Aranda in games it leads at halftime
+ BYU is 3-3 in home openers under Sitake
+ Baylor is 9-1 under Aranda when scoring 30 points and 0-5 when it scores less than 20
+ Baylor is 13-4 under Aranda when gaining 300-plus yards and 2-5 when gaining fewer than 300
+ Baylor has 45 takeaways and 24 turnovers in 24 games under Aranda
What happens?
Both teams have the ability to control the pace of the game to their desire with the ability to dictate terms at the line of scrimmage offensively.
And both have the power to run the ball behind their respective lines combined with a duo of accurate quarterbacks who can stretch the field with receiving talent that can get deep with relative ease.
This is an evenly matched game, and should be the best of the Week 2 slate, but a boisterous home field advantage could be the Cougars' ace in the hole.
College Football HQ Prediction: BYU 34, Baylor 31
College football rankings
According to AP top 25 poll
- Alabama
- Georgia
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Clemson
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Notre Dame
- Baylor
- USC
- Oklahoma State
- Florida
- Utah
- Michigan State
- Miami
- Arkansas
- Pittsburgh
- NC State
- Wisconsin
- Kentucky
- BYU
- Ole Miss
- Wake Forest
- Tennessee
- Houston