Could Baylor Be 'Playoff Crashers' This Season?
The Baylor Bears were crowned Big 12 and Sugar Bowl champions this past season, which is about as close as a team can get to making its claim for the College Football Playoff. And in a game that has been transformed by the transfer portal and NIL, a team like Baylor could be on the verge of having a chance at "crashing" into the final four teams remaining this upcoming season.
Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears
247Sports formed a list of 10 potential teams that could "crash the playoff in 2022." The Bears were included along with teams like Houston, Wake Forest, Texas, BYU, USC, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Wisconsin.
Baylor secured a 12-2 record this past season. As a result, media outlets across the nation have increasingly high expectations for Aranda and Co. heading into next season.
Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears
Baylor Bears
Most recently, Baylor found itself with high marks in yet another way-too-early top-25 poll, this time, from CBS Sports.
Here is what CBS had to say about the Bears:
5. Baylor
Let's not dismiss the defending Big 12 champions. The Bears beat Texas and Oklahoma last season by a combined 20 points. Dave Aranda is one of the deepest thinkers in college football. Remember his field goal with 3 seconds left against Oklahoma up 10? He had somehow thought ahead to a potential Big 12 tiebreaker. Aranda also named his quarterback starter after the spring. Unconventional? Sure, but that allowed last year's starter Gerry Bohanon to transfer. Told you Aranda was a deep thinker.
Way-too-early ranking: 6
While the nation wouldn’t see it as a huge surprise if Baylor qualifies for the playoff given the success the team had last season, the Bears’ qualification would be historical for a program that was just 2-7 in 2020.
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