Radio: KSL 1160 AM/102.7 FM/BYU Radio Sirius XM 143
Series: Tied, 2-2
Weather: Mainly sunny skies at kickoff, with temperatures in the 80s and climbing to the 90s possibly by halftime. Winds will be light and variable, with gusts up to 12 mph from the northwest. Winds could increase slightly throughout the game.
The trends
For BYU: The Cougars are coming off one of their most dominant wins in years, a 38-9 thumping of No. 13 Kansas State, and earned a No. 22 ranking in both major polls in the process. BYU is still searching for its first Big 12 road win, after going 0-5 in league play on the road last year.
The Cougars are 22-7 under coach Kalani Sitake when playing as a ranked team, and are looking to go 5-0 for the first time since 2021, when they were 5-0 before a home loss to Boise State. They followed that loss with a 38-24 loss at Baylor, which was during their last trip to Waco.
For Baylor: The Bears were absolutely devastated after dropping a 38-31 decision at Colorado in overtime in a game they should have won, by most accounts. Baylor is 59-198-6 all-time against ranked opponents, and 5-13 in coach Dave Aranda’s tenure in Waco.
In 2021, Baylor went 5-1 against ranked teams, including four straight wins over ranked opponents, and three straight over teams ranked in the top eight.
What to watch for
The Cougars scored on offense, defense and special teams in the win over the Wildcats, and enter their first Big 12 road game scoring 32.8 points a game and holding opponents to 12.8 points per game. BYU has not allowed a touchdown to the last two Power Four opponents it has played, SMU and KSU.
Jake Retzlaff won the starting quarterback job in preseason training camp after a close race with Gerry Bohanon, who, ironically, was Baylor’s starting QB when the Bears beat the Cougars in 2021. Bohanon was 18 of 28 for 231 yards and a touchdown, with one interception, in the win over Jaren Hall and the Cougs that day. Baylor would go on to win the Big 12 title.
The Bears almost had a 31-10 lead over Colorado, but a potential touchdown pass was dropped in the end zone, and the Buffaloes seized the momentum late and won with the help of a Hail Mary at the end of regulation. Sawyer Robertson has taken over as the starting quarterback, after Dequan Finn won a battle in fall camp to take the first snaps. Finn was the QB in Baylor’s loss at Utah in Week 2.
In the last game in Waco against BYU, the Bears did not have a single penalty that was accepted for the first time in program history.
Key player
0921fbccougars.spt_ja_2510.jpg | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Jake Retzlaff, junior, BYU, quarterback: The junior college transfer has been more of a game manager the past few weeks, as BYU used defense and special teams to thwart Wyoming and Kansas State. More will seemingly be needed from the so-called B-Y-Jew on Saturday, as BYU is still dinged up at the running back spot. However, running back Hinckley Ropati is expected back, after missing the last two games with swelling in his surgically repaired knee.
Retzlaff is No. 31 nationally in total offense with 273.3 yards per game and was 15 of 21 for 149 yards and two touchdowns against Kansas State.
Quotable
“They are coming off a heartbreaking loss. They had the game under control. The overtime game.
“I know they are in a tough spot right now, but knowing everything about Dave Aranda and what he does in this business, he will have those guys rolling, and he will have them giving us their best shot.
“My job is to make sure that we bring our best shot, too, and we will see how it goes. Looking forward to the game, looking forward to being out there.” — BYU coach Kalani Sitake
“Really tough and just a heart-wrenching loss. Haven’t really been a part of something like that, especially down to the last play of (regulation), or last play of overtime, how that went. Very hard to take. Team is very gutted right now and so frustrated. We are probably going to be hurting all the way back to Waco.” — Baylor coach Dave Aranda after CU loss
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