Baylor Bears open Big 12 play with 23-13 victory over Colorado at McLane Stadium

WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Grit won out Saturday at McLean Stadium.

Baylor opened Big 12 conference play with a 23-13 win over Colorado, leaning on a dominant pass rush, clutch special teams play and a resilient 4th-quarter drive to hold off the Buffaloes and start conference play 1-0.

It was not always pretty. The offense sputtered for stretches, the offensive line was patched together due to injuries, and quarterback DJ Lagway — returning from an ankle injury — had an up-and-down afternoon. But when the game was on the line, the Bears found a way.

Head coach Dave Aranda said closing out games has been a point of emphasis, especially after failing to do so the week before.

"The ability to close the deal is a goal for us every week, and we were not able to do that last week and it was something that just kind of sits with you, doesn't sit with you right. Makes you uneasy, makes you wanna get right back to work, and so to have an opportunity, especially in the middle of kind of a fight to find the run game, to find that extra juice, you know, defenses on the field quite a bit, and to close the deal and close it out, it's really cool to see," Aranda said.

Defense sets the tone

The game started as a defensive battle, with both teams tied 3-3 heading into the second quarter. Lagway then connected with wide receiver Gavin Freeman on a 6-yard touchdown pass, giving Baylor a 10-3 lead it carried into halftime.

The Bears' pass rush was relentless throughout, with the defense surpassing its total sack count from all of last season in a single game. Linebacker Kyler Jordan credited the unit's ability to work as one.

"I think there's a lot of reasons, but I think above all else is we've got a front playing together. Just rushing as a unit, you know, whenever we call them spokes, you know, spokes on the quarterback, and I think we've been getting better and better at that, you know, and I think it gives everybody a chance, you know, to get home. But really, I think play calls, you know, and Coach Clearman's defense, like we're getting vertical, you know, like we're playing 100 miles an hour," Jordan said.

Colorado switched quarterbacks at halftime in search of a spark. Defensive back Travion Barnes said the defense adjusted quickly and drew confidence from forcing the change.

"Just talking, speaking with Coach Cheney, he was just telling us the first quarterback, he's the type to scramble, but look, in the past, this quarterback, he'll scramble and take off with it, so we're just keeping that in our mind, like knowing like we get up in our drops, he may take off or he may throw it, but just play everything the same," Barnes said.

Barnes said the unit never felt rattled when the offense struggled to find its footing.

"I don't really think it adds pressure, you know, it just fuels us. Like, let's do it for our brothers or offense say the same thing. We gotta make it happen for defense and defense, make it happen for us. So it's just like it gives us fuel and we just use that to go fight harder," Barnes said.

Aranda said the maturity and experience within the defensive front is what makes the group so dangerous.

"Within that group, there's a bunch of guys on the leadership council, there's leaders, there's guys that played a lot of football, and there's guys that have been through a bunch of adversity, have kind of been through it, and so they know how tough all of this is and a lot of them have come back from injury too, so they know that all of this can be taken away in one play. When you have that type of player or really that type of person, you've got a more mature and you've got a more edgy player. Because, hey, all I'm looking for is a shot, dude. Give me a shot and I'm gonna take my shot," Aranda said.

Freeman ignites the offense

With the offense searching for a spark in the 4th quarter, Freeman delivered one of the plays of the game — a hurdle over a defender followed by a significant gain that electrified the sideline and the stadium.

Aranda said the moment was about more than just yards.

"I think sometimes you need someone to tell you who you are. At least that's where the stage we're at right now. And so to have some type of a positive reinforcement of like this really means a lot, this means everything. I'm giving everything to get this done. That's what he was talking about with that play, and I think everybody heard it," Aranda said.

Jordan echoed that sentiment from the defensive sideline.

"I don't know what he was thinking, but he's incredible, you know, seeing that, watching on the Jumbotron, he's incredible, and we're so lucky to have him. He's been awesome from the jump, came in, bought into the culture, you know, and just loves to play football," Jordan said.

Wide receiver Jadon Porter, who scored a touchdown in the game while playing through injury, said Freeman's play gave the offense exactly what it needed.

"Honestly, yeah, it gave me a lift. What he did was this freaky — we call him freaky. This is not real. Like I'm seeing this as I'm on the field running towards him and he's doing all this. I'm like this is no way like he's just doing all this like he just went to a flow state, you know, it's pretty cool to see," Porter said.

Porter was not supposed to be back on the field for another three weeks, returning ahead of schedule from what he described as a partial tear. He said the confidence built throughout the week made the decision easier.

"It was a faster tear. And you know I was just scared of tearing it fully, but closer we got to the game I was just building confidence of like oh this feels good, it's getting better. Once Friday came around we had a full speed practice. I was feeling great," Porter said.

When Colorado tied the game and the offense needed to respond, Porter said the huddle had one message.

"All kind of communicating together like this it's all on us, you know, this game is all on us offense. Defense was doing their part we just had to step up and do our part as an offense so that's what we're all communicating in the huddle, just not let this be on us that's what we're talking about. We didn't think we were gonna lose this game," Porter said.

Special teams delivers

Special teams proved to be a difference-maker. Returner Jayden McGowan, a transfer from Vanderbilt, made several impactful punt returns that consistently flipped field position. Kicker Rhett Palmer connected on a 54-yard field goal that helped create critical separation.

McGowan said he is finding his rhythm again after not returning punts regularly since 2023.

"I'm definitely getting back comfortable. It's been a minute since I've been back there as a returner. Haven't really returned much since 23. And just for them to have the trust they have in me is really assuring and I'm feeling good back there and it feels really good to go back and try to pick up where I left off when I was back at Vanderbilt," McGowan said.

His mindset on every return is simple and aggressive.

"I would like to say no, like I wanna return everything. The main thing is to get the ball back for the offense, but I'm trying to get us the best field position as possible and hopefully get us some points on the board," McGowan said.

Aranda praised both contributors and said Palmer's kick was a pivotal moment in the game.

"That was a huge, huge kick. I think that was a pivotal deal to create some separation. Rhett is one of those guys where it's like if you say something and lay it out to him, he's gonna go through the exact things you say and 100% involved into it, intentional and all of it, and he's just the greatest kid. And so for him to kind of have a challenge and accept it and conquer it, it's way cool," Aranda said.

Building something bigger

Despite the areas that need improvement — offensive line injuries, false starts and inconsistency in the run game — Aranda said the win is a step toward something the program is actively chasing.

He said he showed the team a video of McLean Stadium packed to capacity during the Coach Art Briles era and told the players that is the standard they are working toward.

"It takes games like this. They need to be prettier I think for certain people, but our goal is to get that thing back and so this is a step in that direction," Aranda said.

Baylor held strong defensively and ran out the clock to secure the win. The Bears, now 1-0 in Big 12 play, will next travel to Tempe to face Arizona State.