Five Keys to Saturday's Game
11/15/2025 1:19:00 PM | Football
If it’s not broke, you don’t need to fix it
BAYLOR (5-4, 2-3) vs. #13/15 UTAH (7-2, 4-2)
6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 15, at McLane Stadium (ESPN2)
6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 15, at McLane Stadium (ESPN2)
- PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF: Easier said than done, particularly after a bye week, but the Bears need to find a way to repeat what they did against UCF in a dominating 30-3 win. Start fast, stop the run and avoid critical turnovers. "I think everyone's on the same page of what the prescription is and what has to happen here the last couple games," Baylor coach Dave Aranda said. "We talked about how important it is to start fast and to do the things that we've been working really hard to do an failed to do up until this last one."
- SLOW DOWN THE RUN: Stopping the nation's No. 3-ranked rushing offense, which is averaging 267.1 yards per game on the ground and an eye-popping 5.92 per carry, is probably too much to ask. But can you at least slow them down a little. The Utes are led by a pair of big-time portal additions in running back Wayshawn Parker from Washington State and quarterback Devin Dampier from New Mexico and will just play bully ball if you let them. "What's unique with Utah is there are a lot of three- and four-man surfaces," Aranda said. "They will play with two and three tight ends at a time. Their surfaces are really big people, and they will also crack and load. They'll crack on the outside and load up on your corner, so their biggest people on our littlest people. That presents a challenge, which is going to be different than what it was with UCF."
- TAKE WHAT THEY GIVE YOU: Utah plays almost exclusively man-to-man defense, which could potentially open up some chances for quarterback Sawyer Robertson to pick up some big yards with his feet. "It's going to be kind of whatever the play presents itself with," said Robertson, who is third nationally in passing yards per game at 308.9 (2,780 yards). "Down and distance play a role in that. But absolutely, if the running lanes are there, you've got to exploit those."
- STAY IN THE GAME: The Utes have a way of taking you completely out of your game, with each of their seven wins coming by at least 25 points. The Bears have fallen behind early in several of their games, even in wins over SMU and Kansas State. But they can't afford to get too far behind a Utah team that can just control the clock and keep moving the chains with a big-boy running game. Conversely, if you get a lead, it's harder for the Utes to come from behind with a passing game that is more methodical than dynamic with Dampier.
- EMBRACE THE UNDERDOG ROLE: With Utah as close to a double-digit favorite, Baylor could potentially be the underdog in its last three games against the Utes, at Arizona (6-3) and at home against Houston (8-2). But take a look around, upsets happen every weekend, and particularly in the Big 12. You have to "relax a little bit" and embrace the underdog role, cornerback Reggie Bush II said. "Personally, I enjoy being the underdog," Bush said. "It's kind of satisfying being able to bring somebody down a little bit. I think it gives some relief for people. They're not too tensed up. People get to relax a little bit because no one has high expectations for us, so you're not putting extra pressure on yourself. Just be yourself and go play."
Players Mentioned
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