Five Keys to Saturday's Game
10/25/2025 10:06:00 AM | Football
Bears have to put the TCU loss behind them and not beat themselves
BAYLOR (4-3, 2-2) at #21 CINCINNATI (6-1, 4-0)
3 p.m. CT, Saturday, Oct. 25, at Nippert Stadium (ESPN2)
3 p.m. CT, Saturday, Oct. 25, at Nippert Stadium (ESPN2)
- TURN THE PAGE: After a furious comeback fell short in a 42-36 loss at TCU last week, the Bears have to put that one behind them and get ready for a top-25 team that is undefeated at home and handed eventual Big 12 champion Arizona State one of its two conference losses last year. "I'm excited for another opportunity," linebacker Keaton Thomas said. "You get to compete against a top-25 team on the road, at their house. Of course, we hate that we lost (to TCU), but the good thing about it is the season isn't over. And the only thing we're guaranteed is another chance to get better. That's how we're looking at it this week."
- DON'T BEAT YOURSELF: Turnovers are killers against a disciplined team that simply doesn't turn it over. Cincy quarterback Brendan Sorsby has thrown 182 passes this season and has only been picked once. TCU capitalized on a second-quarter fumble by Bryson Washington and then intercepted Sawyer Robertson three times in the fourth. "We hurt ourselves," said Robertson, who has thrown for a national-best 2,376 yards. "You're not going to win a game that I throw three interceptions, it's as simple as that. . . . We were down 21, it was a situation where I had to press a little bit. And that's hard, because you're not letting the game come to you. You're trying to force things. Watching the game back, there were some balls that I forced that I didn't need to force. If I just went to the next read, the guy's standing wide open."
- GOT TO RUN: Playing from behind, Robertson had to throw it 52 times against the Horned Frogs last week. The Bears are at "our best when we can run the ball," Baylor coach Dave Aranda said. With Bryson Washington limited, they relied more on freshman running backs Michael Turner and Caden Knighten, who combined for 110 yards on 22 carries (5.0-yard average) with zero negative plays. "As good as the throw game is, and the skill that we have, and our ability for our O-line to hold up versus whatever twist or stunt or pressure, we are at our best when it's run first. And then, the run sets the table. We have to be able to get that going."
- CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL: In his second year calling the defensive plays, Aranda said "it's frustrating" that the defense has struggled at times. "I wish we were way better, we really need to be" he said. "I hate that offensively we have to play almost perfect. You've just got to keep at it. . . . You have to focus on what you can control and what's right in front of you to try to get better. But it takes a disciplined approach to do that. And sometimes, that's hard."
- STICK TOGETHER: That can be a struggle when the offense is putting up incredible numbers and the defense has issues stopping the other side. But through it all, "we have a really tight brotherhood," wide receiver Josh Cameron said. "Even with every single delay (in the TCU game), you can feel the energy kid of illuminating throughout the room of guys literally saying, 'We're not going to quit. We're not going to give up.' And that's what happened. I feel like we've just got to do that earlier and quicker. That's the main thing that's missing. Let's just be on it right away."
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