Five Keys to Saturday's Game
10/2/2026 5:59:00 PM | Football
Bears have to solidify the run game and play more complementary football
BAYLOR at ARIZONA STATE
- US VERSUS THEM: While the Bears played Auburn at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, this will be Baylor's first true road game of the season after winning three in a row at home. "It's going to be us versus all of them," Baylor coach Dave Aranda said of playing in the 53,599-seat Mountain America Stadium in Tempe. "At times, I think that can be pretty helpful in terms of using that energy and turning around whatever's kind of coming at you, to help fuel you. . . . It's a very tough place to play, it's just loud. And at night, it can be electric. So, we're in for it, and we'll be ready for it."
- PLAY COMPLEMENTARY FOOTBALL: Joe Klanderman's defense has more than held up its end of the bargain, holding teams to just 13.0 points and 306 yards total offense per game. But an inconsistent offense that has turned it over eight times and struggled to run the ball has "put the defense in tough situations where they had to come out and really fight to keep the game in check until we can step up on whatever side of it – special teams or offense. I think to be able to play all three sides for four quarters is something that we're really searching for." Point being, the defense can only hold its finger in the dike for so long until the dam just breaks.
- FIELD POSITION: That certainly played a huge part in Baylor's 23-13 win over Colorado, when Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week Palmer Williams punted seven times for a 50.4-yard average and nailed four inside the 10-yard line. The Sun Devils have a good one, too, in Nick McLarty, who's averaging 42.2 yards per punt. But that pales in comparison to Williams, who is on pace for another record-breaking season with a 50.6-yard average. "When he gets a hold of it, this thing is a ram-a-dam-a-ham slam," ASU coach Kenny Dillingham said. "You've got to be ready to get out of there. And then, if you can't field it, let it go. . . . People may laugh, but this is a duel of punters this week. Their punter is phenomenal, and he's probably the best in the country. That's going to be one of the hidden things in this game."
- BE TWO-DIMENSIONAL: Whether it's fixing the offensive line, getting more explosives out of the backs or quarterback DJ Lagway utilizing his feet more, Baylor has to develop some semblance of a run game. Through four games, the Bears are averaging just 3.7 per attempt and a hair over 150 yards per game. "We've had a tough few weeks rushing, and that's always hard, because that falls on us entirely," center Koltin Sieracki said "The big emphasis this week is just being physical in the offensive line and being man movers. . . . Watching the film, I think it's just a half second longer here, half a second longer there. It just feels like at times, one piece of the puzzle is missing. And then, if that piece is there, then it's big pops. But we've got to make sure that you're fitting the puzzle every single time."
- CONTAINING THE ELITE RECEIVERS: No matter what metrics you use, Arizona State has two of the top receivers in the league in Reed Harris (19 catches, 374 yards, 5 TDs) and Omarion Miller (20-149-1). The challenge for the defense is limiting those two and not letting someone else beat you. "They have some receivers that they move around," Aranda said. "They'll put two pretty elite receivers on the same side, to the boundary, and put a tight end and another receiver to the field. And they'll work that boundary side and kind of beat you up over there."
Players Mentioned
Friday, October 02
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