Three Takeaways: September 7
9/7/2026 2:27:00 PM | Football
Bears have to avoid letdown against SWAC champion Prairie View
Director of Sports Journalism Jerry Hill gives his three takeaways from Monday's weekly press conference with head coach Dave Aranda talking about the Bears' 17-16 season-opening loss to Auburn and this week's in-state matchup against Prairie View A&M (1-1) in the home opener for Baylor (0-1), which kicks off at 7 p.m. Saturday at McLane Stadium and will be streamed on ESPN+
- D-LINE WAS DOMINANT: Living up to its preseason hype, the Baylor defensive line dominated in the trenches, helping the Bears limit Auburn to just over three yards per carry while recording five sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. "There were a bunch of one-on-one wins," Aranda said. "There was the ability to stop the run. On the play-action passes, there was the ability to kind of get knocked back and recognize it's a pass and get in a rush move and get after the quarterback. . . . I think it's really just the start. There's enough depth where you can roll your 2's and 3's and not miss a beat of what was happening with the (starters). That's the difference from maybe what we've had before to what we've got now. It's just depth and the ability to roll those guys."
- 'NAMELESS, FACELESS OPPONENT': Aranda said he is "invigorated to fight" any potential letdown against an FCS Prairie View team coming off a 52-14 dismantling of Texas Southern behind QB Tevin Carter, who "can run it and throw it. They make you have to defend all 11," he said. "Even though we didn't get the result we wanted, what our guys were able to do to invest in the preparation, the will to prepare, was the best I've ever seen at Baylor. That's what gave us the ability to fight how we fought. So, we have to do that again. This opponent is a nameless, faceless opponent. Our standard is the standard, regardless of who we play. That will be the fight, and I'm fired up to fight it."
- IT'S ALWAYS THE QUIET GUYS: Oklahoma State transfer Gavin Freeman had a career day, hauling in 12 catches for 154 yards, including the 5-yard TD grab on fourth-and-goal with nine seconds left. But nothing Freeman did surprised the Baylor head coach. "He's been like that since we got him," Aranda said. "He's been like that since I've known him. He was that at Oklahoma, Oklahoma State. I think it's the guys that are the quietest and go about it in the most humble way that can kind of come up and surprise you. But he's been that guy from the start."
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