Baylor football 2022 season prediction, preview, awards, 2022 bowl game

Baylor football shocked the Big 12 last year. This year the Bears are out to prove they can retain their crown by reloading instead of rebuilding.

Dave Aranda enters Year 3 in Waco in considerably better shape than last year, with a Big 12 Championship in the trophy case.

Now that he’s gotten to the top, he needs to figure out to how keep Baylor there.

The Bears enter the season ranked No. 13 in the FanSided Top 50 Preseason Rankings.

What should fans expect in 2022?

Baylor football 2021 season in review

Aranda’s second season in charge could hardly have gone more perfectly. After a 2-7 debut during a season impacted by COVID-19, the head coach pulled his team together to win the Big 12 for the first time since 2014, going 12-2 with a victory in the Sugar Bowl to cap things off.

The defense was stifling and the offense pounded the rock as the Bears worked their way through the Big 12 slate and took down ranked BYU. While they lost to Oklahoma State and suffered a two-point defeat at TCU, they punched a ticket to the conference title game where they avenged their loss to the Cowboys for the crown.

Previewing Baylor Bears offense for 2022 season

Returning starters (6): TE Drake Dabney, TE Ben Sims, C Jacob Gall, RG Grant Miller, RT Khalil Keith, LT Connor Galvin
Notable newcomers: QB Luke Anthony (Louisiana Tech), 4-star WR Armani Winfield
Impact player: QB Blake Shapen

Blake Shapen rode an excellent performance in the Big 12 title game to the starting job this spring, unseating Gerry Bohanon, who has since transferred and is now the starter at USF. Now he’s the uncontested No. 1 and in charge of moving the Bears forward on offense.

There will be more on the QB’s shoulders this season with reading rushers Abram Smith and Trestan Ebner gone. They combined for 2,400 yards and 14 touchdowns, so replacing them will be no easy feat. Tay McWilliams is the top returning player at running back and he had just 181 yards on 17 carries last year. He’s going to be filling some big shoes.

The QB will also be working with a rebuilt receiving corps. Tyquan Thornton, R.J. Snead and Drew Estrada have all departed, leaving tight end Ben Sims as the leading returning pass-catcher along with tight end Drake Dabney. The arrival of four-star freshman Armani Winfield could be right on time.

On the plus side, Shapen will have a veteran offensive line led by defending Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year Connor Galvin and reinforced y Buffalow transfer Jacob Gall. Remaining steady in the trenches should be a big help to the offense.

Previewing Baylor Bears defense for 2022 season

Returning starters (5): DT Cole Maxwell, NT Siaki Ika, WLB Matt Jones, MLB Dillon Doyle, S Christian Morgan
Notable newcomers: DL Jaxon Player (Tulsa), LB Josh White (LSU)
Impact player: NT Siaki Ika

Defense drove the Bears to the Big 12 title and if there’s one thing Aranda can be counted on having, it’s a good defense.

However, this year’s group will have some major absences to contend with, including Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Jalen Pitre and All-Big-12 first-team linebacker selection Terrel Bernard.

At least the defense will be anchored by Siaki Ika and a defensive line that should be just as stout as last year, especially with the addition of Jaxon Player from Tulsa.

LSU’s Josh White will try to bolster the linebacker corps, which does return middle linebacker Dillon Doyle.

The secondary is being retooled with Christian Morgan providing the most veteran presence at safety.

Baylor football players awards watch for 2022 season

The Bears have six players on preseason watch lists for national awards.

Siaki Ika, Nagurski/Outland/Bednarik

Ika made an immediate impact as a transfer from LSU, earning the 2021 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year Award. He picked up All-Big-12 first-team honors and is now in pursuit of national recognition.

Jacob Gall, Rimington/Outland

Another transfer, Gall made his way from Buffalo to a key role on Baylor’s excellent offensive line in 2021. After helping the Bears reach the semifinalist phase for the Joe Moore Award, he could target individual honors in 2022.

Connor Galvin, Lombardi/Outland

Galvin was an All-Big-12 first-teamer with All-American mentions to his name last season. He returns the attention of major offensive line award voters.

Dillon Doyle, Nagurski

Doyle was second on the Bears defense with 90 tackles, adding 8.5 tackles for loss. He was an All-Big-12 honorable mention in 2021 and will look to prove he deserved more than that with a big 2022.

Issac Power, Ray Guy

Power is in contention to be named the top punter in college football after averaging 45 yards per punt in 2021.

Ben Sims, Mackey

Sims had the best season of his career with 361 yards and six touchdowns last year. No other Bear tight end has caught as many touchdowns as his nine career scores. .

Baylor Bears biggest game on 2022 schedule

Oklahoma and Texas will loom in the second half of the season but the Oct. 1 matchup with Oklahoma State could be the early indicator of what the Bears are capable of. Baylor will get the Cowboys at home, but they’ll be coming back from a road trip to Iowa State while OSU will be coming off a bye week.

Baylor football best-case scenario

All aboard the Aranda train. The Big 12 may look wide open but Baylor proved themselves last year and could come back as sharp as ever with a higher ceiling at quarterback and a defense capable of holding down whatever offense they face.

Last year it was the Big 12 title. This year it could be the playoff by avoiding another loss like that pesky one against TCU.

Baylor football worst-case scenario

The travel schedule is brutal for Baylor with trips to BYU, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas on tap. Things could take a turn for the worst early if the defense isn’t quite up to their 2021 form in the first half of the season. And it won’t get too much easier in the second half.

No one is going to underestimate the Bears this time around and that could mean dropping unexpected games en route to a 7-5 record.

Baylor football 2022 season prediction

The 2021 season was no fluke. Baylor will contend for the Big 12 again this year. The tricky part will be actually defending the title with Oklahoma State still rolling, Oklahoma with their own defensive guru at the helm and Texas strengthening.

Without certainty at running back or in the back seven of the defense, it’s fair to expect the Bears to take a slight step back. It won’t be a big one, but it’ll be enough for the Cowboys to close the gap.

Expect Baylor to give Texas a wake-up call in the regular season finale but settle for a 9-3 campaign.

Baylor football 2022 bowl game prediction

Bill Bender of Sporting News projects the Bears will face Oregon in the Alamo Bowl.

Up Next: No. 12: Oklahoma Sooners

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