5 programs who can become new Big 12 superpower after Oklahoma, Texas leave
By John Buhler
Baylor has shown it a strong commitment to having a great athletic department
Throughout the College Football Playoff era (since 2014), the three programs who have had the greatest levels of success in the Big 12 are as follows: Baylor, Oklahoma and TCU. While OU has made the playoff more than anyone out of this league, you could ague for Baylor being on the shortlist of the best programs in the country that have never made the four-team field before.
While Waco is not inside of a massive metroplex, it does seem to be a hotbed for coaching talent. Dave Aranda has already won a league championship and a New Year’s Six bowl while at Baylor. Although recruitment is something they will have to overcome, being a private school does afford them opportunities state schools do not have when building an incredible athletic department.
Assuming they can continue to unify their boosters, Baylor could, in theory, be able to pay more to keep great coaches like Aranda around because they do not have to disclose the financials of a contract publicly like a state school would. We have seen this university take a great deal of pride in its athletic programs over the last decade-plus. Further investment gives them a real shot here.
It will not be as easy as it would be with Houston, but Baylor can add market share methodically.