Baylor

Baylor football has roots in the old Southwest Conference, where the Bears built rivalries with Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, Arkansas, and others. The program’s history includes notable success under Grant Teaff, who became the defining coach for generations of Baylor fans. Teaff’s teams were tough, competitive, and capable of beating the league’s powers despite operating with fewer built-in advantages.

The breakup of the Southwest Conference and Baylor’s move into the Big 12 created a difficult era. For years, the Bears struggled to compete against the league’s stronger programs, and the national perception of Baylor football fell sharply. That context made the later rise feel even more dramatic, because Baylor moved from Big 12 afterthought to championship contender.

Robert Griffin III changed the program’s national image. His 2011 Heisman Trophy season, full of spectacular throws and upsets, gave Baylor one of the most celebrated individual years in recent college football. The Bears then won Big 12 titles with explosive offenses, new facilities, and a sense that Waco had become one of the sport’s most surprising hot spots.

The program later endured a serious institutional scandal and major rebuilding, then found new success under Matt Rhule and Dave Aranda. The 2021 Big 12 championship and Sugar Bowl win showed Baylor could rise again with defense and balance rather than only offensive fireworks. Baylor’s history is complicated, but it is also a story of resilience, reinvention, and the unpredictable nature of college football.