Summer Schedule Preview: OSU Hosts Baylor in Big 12 Opening

The Big 12 revenge tour starts at home.

By the way, the Cowboys went winless in conference last season so the revenge tour will be extensive.

Oklahoma State kicks off its Big 12 slate in late September with a visit from Baylor. Talk about teams going in different directions last year. Baylor struggled from the start of 2024 only to click into gear and finish 2024 hot. OSU at least survived the noncon 3-0 but then went all Ls the last two and a half months of the year.

But both teams are 0-0 in Big 12 play until Week 4.

Check out our previous preview: Noncon

Week 5: Baylor | Sep. 27 | Stillwater, Okla.

Series history: 23-20

Last meeting: BU 38, OSU 28 (2024)

When OSU traveled to Waco last October, the Pokes were already reeling at 0-4 in Big 12 play. Sawyer Robertson accounted for four total touchdowns to one interception while Alan Bowman went for one and one. It was also the breakout performance of then sophomore running back Dawson Pendergrass who took six handoffs for 142 yards and a score. That’s 23.7 yards per carry on OSU’s porous run defense.

Baylor in 2024: That win over the Pokes was just a week into Baylor’s second half turnaround. After starting 2-4, the Bears finished the season on a 6-0 run before falling to LSU by a touchdown in the Texas Bowl. Baylor finished 8-5 and 6-3 in Big 12 play.

Baylor’s Offense in 2025: The Bears return Robertson, Pendergrass, dynamic receiver Josh Cameron and the majority of their core offensive players from a team that finished second in the league in scoring offense. They also added former Alabama wide receiver Kobe Prentice and Texas State transfer Kole Wilson to help assuage the loss of No. 2 wideout Ashtyn Hawkins.

Baylor’s Defense in 2025: The Bears also bring back a fair amount of their playmakers on defense, especially in their secondary, but Dave Aranda was faced with replacing pretty much his entire pass rush. Baylor’s top five sack leaders from last year are gone, a group which accounted 17.5 sacks. To help with that, Baylor brought in a slew of transfer QB hunters like Jaylin Jones (UTEP), Emar’rion Winston (Oregon) and Matthew Fobbs-White (Tulane).

Of note: Early this offseason, the Bears ranked 11th in returning production, according to ESPN. They return nine of 11 offensive starters and about half of their starters on defense. That plus the momentum they rode the second half of last season are reasons Baylor is a trendy Big 12 contender this fall.