Texas Football: Ranking the difficulty of every opponent in 2018

Baylor’s potential rise back to prominence in the coming years under second-year head coach Matt Rhule is one of the more intriguing storylines to follow in the Big 12 in 2018. The Bears are coming off a huge decline in 2017 where the team only won one game and finished with a record of 1-11 (1-9 Big 12).

Baylor lost two dumbfounding games last season at the beginning of the season against an FCS team in the Liberty Flames and the UTSA Roadrunners. Both those defeats came early on with Rhule at the helm so there is a small excuse for them. To rub salt in the wound, that Baylor loss to the Roadrunners was the first time that team had ever claimed a victory over a Power Five program.

There’s a few things that Baylor fans have to be excited about on both sides of the ball in 2018. The offense returns a dynamic duo between sophomore quarterback Charlie Brewer and junior wide receiver Denzel Mims. The skill position depth all around is solid entering fall camp.

On the defensive side of the ball, Baylor looks to get tougher to fit into that culture that Rhule is so well known for. Texas took care of business easily on the road at McLane Stadium against Baylor in 2017, and shouldn’t have too much trouble this season. This matchup does get sandwiched between two tough battles with the Oklahoma schools so the Horns do have to make sure not to overlook it.