BYU (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) at Baylor (2-2, 0-1 Big 12)

• Start: Saturday, 10 a.m. MDT
• Venue: McLane Stadium (capacity: 45,140)
• TV: Fox Sports 1
• Live stream: foxsports.com/live/fs1
• Radio: KSL 1160 AM/102.7 FM/BYU Radio Sirius XM 143
• Series: Draw, 2:2
• Weather: Skies will be mostly sunny at kickoff, with temperatures in the 80s and possibly climbing into the 90s by halftime. Winds will be light and variable with gusts of up to 12 miles per hour from the northwest. The wind could increase slightly as the game progresses.

The trends

For BYU: The Cougars are coming off one of their most dominant victories in years, a 38-9 victory over No. 13 Kansas State, earning a No. 22 ranking in both major polls along the way. BYU is still looking for its first road win in the Big 12 after it lost 0-5 away in the league last year.

The Cougars are 22-7 when playing as a ranked team under coach Kalani Sitake and are looking to enter the game at 5-0 for the first time since 2021, when they were 5-0 before a home loss to Boise State. They followed that loss with a 38-24 loss at Baylor, which came during their last trip to Waco.

For Baylor: The Bears were absolutely devastated after suffering a 38-31 overtime decision at Colorado in a game that by most accounts they should have won. Baylor has a 59-198-6 record all-time against ranked opponents and 5-13 during coach Dave Aranda’s tenure in Waco.

In 2021, Baylor went 5-1 against ranked teams, including four straight wins against ranked opponents and three straight wins against teams ranked in the top eight.

What you should pay attention to

The Cougars scored on offense, defense and special teams in the win over the Wildcats and entered their first Big 12 road game scoring 32.8 points per game and holding their opponents to 12.8 points per game. BYU has not allowed a touchdown to the last two Power Four opponents it has played, SMU and KSU.

Jake Retzlaff won the starting quarterback job in preseason training camp after a close race with Gerry Bohanon, who ironically was Baylor’s starting QB when the Bears beat the Cougars in 2021. Bohanon was 18 of 28 for 231 yards and a touchdown, with an interception in the win over Jaren Hall and the Cougs that day. Baylor would go on to win the Big 12 title.

The Bears nearly had a 31-10 lead over Colorado, but a would-be touchdown pass was buried in the end zone, and the Buffaloes seized momentum late and won with the help of a Hail Mary at the end of regulation. Sawyer Robertson has taken over the starting quarterback position after Dequan Finn won a battle for the first snaps in fall camp. Finn was the quarterback in Baylor’s loss at Utah in Week 2.

In the last game in Waco against BYU, the Bears did not have a single penalty accepted for the first time in program history.

Key players

Jake Retzlaff, junior, BYU, quarterback: The junior college transfer has been more of a game manager in recent weeks as BYU used defense and special teams to thwart Wyoming and Kansas State. More of the so-called BY-Jew will apparently be needed on Saturday, as BYU is still in the running back spot. However, running back Hinckley Ropati is expected to return after missing the last two games due to swelling in his surgically repaired knee.

Retzlaff is No. 31 nationally in total offense with 273.3 yards per game and was 15 of 21 for 149 yards and two touchdowns against Kansas State.

Quotable

“You have endured a heartbreaking loss. They had the game under control. The overtime game.

“I know they’re in a tough situation right now, but knowing everything about Dave Aranda and what he does in this business, he’s going to get these guys going and make sure they give us their best .”

“My job is to make sure we do our best too and we’ll see how it goes. I’m excited for the game and excited to be out there.” – BYU coach Kalani Sitake

“Really tough and just a heartbreaking loss. I wasn’t really involved in anything like that, especially until the last game of (regulation) or last game of overtime, the way it went. Very difficult to bear. The team is very discouraged and so frustrated at the moment. We’ll probably be in pain on the way back to Waco.” — Baylor coach Dave Aranda after the CU loss

Next

• BYU: Bye week (vs. Arizona on October 12)
• Baylor: at Iowa State

BYU schedule

• August 31 – Defeated Southern Illinois 41-13
• September 6 – Defeated SMU 18-15
• September 14 – Defeated Wyoming 34-14
• September 21 – Defeated Kansas State 38-9
• September 28 – at Baylor
• Oct. 5 – Bye
• Oct. 12 – Arizona
• Oct. 18 – Oklahoma State, 8:15 p.m. MDT, ESPN
• October 26 – in Central Florida
• November 2nd – Bye
• November 9th – in Utah
• November 16 – Kansas
• November 23 – at Arizona State
• November 30 – Houston