BAYLOR BEARS FOOTBALL
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Dave Aranda has built Baylor football into a Big 12 contender since arriving in 2020, establishing a program that competes at the highest level of college athletics. Located in Waco, Texas, the Bears represent Baylor University, founded in 1845 and home to 20,626 students across campus. Aranda's roster of 100 players operates within the Big 12 Conference structure, one of college football's premier athletic leagues, playing fall season competition at the highest FBS level.
Baylor's recent trajectory reflects Aranda's systematic approach to building sustainable success. The Bears play their home games at a dedicated venue in Waco, maintaining competitive home-field advantage while developing a program identity rooted in Big 12 conference standards. With a century-plus-old institutional foundation supporting the athletics program, Baylor competes as one of the Southwest's flagship football operations, drawing from a substantial student body and regional recruiting base.
The program's current roster composition allows Aranda to implement his defensive-minded scheme across 100 scholarship athletes. Competing in the Big 12 places Baylor among programs regularly facing Texas, Oklahoma, and other Power Four opponents, requiring consistent development and execution to remain competitive at that caliber throughout the fall season.
KEY FACTS
| School | Baylor University |
| Sport | Football |
| Conference | Big 12 Conference |
| Division | D1-FBS |
| Location | Waco, Texas |
| Venue | Home Venue |
| Head Coach | Dave Aranda |
ROSTER (2025-26)
| # | Name | Pos |
|---|---|---|
| 68 | Omar Aigbedion | OL |
| 76 | Keystone Allison | OL |
| 80 | Jackson Baird | WR |
| 14 | Nate Bennett | QB |
| 24 | Louis Brown IV | WR |
| 79 | Connor Cameron | OL |
| 34 | Josh Cameron | WR |
| 75 | Harrison Cluff | OL |
| 84 | Chase Collier | WR |
| 78 | Joe Crocker | OL |
| 32 | Brody Day | WR |
| 27 | Joseph Dodds | RB |
| 31 | Mason Dossett | WR |
| 89 | Daniel Edeni | WR |
| 39 | Wilson Eseme III | RB |
| 69 | Sidney Fugar | OL |
| 15 | Edward Griffin | QB |
| 37 | Joseph Hagman | RB |
| 6 | Ashtyn Hawkins | WR |
| 12 | Kelsey Johnson | TE |
| 21 | Michael Johnson Jr. | WR |
| 87 | Ashton Jones | WR |
| 18 | Tyler Kirkwood | WR |
| 85 | Matthew Klopfenstein | TE |
| 22 | Caden Knighten | RB |
| 64 | Ka'Marii Landers | OL |
| 62 | Ryan Lengyel | OL |
| 82 | Cody Mladenka | TE |
| 71 | Matthew Parker | OL |
| 35 | Dawson Pendergrass | RB |
| 86 | Hawkins Polley | TE |
| 83 | Jadon Porter | WR |
| 16 | Kobe Prentice | WR |
| 72 | Coleton Price | OL |
| 13 | Sawyer Robertson | QB |
| 76 | Isaiah Robinson | OL |
| 36 | Ryne Shackelford | WR |
| 74 | Kaden Sieracki | OL |
| 66 | Koltin Sieracki | OL |
| 63 | Wyatt Swaner | OL |
| 17 | Cade Tessier | QB |
| 77 | Colton Thomasson | OL |
| 65 | Sean Thompkins | OL |
| 61 | Cayden Tone | OL |
| 1 | Michael Trigg | TE |
| 30 | Michael Allen | S |
| 19 | Leo Almanza Jr. | CB |
| 34 | MJ Artmore Jr. | CB |
| 36 | Travion Barnes | LB |
| 12 | Kyler Beaty | CB |
| 98 | Jackson Blackwell | DL |
| 3 | Devyn Bobby | S |
| 94 | Caden Boenig | DL |
| 37 | Demetrius Brisbon | S |
| 41 | Kaleb Burns | LB |
| 22 | Reggie Bush II | CB |
| 33 | DJ Coleman | S |
| 48 | Jad Darkazalli | S |
| 20 | Placide Djungu-Sungu | S |
| 42 | Jeremy Evans | LB |
| 50 | Matthew Fobbs-White | LB |
| 95 | Alex Foster | DL |
| 91 | Adonis Friloux | DL |
| 24 | Micah Gifford | S |
| - | Braylen Jackson | DT |
| 31 | Phoenix Jackson | LB |
| 8 | Caden Jenkins | CB |
| 23 | Cameren Jenkins | S |
| 57 | Christopher Johnson | DL |
| 55 | Jaylin Jones | LB |
| 40 | Kyler Jordan | LB |
| 93 | DK Kalu | DL |
| 52 | Corey Kelly | LB |
| 97 | Cooper Lanz | DL |
| 49 | Trey Laurence | LB |
| 96 | Tonga Lolohea | DL |
| 90 | Alessandro Lorenzetti | DL |
| 53 | Ronnie Mageo | DL |
| 14 | KJ Makins | CB |
| 67 | Aleki Manutai | DL |
| 0 | Jackie Marshall | DT |
| 54 | David Marshall Jr. | DL |
| 51 | Kamauryn Morgan | LB |
| 21 | Bo Onu | S |
| 26 | Colin Peacock | S |
| 38 | Jacob Redding | S |
| 45 | Kyland Reed | LB |
| 16 | Kendrick Simpkins | S |
| 28 | Calvin Simpson-Hunt | CB |
| 47 | Trent Spence | LB |
| 88 | Samu Taumanupepe | DL |
| 59 | Devonte Tezino | DL |
| 11 | Keaton Thomas | LB |
| 92 | Trent Thomas | DL |
| 25 | LeVar Thornton Jr. | CB |
| 98 | Rhett Armstrong | PK |
| 97 | Hayden Arnold | PK |
| 96 | Connor Hawkins | PK |
| 60 | Drake Knobloch | LS |
| 93 | Dylan Schaub | LS |
OTHER SPORTS AT BAYLOR
BIG 12 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PROGRAMS
- Arizona State Sun Devils
- Brigham Young Cougars
- Iowa State Iowa State
- Kansas State Wildcats
- Oklahoma State Oklahoma State
- Texas Christian Horned Frogs
- Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Arizona Wildcats
- Central Florida Knights
- Cincinnati Bearcats
- Colorado Boulder Buffaloes
- Houston Cougars
- Kansas Jayhawks
- Utah Utes
- West Virginia Mountaineers
MORE FOOTBALL IN TEXAS
Browse all NCAA Division I football programs in Texas.
Texas Football ProgramsFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- What conference does Baylor Football compete in?
- Baylor Bears Football competes in the Big 12 Conference conference at the NCAA D1-FBS level.
- Where does Baylor play football home games?
- Baylor Football plays home games at Home Venue in Waco, TX.
- Who is the head coach of Baylor Football?
- The head coach of Baylor Bears Football is Dave Aranda.
- When was Baylor Football program established?
- The establishment date for Baylor Football is not currently available.