Baylor Football: Bears could be college football’s Cinderella in 2018

Following a rough year in 2017, Baylor football could be a real surprise in the Big 12 in 2018 if the right pieces fall into place early in the season.

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Baylor football had a dismal time trying to get things going for the 2017 campaign under then first-year head coach Matt Rhule. The one-win season put the Bears second to last in the Big 12 standings, with only the Kansas Jayhawks behind them.

This year, Baylor looks to have one of the biggest turnarounds of any program in the nation. There really is nowhere to go but up for Baylor in 2018. The recruiting should only bolster an improving roster as the Bears finished in the top half of the Big 12 rankings for the 2018 cycle.

And, the offense has some intriguing pieces coming back, namely in the form of rising sophomore quarterback Charlie Brewer and rising junior wide receiver Denzel Mims. There’s some other nice pieces coming back too that should help the offense move forward altogether this fall.

The defense will continue to have some question marks, but we should trust Rhule’s prowess to build up on that side of the ball. He did a great job with the toughness of his defense during his time with the Temple Owls. He might be able to do the same in Waco, TX.

For the 2018 campaign, the ultimate goal for Baylor should be to reach bowl eligibility. The way the Bears played near the end of the 2017 season, that is something it can definitely achieve with a solid showing this year.

Here’s a look at both sides of the ball and the schedule ahead for the Baylor Bears for the 2018 season.