Baylor Football: Ranking Bears’ 2020 opponents by toughness

Iowa State is a far cry from its bottom-dwelling days in the Big 12 and that’s all thanks to Matt Campbell. He’s 26-25 in four years with the program and he’s coming off a 7-6 season with a Camping World Bowl loss to Notre Dame. However, this team will be a darkhorse Big 12 contender.

Brock Purdy might just be the best returning quarterback in the conference, passing for 3,982 yards and 27 touchdowns last year, and he’ll have a heck of a battery mate with Breece Hall in the backfield. Tarique Milton is a heck of a receiving target and Charlie Kolar is an All-American candidate at tight end.

On defense, the Cyclones were ranked 45th nationally last year and 50th in terms of scoring. Nine starters are also back and that just means that this team will only be better.

Oklahoma State has one of the best “Big 3s” in the country heading into the 2020 season with sophomore quarterback Spencer Sanders, Heisman candidate Chuba Hubbard and 1,000-yard receiver Tylan Wallace all back. If those three can stay healthy, there may be no stopping this offense.

The Cowboys ranked 82nd defensively last year and allowed 26.8 points per game (No. 61 nationally) but all 11 starters are back. Only way to go is up.

Mike Gundy has one of his most talented rosters ever and there’s a good chance this team could see a 2019 Baylor-like rise in 2020.