Baylor Fires Dave Aranda After 40-40 Run, Kansas Loss

WACO, Texas (TXAN 24) — Baylor has fired head football coach Dave Aranda, according to ESPN sources, ending his tenure in Waco after a 40-40 record across seven seasons.

The decision comes one day after Baylor suffered a heartbreaking 25-24 road loss to Kansas on Saturday, October 24, a defeat that dropped the Bears to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in Big 12 play.

Baylor appeared positioned to escape Lawrence with a victory before Kansas rallied in the fourth quarter. The Jayhawks scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:13 remaining, then blocked Baylor’s potential game-winning field goal attempt in the final seconds to secure the win.

The loss marked another difficult moment for a Baylor program that has struggled to recapture its success from earlier in Aranda’s tenure.

Aranda’s defining achievement came during the 2021 season, when Baylor finished 12-2, won the Big 12 championship and earned a berth in the Sugar Bowl. That campaign established the Bears as one of the conference’s top programs and raised expectations for the years that followed.

However, Baylor was unable to sustain that level of success consistently. The team’s recent struggles, combined with Saturday’s collapse against Kansas, ultimately preceded the reported coaching change.

Baylor now faces questions about the future direction of its football program, including the search for a new head coach and the challenge of rebuilding momentum in the competitive Big 12 Conference.

Further details regarding the coaching transition and potential candidates to replace Aranda were not immediately available.