QB
B-Robertson at QB (88, senior, throw power 93). Top-3 of 79.7.
**Dynasty-start roster (CFB 26)**DC Rating 7.0 / 10
Baylor
Strategist Aranda with a 90-OVR sophomore HB anchor and a Tier-5 East Texas home behind a D coach stability cliff at 3.5 prestige.
The Dynasty Verdict
If you want a Dave Aranda program where a Tier-5 East Texas home meets a 90-OVR sophomore HB and an 84 overall, Baylor is the Big 12 team built to ride the Air Raid behind a top-tier multi-year skill core. Washington anchors the backfield at sophomore HB 90 with acceleration 94 and BC Vision 91. Cameron and Prentice pair at senior WR (89 and 84). Thomas plays sideline-to-sideline at junior SAM 89 with stamina 96 and tackle 95. Robertson runs the offense at senior QB 88 with throw power 93. Aigbedion anchors the line at senior RG 87 with strength 93. The home pipeline is a Tier-5 East Texas reach plus North Texas Tier-3 — among the deepest Texas-Louisiana boards in the Big 12.
What makes Baylor different from the other 3.5-prestige Big 12 programs is the Air Raid scheme paired with Washington's sophomore eligibility. Texas Tech asks you to ride a senior-heavy Veer and Shoot behind a 8/10 cliff. TCU asks you to ride the same Air Raid but with C/D- coach grades. Baylor asks you to ride Aranda's Strategist scheme depth, Washington as a multi-year HB anchor, and a Tier-5 East Texas home — under a D stability mark that bites hard if recruiting doesn't compound.
The 7.0 lands on Washington's sophomore eligibility, the Tier-5 East Texas home, and Aranda's B+ coach prestige — and gets pulled down by the D coach stability and the 7-of-10 senior cliff. Don't pick Baylor for a stable four-year compound. Pick Baylor for the Air Raid window where Washington sits on a 90 ceiling, Cameron and Robertson carry Year 1, and Thomas plus Pendergrass and Jenkins (junior CB 84) bridge the multi-year defensive core while Aranda tries to convert the East Texas pipeline before the stability cliff threatens the staff.
Head Coach
Dave Aranda
StrategistThe launch hands Aranda the deepest multi-year skill core in the 3.5-Big-12: Washington at sophomore HB 90, Pendergrass at junior HB 85, Thomas at junior SAM 89, Jenkins at junior CB 84, and Fobbs-White at junior REDG 84. B+ coach prestige is real recruiting currency on the East Texas Tier-5 board. D coach stability is the structural risk that distinguishes Baylor from K-State (A-) and Iowa State (A-) at the Big 12 prestige tier — the staff doesn't have the safety net those programs carry, and the recruiting cycle has to land Year 1 to keep the program from drifting after the senior class graduates.
Team at a Glance
| Conference | Big 12 |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Dave Aranda · Strategist |
| Team Prestige | 3.5 stars |
| Team Overall (in-game) | 84 |
| Top Position Group | Wide Receiver · B+ · top-3 avg 85.3 |
| Weakest Position Group | Special Teams · B- · top-3 avg 77.0 |
| Stadium Atmosphere | B- |
| Brand Exposure | C+ |
| Coach Prestige | B+ |
| Coach Stability | D |
| Top-10 Senior Departures After Year 1 | 5 of 10 |
Top 10 Players
By overall rating at dynasty start
| # | Player | Pos | Yr | OVR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Bryson Washington | HB | So | 90 | Acceleration 94 |
| 02 | Josh Cameron | WR | Sr | 89 | Acceleration 93 |
| 03 | Keaton Thomas | SAM | Jr | 89 | Stamina 96 |
| 04 | Sawyer Robertson | QB | Sr | 88 | Throw Power 93 |
| 05 | Omar Aigbedion | RG | Sr | 87 | Strength 93 |
| 06 | Travion Barnes | MIKE | Sr | 87 | Injury 94 |
| 07 | Dawson Pendergrass | HB | Jr | 85 | Toughness 94 |
| 08 | Caden Jenkins | CB | Jr | 84 | Stamina 94 |
| 09 | Kobe Prentice | WR | Sr | 84 | Acceleration 94 |
| 10 | Matthew Fobbs-White | REDG | Jr | 84 | Pursuit 91 |
Position Group Grades
RB
B+Washington at HB (90, sophomore, acceleration 94) and Pendergrass at HB (85, junior, toughness 94). Top-3 of 84.7.
WR
B+Cameron at WR (89, senior, acceleration 93) and Prentice at WR (84, senior, acceleration 94). Top-3 of 85.3, the strongest unit on the roster.
TE
B-Top-3 of 79.7.
OL
BAigbedion at RG (87, senior, strength 93). Top-3 of 81.3.
DL
BFobbs-White at REDG (84, junior, pursuit 91). Top-3 of 81.7.
LB
B+Thomas at SAM (89, junior, stamina 96) and Barnes at MIKE (87, senior, injury 94). Top-3 of 84.0.
DB
BJenkins at CB (84, junior, stamina 94). Top-3 of 82.0.
ST
B-Top-3 of 77.0.
Recommended Playbooks
Offense
Air Raid (Baylor Default)
Run Air Raid because Washington and the senior WR pair are the design's whole point. Robertson reads the field at throw power 93 and stamina 92. Cameron stretches the perimeter at acceleration 93 and catch in traffic 92. Prentice runs the slot at acceleration 94 and agility 93. Washington takes the lead carries at acceleration 94 and BC Vision 91. Pendergrass rotates as the change-of-pace at toughness 94.
Why this fits
A B+ WR grade plus a B+ RB grade gives Air Raid the four-wide personnel it demands without sacrificing run depth. Washington's sophomore eligibility carries the multi-year backfield bridge into Years 2 and 3.
Defense
3-3-5 Tite (Baylor Default)
Run the 3-3-5 Tite because Thomas and the senior MIKE plus the junior CB bridge are the design's strength. Thomas at junior SAM hunts sideline-to-sideline at stamina 96 and tackle 95. Barnes anchors the senior MIKE at injury 94 and tackle 92. Fobbs-White at junior REDG sets the edge at pursuit 91 and finesse moves 89. Jenkins at junior CB locks the boundary at stamina 94 and acceleration 93.
Why this fits
A B+ LB grade and the 3-3-5 Tite's nickel personnel let Aranda put five DBs on the field with Thomas as the rover. Thomas, Jenkins, and Fobbs-White carry the multi-year defensive bridge.
Recruiting Outlook
Pipeline regions
- East TexasTier 5
- North TexasTier 3
- Southwest TexasTier 2
- ArkansasTier 1
- LouisianaTier 1
- MissouriTier 1
- UtahTier 1
- OklahomaTier 1
- South FloridaTier 1
- South GeorgiaTier 1
You'll recruit Texas hard. The Tier-5 East Texas home is the load-bearing recruiting asset, paired with North Texas at Tier-3 and Southwest Texas at Tier-2 — among the deepest Texas-Louisiana home footprints in the 3.5-Big-12. Aranda at B+ coach prestige can land specific Texas prospects the bigger programs also want, but D coach stability is the recruiting risk: the staff turnover that grade implies disrupts the pipeline before it compounds.
Position priorities for Year 1 are dictated by the 5-senior cliff. Wide receiver is critical because both Cameron and Prentice graduate and the WR room behind them needs Year 1 signings. After WR, replacement QB behind Robertson, replacement RG behind Aigbedion, replacement MIKE behind Barnes.
The Tier-1 cluster (Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Utah, Oklahoma, South Florida, South Georgia) is for filling specific position gaps with single-player targets only. Don't burn time outside the Texas-Louisiana corridor unless you're chasing a specific recruit a Power-4 school hasn't already locked.
Your Year-by-Year Path with Baylor
Year 1
The Air Raid Push
You're inheriting an 84-overall Big 12 roster with five seniors carrying the offense and the back end of the defense. Don't experiment. Run Air Raid, lean Robertson on Cameron and Prentice while Washington takes the lead carries, let Thomas and Barnes anchor the second level. Year 1 is a Big 12 bowl push and a 9-10 win baseline where the senior skill cluster carries the load. While you're winning, sign the Year 1 WR and QB classes that the East Texas Tier-5 home can deliver.
Goal
Big 12 bowl eligibility, 9-10 wins, top-30 recruiting class.
Years 2-3
The Washington Window
Five senior anchors graduate. Washington stays the offensive identity into junior and senior years. Thomas and Jenkins stay as multi-year defensive cores. Pendergrass moves to senior HB1, Fobbs-White anchors the senior edge. The Year 1 WR signings have to start by Year 2 because the room empties. Aranda's Strategist archetype gives him the scheme depth to keep both sides scoring and stopping, but D stability still threatens the staff continuity.
Goal
9-11 wins, Big 12 contender, Washington at 92+ as a junior, top-25 recruiting class.
Year 4+
The Stability Test
By Year 4, Baylor's dynasty depends on whether Aranda's staff survived the D stability cliff and whether Washington reached his 90+ senior ceiling. A realistic Year 4+ ceiling is a 10-win Big 12 program with the Tier-5 East Texas pipeline intact, with a CFP push contingent on a top-15 class compounding.
Goal
10-win Big 12 program, 4-prestige climb if East Texas recruiting compounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baylor good for dynasty mode in CFB 26?
Yes for an Air Raid window with a 90-OVR multi-year HB and a Tier-5 East Texas home, with caveats. Baylor enters CFB 26 with an 84-overall roster, B+ coach prestige and D coach stability under Aranda's Strategist archetype, and a B+ WR room anchored by Josh Cameron at senior 89 and Bryson Washington at sophomore HB 90. The D coach stability is the structural risk.
What's Baylor's prestige in CFB 26?
Baylor enters CFB 26 with a 3.5-star prestige rating, paired with B+ coach prestige and D coach stability. The Tier-5 East Texas home plus a Tier-3 North Texas reach and Tier-2 Southwest Texas give Baylor among the deepest Texas-Louisiana home footprints in the 3.5-Big-12 cluster.
What playbook does Baylor use in CFB 26?
Dave Aranda's Baylor runs the Air Raid offense and the 3-3-5 Tite defense. The Air Raid fits Robertson at QB plus Cameron, Prentice, Washington, and Pendergrass. The 3-3-5 Tite deploys Thomas at SAM (89, junior, stamina 96), Barnes at MIKE (87, senior, injury 94), Fobbs-White at REDG (84, junior, pursuit 91), and Jenkins at CB (84, junior, stamina 94).
Who is Baylor's best player in College Football 26?
Bryson Washington at 90 OVR, sophomore halfback, with acceleration 94, toughness 92, and BC Vision 91. Washington is the multi-year offensive anchor and the centerpiece of the Air Raid run game. Josh Cameron at WR (89, senior, acceleration 93) and Keaton Thomas at SAM (89, junior, stamina 96) round out the top three.
Should I rebuild Baylor or take an easier team?
Baylor is an Air Raid window with a 90-OVR multi-year HB at 3.5 prestige, not a stable compound build. The Year 1 ceiling is a Big 12 bowl with 9-10 wins; the Year 2-3 floor depends on Washington reaching 92+ and the East Texas recruiting class converting before D stability bites. Take Baylor if you want a Power-4 Air Raid with the deepest Texas home footprint at 3.5 prestige. If you want a similar Big 12 profile with stronger coach stability, look at Iowa State or Kansas State.