There's real history here too. Baylor's 5-7 collapse last season included a heartbreaker against Houston, one of a few games the Bears either led or tied in the fourth quarter before losing. A rematch on Houston's home turf, with a Big 12 push potentially still alive for the Cougars, gives this one actual stakes beyond just measuring Lagway's first year running a new offense.
Weigman's 2025 tape is the separator: 2,705 yards, 25 touchdown passes, and a healthiest-in-years offseason that has Houston fans talking Big 12 title, not just bowl eligibility. He's not turnover-proof — 9 interceptions a year ago — but he's a known quantity running Willie Fritz's offense for a second straight year, which matters against a Baylor defense still figuring out its new scheme in real time.
Lagway is the wild card that makes this more than a formality. He started all 12 games at Florida as a true freshman and threw for over 2,200 yards, but the 14 interceptions that came with it are the exact concern Baylor is hoping a full offseason and a fresh system iron out. If he plays like the five-star talent Baylor recruited instead of the erratic passer Florida saw, this program's turnaround starts to feel real fast — and it could start right here, on the road, against the class of the conference.