Losing to Kansas was the breaking point.
Dave Aranda came into 2026 firmly on the hot seat at Baylor. He'd followed up his 2021 Big 12 Championship with losing seasons in three of the next four years. A 4-1 start, marred only by a one-point loss to a solid Auburn team in the Bears' opener, cooled things off. But upset losses to TCU and Kansas followed -- the latter while squandering an 11-point fourth quarter lead -- and leadership in Waco decided that was enough.
Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman will serve as the team's interim head coach for the team's final five regular season games. While there's a chance he thrives and earns the full-time job, it's much more likely the Bears use their head start on the 2027 NCAA coaching carousel to vet
and target an outside hire.
Who makes the most sense?
Jeff Traylor, Texas-San Antonio head coach
Traylor has spent all but two years of his football career in the Lone Star State. He's only the third head coach in Roadrunners history and by far the most successful. He's taken the program to six of its seven all-time bowl games in six years. A seventh is on the way, as UTSA is 7-1 with a chance to win the American Conference crown.
Willie Fritz, Houston head coach
How much is Baylor willing to pony up for its head coach? Fritz would be an ambitious steal from a fellow Big 12 member. Fritz has won everywhere he's been, from Blinn Junior College to the Cougars, behind a dynamic, high-impact offense. That stalled out Saturday night in a 21-13 loss at Utah, but Houston should stick around the top 25 for the second straight season, making the 66-year-old a commodity.
G.J. Kinne, Texas State head coach
Kinne is responsible for all three of the Bobcats bowl bids, helping build a resume that helped the program earn an invitation to the rebuilt Pac-12 before the 2026 season. He's 2-1 in conference play and 4-3 overall, with one of those losses coming to Traylor and UTSA. He's a Texas native and only 37 years old. He previously coached Lindsey Scott Jr. to the Walter Payton Award -- the FCS's equivalent of the Heisman Trophy -- in his sole season at Incarnate Word.
Jason Eck, New Mexico head coach
New Mexico hadn't had a winning season in nearly a decade when Eck took over in 2025. He went 9-4 in his debut and is 6-1 in 2026 after fending off North Dakota State on Saturday night. The former Wisconsin offensive lineman has only been a head coach for less than two seasons and doesn't have any Texas ties. However, that's less of an issue when boosters can throw money at players to make up for a lack of interpersonal connection with local high school coaches.
Shannon Dawson, Miami (FL) offensive coordinator
If Baylor opts to pull from a Power 4 assistant pool rather than Group of 6 head coaches, Dawson may be at the top of the list. He's designed the offense behind the nation's top team, racking up an FBS-best 49 points per game. Having Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney certainly helps, but he's pushed that pairing to the peak of their potential. He has Texas ties after serving as an assistant with Houston and Stephen F. Austin and, before Mensah, helped propel Cameron Ward to the first pick of the 2025 NFL Draft (please do not ask what happened next).
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 5 Baylor head coach candidates after Dave Aranda's firing, featuring heavy Texas ties
