Man, what a gut punch for Baylor fans watching their squad lose to Auburn 17-16 on Saturday night. You just knew head coach Dave Aranda was going for the win. With only nine seconds left on the clock, after quarterback DJ Lagway battled through an ankle sprain to throw that touchdown pass, there was zero hesitation. Aranda pushed all his chips in.
The Call Everyone Agreed With (Almost)
Seriously, there was no debate for Aranda on that final play: go for two and the win. Analytically, it was the right call. Emotionally, absolutely worth the risk. Practically? A total no-brainer. Aranda himself confirmed it, saying there was “no hesitation.” He knew “the book said to go for it,” but it was more than just the numbers. His guys had been pushing through all game, leaving it all out there. He just didn’t think playing longer in overtime was going to do them any favors. And honestly, who can argue with that mindset? You gotta go for the victory right there when the chance is staring you down.
Inches. Just Inches.
Offensive coordinator Jake Spavital drew up the play. Lagway made the throw. Tight end Matthew Klopfenstein caught the ball and, for a split second, it looked like he had a clear path to the end zone. The roar must have been deafening. But then, Auburn safety Eric Winters, man, he made a textbook tackle, wrapping Klopfenstein up and bringing him down. The ball was *inches* from the goal line. Aranda saw it, he believed it was points. He thought Klopfenstein was in. “For it not to be just sucks,” he said, and you can feel that frustration, that absolute agony, through his words. This one play, this one stop, will forever be attached to that 17-16 final score. It’s wild because Aranda was on the other side of a nearly identical play just five years ago in the 2021 Big 12 championship game when Oklahoma State came up agonizingly short at the 1-yard line. Back then, Aranda was a rocket ship, winning a conference title and the Sugar Bowl. Now? After three losing seasons since then, those kinds of margins feel a whole lot different.
No matter how this seventh season plays out for Aranda, the “what-if” from that Auburn game is sticking around. This was only the first of twelve data points, but those small decisions can build up. This team has to regroup, dust themselves off, and prove they can close out games because this one really stings.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply