WACO, Texas, October 25, 2026 — Baylor has fired head football coach Dave Aranda during his seventh season, according to multiple reports, a day after a blocked field goal sealed a painful 25–24 defeat at Kansas.
Defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman will take over as interim head coach, On3 reported, citing ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The change leaves Baylor preparing for a Friday trip to UCF with five regular-season games remaining.
Aranda leaves with a 40–40 overall record and a 26–32 mark in Big 12 play, according to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. His tenure delivered Baylor’s first 12-win season and a conference championship, but four of his six completed seasons ended with losing records.
A late Kansas collapse follows the TCU defeat
Baylor had opened the season 4–1 before consecutive defeats changed its outlook. A 17–6 home loss to rival TCU was followed by Saturday’s one-point defeat in Lawrence, dropping the Bears to 4–3 overall and 2–2 in conference play.
Against Kansas, Baylor led 21–10 during the third quarter but could not protect the advantage. The Jayhawks rallied, leaving the Bears needing a late field goal to escape with a victory.
With 22 seconds remaining, Blake Herold blocked Rhett Armstrong’s 45-yard attempt. Kansas held on, ending Baylor’s 14-game winning streak in the series and earning its first victory over the Bears since 2007, according to Baylor’s official game report.
The offensive difficulties had already prompted Aranda to accept responsibility earlier in the week. Discussing the TCU defeat on October 19, he pointed to an offensive line that had struggled in protection and run blocking.
“The first thing you stare at is me,” Aranda said. “I have to get that group ready to go.”
Baylor’s account of that press conference noted that the Bears allowed four sacks and managed only 54 rushing yards against TCU.
From a championship breakthrough to another reset
Baylor appointed Aranda in January 2020 after his four-season spell as LSU’s defensive coordinator and associate head coach. He arrived following LSU’s national championship campaign in the 2019 season, having previously coordinated defenses at Wisconsin, Utah State and Hawai‘i.
His second year in Waco brought a remarkable turnaround. Baylor improved from 2–7 to 12–2, defeated Oklahoma State in the Big 12 championship game and beat Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. Aranda received the George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year award for the 2021 season.
There was another recovery in 2024, when Baylor won its final six regular-season games and finished 8–5 after its bowl appearance. A 5–7 finish in 2025, however, left the program facing renewed questions.
University president Linda Livingstone announced on November 21, 2025, that Aranda would return. Her explanation cited stability during the athletics director transition, protecting the roster and recruiting class, and avoiding significant buyout costs.
“Baylor expects excellence, accountability and competitiveness at the highest level,” Livingstone wrote in that announcement.
That earlier statement explains why Aranda received another season. It was issued before the current campaign and was not a response to Sunday’s reported dismissal.
Klanderman now inherits the immediate task. Baylor hired him in December 2025 after six seasons coordinating Kansas State’s defense. His previous work included four FCS national championship teams at North Dakota State.
Baylor visits UCF on October 30 at 6:30 p.m. Central before facing Iowa State, BYU, Texas Tech and Houston. Readers can follow more college football coverage on Swikblog as the season continues.
A fresh Baylor statement explaining the dismissal, Aranda’s response and a current buyout figure had not been verified at the time of writing. No permanent successor had been confirmed in the reports reviewed.
Sources: Dave Campbell’s Texas Football; On3; Baylor’s Aranda biography; Baylor’s Klanderman appointment announcement; Baylor’s official schedule.
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