859 yards in just two weeks. That’s not a typo. While the Big 12 is buzzing with Iowa State’s 3-0 start and Utah’s dominant 63-9 victory over Cal Poly, this quarterback is quietly stealing the show. Even with the SEC and ACC boasting talents like Cade Klubnik and Garrett Nussmeier, neither is putting up numbers like this. He’s absolutely shredding defenses, making it look effortless, and already seems to be the frontrunner for the best QB in the nation. Call it hype if you want, but the stats don’t lie.

Sawyer Robertson has been lighting up the gridiron. Baylor’s redshirt senior quarterback orchestrated an astonishing 48-45 double-overtime triumph against No. 17 SMU, overcoming a 14-point hole. Robertson’s performance was stellar, throwing for 440 yards and four touchdowns, completing 68% of his passes without a pick, and adding 20 rushing yards. His late-game heroics, including a 72-yard drive and a game-tying 82-yard drive, earned him Associated Press National Player of the Week honors.

And all this hype adds up to the fact that Sawyer Robertson is unstoppable. Danny Kanell’s already hyping him up on CFB on Sirius XM: “Sawyer Robertson is the best quarterback in college football. He was spectacular in that game. The dude has ice in his veins. Kept delivering. He, right now, is throwing for 429 yards a game. He’s got seven touchdowns, zero interceptions, and one of the best comebacks of the year, and maybe in recent memory, that he put on his back.” Through two games, he has thrown for 859 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception, becoming just the third college QB since 2000 to achieve such a flawless start.

But the hype makes sense. Robertson is the engine of Baylor’s offense. Following his 419-yard performance against Auburn in Week 1, he now boasts the top two passing performances in the FBS this season. He’s also the first Big 12 QB since Patrick Mahomes in 2016 to throw for 400+ yards in his first two games, joining Mahomes, Brandon Weeden, and Robert Griffin III as the only players in the last 15 years with three straight 400-yard games. His accuracy and leadership have put Baylor’s offense in high gear.

Even though Robertson’s emergence thrills Baylor fans, the defense is a major concern. After two games, Dave Aranda’s squad is allowing a concerning 41.5 points per game, ranking near the bottom of the country. Auburn ran wild for over 300 rushing yards in the first game, and SMU torched the secondary for 295 yards and three touchdowns. Add in 31 missed tackles, and it’s obvious Baylor’s defense isn’t performing up to par.

Yet, Robertson’s Heisman hype continues to build. DraftKings lists his odds at +9000, but it could all fall apart if the defense doesn’t improve. And even Kanell’s highlighting the same: “Now, this is a big question, because that defense, he’s 60 to one right now to win the Heisman Trophy. I think it’s kind of worth the flyer to take it now. If they’re eight and four, that, you know, obviously could hurt his chances.” Well, it’s not that Dave Aranda isn’t taking steps to make sure his defense performs.

Dave Aranda’s defensive woes

Following Baylor’s double-overtime victory against SMU (48-45), Dave Aranda didn’t mince words about the game film. “What you’re not seeing is, collectively, 11 guys doing what they’re supposed to be doing on any specific play,” he said. “And we have to clean that up. What we’re doing now is not sustainable.” Baylor’s defense has struggled mightily in the first two weeks, ranking near the bottom of FBS teams (132nd out of 136) in scoring defense, allowing over 41 points per game.

Injuries have compelled Aranda to experiment. With Jackie Marshall still dealing with an ankle injury, Baylor used only two true defensive linemen versus SMU, relying heavily on edge players like Emar’rion Winston and Matthew Fobbs-While. “We’ll see if that continues into this next week, but we’re still trying to get an idea of an identity and the best players and putting them in the best position to succeed,” Aranda explained. This makeshift defense managed a few crucial late stops, including a significant overtime stand that led to SMU’s missed field goal.

Baylor’s defense doesn’t need to be perfect, which is the crazy part. Their offense, spearheaded by Sawyer Robertson, has been nearly unstoppable. “Sawyer on the sidelines, regardless of what the score was, or regardless of what the situation was, was bringing guys up and was always positive,” Aranda said. “There’s just a command with him, and it’s just so cool to see.” With Samford visiting Waco before a primetime showdown with Arizona State, Aranda’s team has a final opportunity to sharpen things up before the Big 12 conference play kicks off.