Baylor has elected to forgo postseason play in 2025, becoming the third Big 12 program to decline a bowl opportunity, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
The Bears join Iowa State and Kansas State, both of which were fined $500,000 by the conference for opting out earlier this week. The league has not yet announced whether Baylor will face a similar penalty. Likely not considering there was not obligated duty to fill-in.
In a statement, the university said it was shifting its focus entirely to next season. “We have declined the opportunity to play in a Bowl, as we've already progressed deeply into the offseason timeline of preparation for the 2026 season,” Baylor said.
The move adds to a growing trend across college football as several programs step away from bowl participation.
Notre Dame also announced it would not accept a bowl bid after being left out of the College Football Playoff despite a 10-2 record and a resume widely considered among the nation’s strongest. The Fighting Irish finished as the first team out of the 12-team field and cited a desire to turn the page toward 2026.
“As a team, we’ve decided to withdraw our name from consideration for a bowl game following the 2025 season,” Notre Dame said in its statement.
Baylor finished 5-7, making the Bears next in line for a bowl slot after multiple opt-outs across the country. Instead, they have chosen to move on as well.
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