The Baylor Bears will face significant challenges when they kick off the 2026 season this Saturday against the Auburn Tigers . That list of challenges includes Bryson Washington , the running back who spent the previous two seasons as the Bears' leading rusher.
"I think any time that you're going against a former teammate, you want the best for them outside of that event that you're both in," Baylor head coach Dave Aranda said when asked about Washington during his Monday press conference. "I know, speaking for a lot of the guys and myself, I want to see him have success."
After redshirting as a freshman in 2023, Washington proved highly productive as the lead back in Baylor's backfield rotation. In his first year as the starter, he carried the ball 175 times for 1,028 yards and 12 touchdowns, adding another 217 yards and a score as a pass catcher. Washington followed up his breakthrough campaign with seven total touchdowns and a team-best 881 yards from scrimmage in 2025.
With back-to-back quality seasons on his rsum, Washington elected to enter the transfer portal in early January. He committed to Auburn later that month , joining a backfield that also features Jeremiah Cobb , who rushed nearly 1,000 yards last season. Cobb and Washington appear set to split the backfield duties for the Tigers during the upcoming season.
"I want to see him win that job," Aranda said about Washington's new situation. "But in this game, we're going to have to build it to try to stop him."
While Washington only just arrived in Auburn this year, his game offers more dimensions than Cobb hasn't previously exhibited at this level. Washington's single-season high for receptions stands at 22. In contrast, Cobb has only 24 receptions in his entire three-year collegiate career. Alex Golesh, the Tigers' first-year head coach, oversaw an offense that featured 26 receptions by running backs during his final season at South Florida .
Ultimately, pass-catching versatility and the regime change at Auburn could result in Washington eventually securing the featured role in the backfield. Still, he'll need to demonstrate tough and efficient running in order to make that a reality. His former coach doesn't see that as a major obstacle.
"He's tough to stop," Aranda said. "It was interesting seeing the breakdown of him. He's a tough runner, falls forward, all those things. We know what he's going to bring, and so we know what we have to be in order to meet that."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/baylor as Dave Aranda Awaits Matchup With Former Baylor RB Bryson Washington .
