The Bears are closing out the season with three tough matchups, starting with a road game against BYU this Saturday, followed by a home matchup against Texas Tech before traveling to Houston to wrap up the regular season.

Since Joe Klanderman took over, Baylor is 2-0 and playing with a different energy. A lot will have to go the Bears' way if they want to win their final three games, but it's certainly possible. Here are three storylines I'm watching heading into Baylor's matchup against BYU.

1. Baylor's Defense VS. BYU's Offense

The defense has been Baylor's biggest strength this season, but the Bears had their worst performance of the year against Iowa State last weekend. The defensive line has been dominant and continues to disrupt opposing offensive lines. If the Bears can find a way to pressure BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier, they could force some much-needed turnovers.

Last week against Utah, Bachmeier had his worst game of the season, throwing four interceptions. Against a good team like BYU, it will be crucial for Baylor to create some takeaways. I think the Bears have the ability to do that this weekend against the Cougars.

2. Will Baylor's Rush Attack Show Up?

It's been a huge struggle for the Bears to consistently gain yards on the ground this season. With DJ Lagway utilizing his legs more, it could give Baylor another weapon in the running game, especially on short third-down plays.

BYU has a good rushing defense, allowing just over 100 rushing yards per game. I expect Baylor to continue utilizing its rushing attack and try to get something going on the ground early in the game. If the Bears can establish the run, it will put the offense in a good position to succeed.

3. Who Else Will Step Up as a Receiver?

Gavin Freeman has been great for the Bears' offense this season and always seems to find a way to make big plays. He has been DJ Lagway's main target, but someone else needs to step up. We've seen flashes of good plays from guys like Louis Brown IV and Jadon Porter, but Freeman is getting four to five more touches per game than either of them. Baylor needs another receiver to become a consistent threat and take some pressure off Freeman.

Someone who has slowly become a big weapon in this offense is tight end Tony Livingston. Last weekend against Iowa State, he had three receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown, including an impressive one-handed catch. He also had two touchdown receptions the previous week against UCF. I'd like to see Livingston get more opportunities moving forward.