**Gonzaga Dominates Baylor in Season-Opener with Historic 38-Point Victory**

The 2024-25 college basketball season tipped off with a resounding victory for Gonzaga, setting a high bar for the competition. In what was anticipated to be a thrilling clash between two top-10 teams, Gonzaga demolished Baylor with a staggering 101-63 win. This 38-point blowout sets a new record for the largest margin of victory by any team in a season-opener against a top-10 opponent in the history of the AP Top 25 poll.

Headlining the event, Gonzaga's powerful performance was notably one-sided, defying the expectations for a nail-biting rematch of the 2021 NCAA Championship game. The game, which began around midnight ET, quickly turned into a showcase for Gonzaga's cohesive lineup, which returned all pivotal players except for Anton Watson. In contrast, Baylor entered the game with just one returning starter, highlighting the disparity in experience and teamwork.

Reflecting on the game, Baylor coach Scott Drew remarked, "I think it's fair to say Gonzaga, returning eight or nine starters, looked like that and us, with one returning starter, looked like that." Although Drew exaggerated the number of returning starters, his point about the Zags' experienced roster was well taken. Gonzaga's squad, which advanced to the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Tournament with 27 wins, demonstrated why they are poised for another standout season.

Baylor forward Norchad Omier acknowledged Gonzaga's dominance, stating, "You gotta give credit to Gonzaga -- great coaching, great players. They were exploiting the mismatch. We couldn't find a way to figure it out. So all we can do is learn from it and move on from here." This sentiment of learning and moving forward seems essential for Baylor as they adjust their strategies for the upcoming games.

With this impressive victory, Gonzaga has climbed to No. 7 in the CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings, while Baylor has dropped to No. 17. Meanwhile, Texas A&M, the only other ranked team that lost on Monday, slipped to No. 21 following a narrow 64-61 defeat against UCF. Despite the early season upset, Texas A&M retains a respectable position in multiple ranking systems, including No. 13 at BartTorvik.com, No. 17 at EvanMiya.com, and No. 18 at KenPom.com.

As the season progresses, fans and analysts alike will be watching to see if Gonzaga can maintain the momentum from their record-setting opener and how Baylor and other teams will respond to early setbacks.