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October 2008
Most don’t need name tags
Just about every week, the football coaches around the Big 12 get asked not only about their own players, but those on other teams. Particularly, those who play for the teams that their own team will play against that week.
You know .. “What do you think of Sam Bradford, Coach?” or “What challenges does Dez Bryant present?”
Most of the time, the coaches are pretty familiar with those opposing players, through their individual research and film study. But, sometimes, the connection goes beyond that.
Meaning they know the kids from the recruiting trail.
You can bet the Baylor coaches are out there knocking on the same doors and texting the same cell phones of many of the recruiters from Texas, Oklahoma, Tech, Missouri and the like. Baylor coach Art Briles is fond of saying, “This (Texas) is where we live, and this is where we’re going to recruit.”
So it probably shouldn’t be any surprise that Briles recruited Missouri QB Chase Daniel out of high school, back when Briles was still at the University of Houston, of course.
“I think we may have been the first ones to offer him a scholarship,” Briles said. “I really liked him. He was just an extremely smart, gifted quarterback.”
Daniel obviously signed with Mizzou instead of the U of H, and the rest, as they say, is history. Though it’s probably a good thing for Baylor fans that Daniel never became a Cougar.
If he were playing in Houston — who knows? — Briles might still be there, too.
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Baylor/Big 12 Podcast, Oct. 28, 2008: Texas vs. Tech, scariest mascot
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BU players enjoy homecoming
Baylor linebacker Joe Pawelek hopes to beat Missouri Saturday, but he’s got at least one other wish coming into the homecoming game at Floyd Casey Stadium.
“I need to talk to Coach (Art) Briles about being in the parade,” Pawelek said.
Though the Baylor players can’t participate in the festivities outside of the football game, they enjoy the atmosphere surrounding Baylor’s homecoming.
“It’s an exciting time,” Pawelek said. “You get to see guys you’ve played with that come back for the game, and you get to see other players you’ve heard about. It’s fun to hear their stories.”
Baylor freshman quarterback Robert Griffin hopes alumni and fans pack the stands.
“I hope the stands are filled and they have to open the other end zone because we haven’t had that since I’ve been here,” Griffin said. “Last homecoming I came to was when we beat Kansas (in 2006) and everyone rushed the field.”
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A rare Big 12 shutout
I had to look twice when I saw Missouri shut out Colorado, 58-0, Saturday in Columbia.
A Big 12 team scoring no points? That’s the first time it’s happened all season.
This is one of the greatest offensive leagues in the history of college football, so Missouri’s shutout is an impressive feat.
The only other Big 12 team to post a shutout this year was Kansas in a 29-0 win over Louisiana Tech on Sept. 6. Imagine that. The same Jayhawks were embarrassed by Texas Tech at home Saturday in a 63-21 loss.
Baylor will get a first-hand look at Missouri during homecoming Saturday at Floyd Casey Stadium. I don’t expect a second straight shutout.
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Baylor- Nebraska game
3:17 p.m.: It’s over. Nebraska wins, 32-20. Baylor had several chances to take control of the game, but the Cornhuskers made sure to avoid another home loss.
Check back here at WacoTrib.com tonight for a full report. View some photos from the game by clicking on the link to the right.
2:54 p.m.: Colton Koehler nails Jay Finley for a safety on first down at the 2. Nebraska leads 32-20 with 6:59 left in the game.
2:36 p.m.: Ganz pump fakes and hits Nate Swift behind Anataries Bryan for a 53-yard touchdown. Henery misses the extra point, but the Cornhuskers have a 30-20 lead with 12:11 left in the game.
2:09: Ganz hits Nate Swift with a nine-yard touchdown pass to complete an 80-yard drive to give the Cornhuskers a 24-20 lead with 1:15 left in the third quarter.
1:56 p.m.: After Griffin was stopped for a one-yard loss at the 2 on third down, Ben Parks missed a 19-yard field goal attempt with 5:49 left in the third quarter.
1:46 p.m.: Jason Lamb blocks Alex Henery’s 52-yard field goal attempt with 9:39 left in the third quarter.
1:10 p.m.: Jacoby Jones runs for one-yard touchdown to give Baylor a 20-17 lead with 17 seconds left in the first half. Ben Parks’ extra point is blocked. 1:09 p.m.: Griffin throws his 162nd straight pass without an interception, setting a school record.
1 p.m.: Marlon Lucky blows through right side for 18-yard touchdown run, spinning away from Jordan Lake near goal line. The Cornhuskers moved 36 yards for the score after Derek Epperson shanked a 25-yard punt.
Nebraska takes a 17-14 lead with 2:06 left in the first half.
12:48 p.m.: Alex Henery kicks 27-yard field goal to cut Baylor’s lead to 14-10 with 5:41 left in the second quarter.
12:14 p.m.: On fourth-and-one, Griffin explodes around the left side for a 47-yard touchdown to give the Bears a 14-7 lead with 2:26 left in the first quarter. The play completed a 96-yard drive. Griffin got the Bears out of the hole with a 40-yard run.
12:01 p.m.: Jay Finley breaks aways from two Nebraska defenders for a 43-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7 with 7:03 left in the first quarter.
Finley’s run was a yard more than the Bears gained rushing as a team last week against Oklahoma State.
11:54 a.m.: Nobody is covering Ryan Hill as he catches a six-yard touchdown pass from Joe Ganz for the game’s first touchdown with 7:42 left in the first quarter. Cornhuskers move 39 yards for touchdown after Niles Paul’s 19-yard punt return.
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College football heaven
When you approach Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium, you feel like you’re walking into college football heaven.
There are tons of tailgaters surrounding the stadium, and the Lincoln campus is gorgeous with the leaves changing colors. There’s people wearing scarlet and cream everywhere.
On the bottom floor of the stadium is the Cornhuskers hall of champions. You see national championship trophies and displays of Heisman Trophy winners Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier and Eric Crouch.
You see displays honoring Outland Trophy winners like Rich Glover, Dean Steinkuhler and Dave Rimington. You see Lombardi Award winners, Butkus Award winners, Davey O’Brien Award winners and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winners.
You almost feel like you’re walking into the College Football Hall of Fame. This place just breathes college football, and everybody should try to make the pilgrimage at least once.
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Griffin approaching another mark
As you’ve probably read, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin has set the NCAA record for pass attempts without an interception to start his freshman season with 155.
Now, he’s approaching another landmark.
Shawn Bell set the Baylor record with 161 straight passes without an interception from 2003-05. Griffin just needs seven more pass attempts to break it.
“I just don’t take many risks,” Griffin said. “I didn’t have many interceptions at Copperas Cove. But I know even the best quarterbacks are going to throw interceptions.”
Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said Baylor coach Art Briles has set up Griffin for success.
“They don’t run a West Coast-type passing game where you’ve got to do a lot of reads and that type of thing,” Pelini said. “It’s usually a lot of pass-run option things that happen when you make a quick decision. If he doesn’t like what he sees, he has the athleticism to pull it down and run pretty quick. Within the scheme, he’s protected a little bit, but he’s obviously made some good decisions.”
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Lady Bears may have found their Player
OKLAHOMA CITY — Baylor women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey realizes it won’t be easy to replace Angela Tisdale.
Tizzy was the team’s “Miss Big Shot” last year, leading Baylor in scoring at 16.4 points per game and never shying away from a clutch shot. But Mulkey may have just the “player” to fill that veteran point guard’s hi-tops — that being senior guard Jhasmin Player.
Speaking at the Big 12 media days in Oklahoma City, Mulkey mentioned that Player could log some major minutes in the vacant starting point guard spot, though sophomore Kelli Griffin and freshman Cherrish Wallace will fight for playing time as well.
Player’s attitude? Bring it on.
“I’ve learned from the best,” said Player, who is fully recovered from the ACL tear that cost her the final 11 games of last season. “I learned from one of the best point guards ever to come through this program (in Tisdale). I’m learning from one of the best point guards ever to play the game (in Mulkey). So if she has that confidence in me, I’m willing to play anything.”
Though she’s certainly played more shooting guard in her Baylor career, it’s not as if the point position is entirely foreign to Player.
“Last year, there were some times where I moved to the 1 and Angela went to the 2 so I could create that shot for her,” Player said. “I’m going to have to bear that weight on my shoulder. (Coach Mulkey) has been making me do it and making me work out at it for the last three years, so it’s really not like she’s throwing me out there. I guess it’s a bigger deal now that Tisdale is gone. No one can replace Angela Tisdale, so we’ll try to do it by committee.”
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Baylor/Big 12 Podcast, Oct 21, 2008
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Nebraska a road trip to remember
I’ve been to quite a few college football stadiums, but nothing tops the atmosphere at Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium.
I saw the Bears’ 2000 game in Lincoln that was over after the Cornhuskers opened up a 38-0 first-quarter lead en route to a 59-0 blowout.
But what really impressed me was how the Nebraska fans treated the Bears. They lined up after the game to clap for them as they walked into the tunnel toward their locker room. It was the greatest display of sportsmanship I’ve ever seen.
You don’t see that level of sportsmanship at any other college football stadium — and that’s what makes Nebraska unique.
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Bryant making case for Big 12’s best receiver
Coming into the season, the names you heard most as the Big 12’s best receivers were Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree and Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin.
After all, both players were All-Americans last season.
But here’s another big talent to add to the list: Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant.
In the Cowboys’ 34-6 blowout of Baylor Saturday, Bryant caught a career-high 11 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Several of those catches were the acrobatic type as Bryant used his speed and great jumping ability to pull them in.
There are few college receivers anywhere who possess Bryant’s athleticism.
For the season, he’s caught 45 passes for 809 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s also a dangerous punt returner who is averaging 20.6 yards while scoring two touchdowns.
The Bears might disagree, but the guy’s fun to watch.
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Baylor-Oklahoma State football
5:01 p.m. — And the Cowboys run out the clock on a dominant 34-6 win, one in which Dez Bryant went bananas. I’ll try to post his receiving numbers later on. Thanks to everyone for reading, and be sure to grab a Tribune-Herald in the morning.
4:55 p.m. — Epperson booms a long one, and the punt coverage is solid. OSU takes over at its own 18, likely looking to just run out the clock, up 34-6 with 2:12 to play.
4:53 p.m. — Dropped passes rear their ugly head again, as drops by Brad Taylor and David Gettis lead to more work for punter Derek Epperson.
4:49 p.m. — Zac Robinson comes up short of the goal line on a 4th-and-goal from inside the 10. That’s three pretty strong goal-line stands for the BU defense.
4:40 p.m. — It’s not Baylor’s day. The Bears put together their most efficient drive since the opening quarter, driving all the way inside the OSU 10. But Griffin dribbles the ball off the turf on a 4th-down play, and is engulfed by a wave of Cowboy defenders. OSU takes over.
4:21 p.m. — You’ve got to give it to Baylor’s defense, which continues to fight despite an uphill climb. The Cowboys move the ball inside the Baylor 10 again, but the Bears keep them out of the end zone for the second straight drive. OSU has to settle for another chippie field goal. Score: 34-6, four seconds left in the third quarter. Following the kickoff, the third quarter ends.
4:18 p.m. — Baylor’s offense punts the ball away after another three-and-out.
4:14 p.m. — Baylor takes a time-out, up against a 2nd-and-12 from its own 21.
4:10 p.m. — BU’s defense stiffens, and keeps the Cowboys out of the end zone. But OSU’s Dan Bailey nails a chip-shot 21-yard field goal to up the gap to 25 points. Oklahoma State has a huge edge in total snaps and time of possession. Score: 31-6 OSU, 6:39 left in the third.
4:07 p.m. — The Cowboys are knocking on the door again, with a 1st-and-goal from the BU 7. That’s thanks to another spectacular play from Dez Bryant, who snared a 51-yard grab behind pretty good coverage from Krys Buerck. Oh, and in case you’d forgotten, that lost fumble by the Bears on their last possession was the team’s first turnover in five games.
3:58 p.m. — A couple of Griffin tosses for first downs, to Thomas White and Kendall Wright, and the Bears are in business, in OSU territory at the 44. However, just as I’m writing that, Griffin fumbles on a keeper and the Cowboys recover. The play is upheld after a review, and the Cowboys get the ball at their own 36. It’s just not Baylor’s day.
3:54 p.m. — A good start to the second half for the Baylor defense, as OSU quarterback Zac Robinson fumbles while back to pass on third down. He recovers his own fumble, but the Bears will get the ball, taking over at their own 14.
3:36 p.m. — Here’s a quick scan of the halftime numbers:
OSU has outgained the Bears, 257 yards to 98. Zac Robinson has connected on 7 of 12 passes for 98 yards and two TDs, both to Dez Bryant, who has 98 yards receiving. For the Bears, Robert Griffin has hit 6 of 13 passes for 72 yards and leads the Bears with 15 yards on the ground. Overall, Baylor has gained just 26 yards rushing on 16 carries. OSU has a more than seven-minute edge in time of possession as well.
Joe Pawelek (9 tackles) and Jordan Lake (8) are turning in yeomanlike efforts for the BU defense, but the Bears certainly would like to keep that unit off the field more in the final two quarters.
3:30 p.m. — The gun sounds, and the teams jog to the locker room with Oklahoma State holding a very comfortable 28-6 lead. Not only has the Cowboy juggernaut offense lived up to its reputation, but the OSU defense has exceeded expectation. Other than Baylor’s initial scoring drive, the Bears haven’t mustered much offense, especially down the field.
3:27 p.m. — Touchdown, Cowboys. Keith Toston notches his second TD of the day, rumbling in from two yards out. Score: 28-6 OSU, 19 seconds left before halftime.
3:24 p.m. — OSU calls time out, facing 2nd-and-9 from the BU 13 with 1:42 to play in the first half. It looks as if the Cowboys will be able to add to their lead before intermission.
3:20 p.m. — Interesting stat tidbit from the OSU media folks: Robert Griffin has broken the NCAA record for most pass attempts (138) without an interception for a freshman. The previous record-holder? None other than Oklahoma State coach (and former Cowboy QB) Mike Gundy. That Robert Griffin — he’s a man. He’s 18.
3:15 p.m. — Baylor can’t pick up a first down, as Griffin nearly threw his first interception of the season trying to throw his way out of trouble. But the OSU defender dropped the pass, and the Cowboys will take over after the punt.
3:09 p.m. — Yep, this Dez Bryant guy is pretty good. He levitates for a five-yard TD grab on a play in which it looked like Baylor cornerback Antareis Bryan had perfect position. But Bryan mistimed his jump, and Bryant pulled the ball in for six points. Score: 21-6 OSU with 5:41 to go in the half.
3:04 p.m. — Zac Robinson scoots up the middle on a designed keeper, picking up six yards and the first down.
3:02 p.m. — Bayor calls another time out, with OSU facing a 3rd-and-4 from the BU 42-yard line. There’s 9:07 left in the first half.
2:56 p.m. — Nothing doing for the Bears, as Justin Akers drops a Griffin pass on 3rd-and-6. Oklahoma State’s Bryant signals for a fair catch on the punt, and the Cowboys will try to mount another scoring drive, this time starting at their 19.
2:51 p.m. — Robinson uncorks an absolutely terrific 37-yard TD pass to Dez Bryant, and the Cowboys extend their lead. Jordan Lake may have 20 tackles before this game is through. Given that he’s Baylor’s free safety, that’s not a good thing for the Bears. Score: 14-6 OSU, 12:14 left in the second.
2:49 p.m. — Griffin throws long of Wright on a 4th-and-6 play. OSU takes over at the 38. By the way, according to the official stats, Wright had three catches for 38 yards in the first quarter. He was also credited with two runs on passes that were ruled laterals. My bad on the misinformation.
2:44 p.m. — And that’s the end of the first quarter, with OSU up 7-6. Baylor will open the second quarter with a 3rd-and-16 from their own 47. Kendall “Silent Lightning” Wright made some noise in that first quarter, with six catches.
2:39 p.m. — The Cowboys respond, and are beginning to show signs of the offense that has been putting up just shy of 50 points per game. Keith Toston follows an orange wave of blockers on a four-yard TD run, and OSU converts the PAT. Score: 7-6 OSU, 1:22 left in the first.
2:35 p.m. — Zac Robinson bulls ahead for a first down on a 4th-and-1 for the Cowboys. The drive stays alive for the Cowboys.
2:32 p.m. — Ex-University Trojan Perrish Cox nearly broke one on the return, bringing the kick back 36 yards to the OSU 39. Jordan Lake saved the potential touchdown.
2:29 p.m. — And the Bears draw first blood, behind a one-yard TD plunge from Jacoby Jones. The Cowboys get heavy pressure on the edge on the PAT attempt and block the kick, but Baylor strikes first. Score: 6-0 Baylor, 6:25 left in the first.
2:26 p.m. — Following a six-yard run by Jay Finley on a sweet juke-and-go scamper to the outside, the Bears try to plow ahead from the 1-yard-line with Griffin and get stuffed. There’s another time out, this by time OSU. Baylor faces 2nd-and-goal from the 1.
2:23 p.m. — Baylor’s offense is beginning to click. With a time out on the field with 7:30 left in the quarter, Baylor has a 2nd-and-1 at the OSU 7-yard-line. Griffin has made several pinpoint throws on this drive.
2:19 p.m. — Baylor’s defense turns in a big play, as safety Jeremy Williams swoops in to recover an errant pitch from OSU’s Robinson.
2:13 p.m. — David Gettis dropped a sure touchdown pass from Robert Griffin on a deep third-down pass downfield. The pass was there, but Gettis couldn’t haul it in. Tough break for the Bears. OSU will take over at the Baylor 46, after a clipping penalty on a would-be punt return for a TD from Dez Bryant.
2:10 p.m. — The Cowboys match the Bears with their own three-and-out, as Zac Robinson guns a pass too high for former Mart Panther Damian Davis on a third-and-long. Following a 44-yard punt, Baylor takes over at its own 15.
2:07 p.m. — Robert Griffin throws behind David Gettis on a 3rd-and-10 play, and the Bears start with a quick three-and-out. Oklahoma State will start its first possession just inside the 50, on Baylor’s end of the field.
1:52 p.m. — The Oklahoma State band has played the National Anthem, and we’re gearing up for kickoff here in Stillwater. Incidentally, I’ve got a hankering for some Sunkist soda for some reason. Or maybe some Orange Crush. Not sure why.
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Big bucks Boone
It must be nice to have an alum as rich as Oklahoma State’s Boone Pickens.
The oil man donated multi-million dollars to OSU athletics, and you can see the proof at the appropriately named Boone Pickens Stadium.
The stadium now holds 60,000, and is lined with more than 100 luxury suites. With one end zone backed by OSU basketball’s Gallagher-Iba Arena, the stadium is now completely encircled.
As Boone’s oil wells keep booming and his wind turbines keep churning, expect more improvements for the Cowboys’ facilities.
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They’re different, but they’re one of us
On every football team in America, the breakdown is the same: You’ve got your offensive guys. You’ve got your defensive dudes. You’ve got your special-teams crazies.
And then you’ve got the kickers.
Kickers (and punters) are different animals on a football team. While the offensive and defensive units are flying through drills or cracking heads in practice, the kickers are off by themselves, quietly doing their own thing, often without a coach within 30 yards. So, often without intention, an unspoken division between the kickers and the rest of the team develops.
Boom a big kick through the uprights, like Baylor’s Ben Parks did on his career-long 36-yarder against Iowa State, and the kicker becomes everybody’s best friend. Everyone wants to give the little guy a helmet slap.
BU’s players say they recognize the importance of guys like Parks and punter Derek Epperson. Heck, it wasn’t all that long ago that Baylor had a punter (Daniel Sepulveda) as a team captain.
“You don’t want to ostracize them and make them feel like they’re not part of the team,” safety Jordan Lake said. “They’re a part of this team and they have very important roles. You tell me the last team that’s won a national championship without a solid kicker and a good punting game. We try to pick them up and encourage them when they do bad, and when they do well, we congratulate them and kind of rally around them.”
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Baylor/Big 12 Podcast, Oct. 15, 2008
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Running games still alive at Baylor and OSU
In this pass-happy era of college football, it’s hard to find a good running team.
But Saturday’s Baylor-Oklahoma State game in Stillwater will feature a pair of them.
The Cowboys rank fourth in the country with 293.8 yards rushing per game, while the Bears rank 18th with 206.2 yards. They’re 1-2 in the Big 12.
The two teams also feature four of the top seven individual rushers in the Big 12. OSU’s Kendall Hunter leads the league with 143.7 yards per game, while teammate Keith Toston ranks fifth with 71.8. Baylor’s Jay Finley and Robert Griffin are sixth and seventh, respectively, in the league with 70.8 and 70.2 yards per game.
Such good rushing attacks have helped both passers become extremely effective. OSU’s Zac Robinson ranks third nationally in passing efficiency while Baylor’s Griffin ranks 14th.
While I enjoy watching good passing attacks, I don’t like to watch balls fly on every down. So enjoy these balanced offenses Saturday because they are a dying breed.
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Griffin isn’t BU’s only great freshman
Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin has already caught the eye of fans and media across the country with his tremendous play as a true freshman.
Kendall Wright is the next Baylor freshman to make heads turn.
Wright bumped his superb freshman season into overdrive with a great game Saturday night against Iowa State as he caught a career-high seven passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns to spark a 38-10 win.
He gave the Bears a quick lift when he made a diving 34-yard touchdown catch of Griffin’s first-quarter pass. But the play you’ll see over and over again is the one he made in the fourth quarter.
Taking a short Griffin pass along the right sideline, he dodged several Iowa State defenders before cutting back across the field. He somehow outran everybody along the left sideline before diving into the end zone to complete a spectacular 51-yard play.
Last year, he was a quarterback for Pittsburg (Texas) High School, but he’s made a seamless transition to receiver.
“He’s a phenomenal player and a great athlete,” Iowa State coach Gene Chizik said. “We knew about him when he was coming out of high school last year. We knew he was going to be a tremendous talent in this league. That run that he made in which we had him boxed up and made two or three guys miss, and then cut it all the way back for a touchdown was just phenomenal.”
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Baylor-Iowa State football
9:11 p.m. — And the Bears kneel on the ball, content to salt this one away. Baylor’s 28-point victory matches its most lopsided Big 12 ever, matching its first Big 12 win — also over Iowa State. As always, thanks for reading, and be sure to pick up a copy of your Waco Tribune-Herald tomorrow.
9:08 p.m. — Baylor’s backup offense does a nice job moving the chains. The Bears should be able to run out the clock pretty soon, with just 2:12 left on the clock.
9:03 p.m. — Arnaud flings the ball deep downfield, where it’s intercepted by BU reserve defensive back Trentson Hill. Even the backups are getting in on the fun tonight.
8:58 p.m. — The Bears move into Iowa State territory before stalling. Derek Epperson’s punt lands at the 3 and bounces into the end zone for a touchback. The crowd of 30,548 has dwindled, as many Bear fans have left happy, eager to beat the going-to-the-fair traffic, I guess.
8:50 p.m. — Iowa State finds the end zone for the first time tonight, as Austen Arnaud guns a pass to Sedrick Johnson on a slant for a 9-yard TD. It should be noted that the Bears were rotating defensive personnel in and out on that drive more than usual. It’s 38-10 with 9:41 to go.
8:41 p.m. — Double Wow! Griffin and Wright hook up again on a 51-yard scoring play, with Griffin hitting Wright out in the flat, and the receiver taking the most circuitous route possible to the end zone. He went from one sideline to the other, following a wall of blockers that included Griffin. It’s 38-3 with 12:14 to play in a game that ought to really be Baylor’s homecoming, given the rout.
8:33 p.m. — Baylor’s secondary has put together an absolutely outstanding performance tonight. Arnaud and the Cyclones simply can’t find open receivers because the coverage is that good. It leads to another Iowa State punt. We’re now through three quarters, with Baylor still ahead, 31-3.
8:27 p.m. — Ben Parks boots a career-long field goal of 36 yards, upping the Baylor lead to 31-3 with 3:01 left in the third quarter. The Bears hungrily chewed up more than five minutes on that efficient scoring drive.
8:15 p.m. — Baylor’s defense surrenders one first down, then stiffens. Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Iowa State sets up to punt.
8:10 p.m. — Baylor comes up short on third down, and will punt the ball back to the Cyclones.
8:06 p.m. — Mike Brandtner is getting plenty of work tonight. That would be the name of the Iowa State punter, who drills his fifth kick of the night into the end zone for a touchback. Baylor will open its first second-half offensive series at the 20.
8:00 p.m. — Spectacular start to the second half for Baylor, as Mikail Baker takes the kickoff at his own 7, finds a seam and sprints 93 yards to paydirt. It’s 28-3, Bears, and the home faithful here at the Case are loving it.
7:44 p.m. — Iowa State generated 120 yards of offense in the first half, with 47 on the ground and 73 through the air. J.J. Bass leads ISU’s rushing attack with 33 yards on 5 carries. Austen Arnaud is 10-of-20 for 73 yards.
The Bears haven’t broken a lot of long runs, gaining 36 yards on 24 carries, but they have picked up several first downs via the ground game. Where Baylor is really clicking is in its passing game. Robert Griffin is 14-of-15 — yep, that’s right, one incompletion — for 161 yards and the one TD to Wright. He has been sacked three times, however.
Baylor is also 2-for-2 in red-zone scoring opportunities, and is 2-for-2 on fourth-down conversions.
7:37 p.m. — And the Bears kneel out the clock, content to take a 21-3 lead into the half. All in all, it was a strong showing by the home team in the first two quarters. I’ll bring you some stats to reinforce that statement in moments.
7:35 p.m. — Another splendid effort from the Baylor defense, forcing the Cyclones to punt again. Baylor’s offense takes over at its 20 with 47 ticks to play before the halftime show.
7:29 p.m. — Robert Griffin tucks the ball and darts in from four yards out, propelling the Bears to a 21-3 lead with 1:41 left before halftime. Griffin now has a rushing TD in all six games this season. Baylor looked crisp as an autumn evening in Waco on that drive, going 79 yards in nine plays.
7:18 p.m. — Iowa State ultimately gets the field goal anyway, as Grant Mahoney connects from 34 yards out. That caps a 17-play drive that spanned 8:42 on the game clock. But give props to the Baylor defense for twice holding the Cyclones out of the end zone, and to the crowd, which isn’t huge but is vocal. Iowa State started spilling yellow laundry like crazy once it moved into the red zone, thanks in part to the noise factor.
7:09 p.m. — It appeared as if Baylor’s defense would escape only allowing a field goal, but a roughing the kicker penalty gives Iowa State new life.
7:08 p.m. — The Baylor crowd is playing a part, as Iowa State picks up back-to-back false start penalties.
7:03 p.m. — Behind the passing connection of Austen Arnaud to Houston Jones — what I like to call the Highway 290 connection — the Cyclones have moved the ball into Baylor territory, as the ball currently resides at the 21.
6:56 p.m. — The Cyclone defense parted like the Red Sea, and Jay Finley swam on through to the Promised Land. Finley scores on a 12-yard run up the gut that was keyed by a terrific block up front from guard James Barnard, opening a huge crevice. Baylor leads 14-0 following the PAT with 14:18 to play in the half.
6:51 p.m. — The first quarter has ended, with Baylor up 7-0 and driving. The Bears will open the second quarter with a 2nd-and-10 at the Cyclone 16.
6:48 p.m. — Baylor’s running game is starting to increase its pace to a gallop. The Bears have run for three first downs on this drive, and have the ball at the Iowa State 41.
6:41 p.m. — Baylor’s defense looks feisty. They’ve forced yet another Iowa State punt. Jordan Lake, in particular, is active and lively. Baylor will start at its own 19 following the kick.
6:36 p.m. — Wow! On 4th-and-12 from the ISU 34, Robert Griffin launches one to Kendall Wright in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. The fans get a momentary delay to their celebration, as the play is reviewed, but upheld. A terrific throw by Griffin, who put plenty of air under it, and a nice catch by Wright as well, as he managed to drag the requisite one foot.
6:33 p.m. — Facing a 3rd-and-25, Baylor burns its second time-out with 6:25 still to play in the opening quarter. Again, ISU is applying heavy pressure in the backfield on nearly every BU pass play.
6:24 p.m. — Baylor’s secondary is doing a bang-up job, as Arnaud unfurls three straight incompletions to well-guarded receivers. On the ensuing punt, the Cyclones absolutely level BU’s Joe Bennett before the ball arrives, but an illegal block penalty by the Bears will force another kick.
6:18 p.m. — Baylor can’t move any further, however. In fact, the Bears go backwards and have to punt. Iowa State fumbles the punt, but recovers and will start at its own 12. The Cyclones are getting a pretty steady wave of pressure on BU QB Robert Griffin, who has already taken a couple of vicious licks.
6:13 p.m. — BU’s offense picks up a fourth-down conversion, as Robert Griffin plows ahead behind his offensive line on a fourth-and-inches.
6:10 p.m. — Man, that Joe Pawelek has a motor. He sacks Iowa State QB Austen Arnaud on a third-and-short and forces a fumble that ISU recovers. Still, nice start from the Baylor defense.
6:05 p.m. — We’re almost ready to kick it off here at the Case, and yet we’ve already had our first Baylor mistake. The Baylor Line came out with a misspelling, with their flags reading “B-A-Y-L-O-R I-L-N-E.” For the Bears’ sake, we’ll hope it’s not an ominous sign.
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Don’t talk about turnovers
I could see it on Art Briles’ face.
At his weekly media conference Tuesday, Briles was listening to Jerry “View from the” Hill begin to ask a question about the classic “something’s gotta give” statistical battle regarding turnover margin.
If you weren’t aware, Baylor has not turned the ball over in its last three games, and freshman QB Robert Griffin is one of just two starting quarterbacks in the Bowl Subdivision who hasn’t thrown a pick all year.
Meanwhile, Gene Chizik’s ball-hawking Cyclones of Iowa State are tied at No. 1 in the nation in total takeaways along with Minnesota and Wake Forest, and rank third in turnover margin.
I don’t know how superstitious Briles is, but if he’s like most coaches, he’s at least a little quirky that way. And as Jerry rattled off the numbers, Briles stifled a smile that seemed to say, “Oh, great. Thanks for mentioning that.”
” I’m aware of that,” Briles said, laughing. “I’m aware of both sides, honestly. Our guys have really done a good job of taking care of the football the last four ball games, without a doubt. We certainly hope that trend continues, because it’s a big plus for us on both sides of the ball. It gives us an opportunity to win football games. On the other side of the ball, Iowa State’s done a great job getting takeaways. But hopefully we’ll take care of the ball and they won’t get any.”
If the Bears do turn it over, just blame Jerry.
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Bryan gets first start
Sophomore cornerback Antareis Bryan is making his presence felt on Baylor’s defense.
Making his first career start against Oklahoma, Bryan collected seven tackles and broke up a pass. He was also called for pass interference to wipe out Joe Pawelek’s first-quarter interception in the end zone, but it’s obvious Bryan’s confidence is growing every time he steps on the field.
“It (starting) made me feel like I was needed,” said Bryan, who replaced Krys Buerck in the starting lineup. “I think I can help the team a lot more. I’m just praying and hoping that I can keep moving forward.”
For the season, Bryan has collected 18 tackles and has broken up a team-high four passes while also intercepting a pass.
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Cyclones kings of heartbreak
MATCHUP: IOWA STATE
With a 20-0 halftime lead, Iowa State looked well on its way toward an upset of No. 16 Kansas Saturday in Ames.
But the second half was a nightmare as the Jayhawks outscored the Cyclones, 35-13, en route to a 35-33 win.
It wasn’t the first heartbreaker for the Cyclones this season. They dropped a 34-31 overtime decision at UNLV on Sept. 20.
“We’ve shown flashes of being a good football team,” Iowa State coach Gene Chizik said during Monday’s Big 12 coaches call. “But it’s frustrating that we haven’t put it together for four quarters. You have to play a full game to win these games, and that’s what we haven’t been able to do to this point.”
Baylor hopes Iowa State’s streak of losing close games doesn’t end Saturday at Floyd Casey Stadium. With three games against ranked teams coming up in the next four weeks, the Bears badly need a win over the Cyclones.
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Rhodes shows heart against OU
After undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Sept. 22, Baylor defensive tackle Vincent Rhodes said there was no way he was going to miss the Oklahoma game.
Rhodes kept his word as he led Baylor’s linemen with six tackles Saturday. It was quite a remarkable recovery after undergoing surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee. Rhodes has played in all five of Baylor’s games this season.
“I was proud of Vinnie’s determination and the way he put the team before himself,” Baylor coach Art Briles said. “It’s hard to come back that quickly.”
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Baylor-Oklahoma football
2:51 p.m. — And that’ll do it. Oklahoma lives up to its No. 1 ranking and then some, crushing the Bears, 49-17, behind a 28-point first quarter. Thanks to everyone for reading, and check out wacotrib.com or Sunday’s Tribune-Herald for full coverage.
2:50 p.m. — Oklahoma’s Mike Knall angles a punt out of bounds at the Baylor 5-yard line, which is where the Bears will take over with 1:12 on the clock. Blake Szymanski enters the game at QB for Baylor.
2:41 p.m. — Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Baylor punts.
2:36 p.m. — Another random thought: “Boomer Sooner” is one of the most annoying fight songs in all of college athletics. It’s not catchy, it’s catching. It’s the “Flintstones” of fight songs, one that ingrains itself into your skull and pummels you into submission.
2:34 p.m. — Does OU stand for Offense University? The Sooners are a well-oiled machine, as they put together another impressive drive, culminating with an easy one-yard TD run from DeMarco Murray. The score is now 49-17, Oklahoma, with 7:51 to play.
2:24 p.m. — Baylor punts for the sixth time, pinning the Sooners inside their own 10 at the 8-yard line. Incidentally, Baylor fans should be ashamed of their attendance — or lack thereof — today. Oklahoma might as well have had a home-field advantage, what with all the red in the stands compared to the smattering of home yellow.
2:17 p.m. — Baylor’s defense forces Oklahoma’s second punt of the day. The Bears have actually done an admirable job against the run, as the Sooners have not broken a single run longer than nine yards. But it was the early breakdowns in pass coverage that killed the Bears in this game. That, and the fact that Oklahoma is pretty darn good.
2:12 p.m. — End of three quarters, Oklahoma remains ahead, 42-17.
2:07 p.m. — Baylor’s Ben Parks connects on a 34-yard field goal to cap off a 72-yard scoring drive for the Bears. It’s a 42-17 Sooner advantage now with 3:02 remaining in the third quarter. Outside of the first quarter, the Bears have played Oklahoma pretty tough, outscoring the Sooners, 17-14, since that time. Of course, the first quarter counts, too.
1:41 p.m. — Chris Brown rushes three yards on fourth down for Oklahoma’s seventh touchdown of the day. It’s now 42-14 Sooners in a walk.
1:18 p.m. — The Sooners outgained Baylor nearly 2-to-1 in the opening two quarters, piling up 326 yards to the Bears’ 169. Oklahoma rushed for 112 yards and passed for 214, while Baylor put up 119 on the ground and just 50 through the air. Bradford is 10-of-13 passing for the aforementioned 214 yards, along with two TDs and a pick. Juaquin Iglesias has 86 yards and a touchdown on four catches, and Manuel Johnson has basically matched his teammate with four grabs for 85 yards and a TD.
For Baylor, Robert Griffin has run for 89 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, with a long of 36. But he’s just 7-of-16 passing, and the Bears have converted only three of 10 third-down chances.
1:15 p.m. — The Sooners run out the clock on the half, and take a convincing 35-14 lead into intermission. As always, I’ll bring you loyal blog readers some halftime stats momentarily.
1:09 p.m. — Robert Griffin caps off a 13-play, 75-yard scoring drive with a two-yard TD run around right end. All in all, that was easily Baylor’s best-looking drive of the day. It’s 35-14 with 50 seconds left in the half. The clock is OU’s enemy if the Sooners want to add to their lead before the break.
12:57 p.m. — Juaquin Iglesias, the former Killeen Kangaroo, beats Baylor safety Marlon Price on a sideline route and Bradford connects with him for a 42-yard TD. It’s now 35-7 with 5:26 to go in the half.
12:51 p.m. — Unfortunately for the Bears, they’re not able to convert a first down, leading to another punt. Oklahoma will start from its own 35, leading 28-7 with 6:49 left in the half.
12:47 p.m. — Baylor’s defense gets a takeaway for the highlight reel, as safety Jordan Lake intercepts Sam Bradford on a downfield pass to Juaquin Iglesias. The ball bounced around on Iglesias’ body before Lake wrapped it up. The play was reviewed, but was upheld when it was inconclusive if the ball hit the ground. Baylor takes over at its own 10.
12:35 p.m. — Baylor is on the board, as Robert Griffin follows a strong push from the interior of his offensive line for a 1-yard TD run. Griffin utilized his legs a bit more on that possession, as it was his long 3rd-down scramble that put the Bears in scoring position. Score: Oklahoma 28, Baylor 7, with 12:34 remaining in the half.
12:27 p.m. — The first quarter has blessedly ended for the Bears. They’ll start the second quarter facing a 3rd-and-12 at their own 30.
12:24 p.m. — If you’re a person interested in point spreads — remember, they’re for amusement purposes only — you might like to know that the Sooners have covered the spread here in the first quarter. Mossis Madu’s two-yard TD run up the gut pushes the Sooner advantage to 28-0 with 41 ticks to go on the first-quarter clock.
12:17 p.m . — Griffin guns a pass over Brad Taylor’s head on 3rd-and-5, and once again Baylor is forced to punt. At this rate, Baylor’s defense is going to dog-tired by halftime.
12:13 p.m. — Yes, folks, the Sooners are ranked No. 1 with good reason. Sam Bradford dives in for a one-yard TD on third down, and the rout is on, with the Sooners leading 21-0 with 4:03 to play in the first quarter.
12:07 p.m. — The Sooners are putting a heavy wave of pressure on Griffin and the BU offense. A quick three-and-out from the Bears, followed by a shanked punt from Epperson, will put Oklahoma in prime field position at the Baylor 31.
12:00 p.m. — It looked as if Joe-Pa (Baylor linebacker Joe Pawelek) may have prevented OU from scoring a second touchdown, as he picked off a Bradford pass in the end zone. But the play got called back when BU’s Antareis Bryan was flagged for pass interference. After getting new life, OU’s DeMarco Murray plows in from two yards out to put the Sooners up 14-0.
11:55 a.m. — Baylor moves into Oklahoma possession behind the passing of Robert Griffin, but the drive stalls at the Oklahoma 37 when the freshman QB is sacked on fourth down.
11:44 a.m. — It didn’t take long for Oklahoma to take advantage — try 39 whole seconds. On third down, Baylor’s secondary blows a coverage and Sam Bradford finds a wide-open Manuel Johnson out in front of the defense for a 53-yard TD connection. It’s 7-0 Oklahoma with 13:50 left in the opening quarter.
11:42 a.m. — Brad Taylor lets Robert Griffin’s 3rd-and-5 pass slip through his fingers, and the Bears start with a three-and-out on offense. Oklahoma will take over at its own 42 after a short 33-yard punt from Derek Epperson.
11:31 a.m. — Who’s ready for some Big 12 football? We’ve had a full serving of musical interludes from the Oklahoma and Baylor bands, and it’s almost time to make way for some hitting.
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When will BU’s futility against OU end?
The Baylor football team has tried 17 times to beat Oklahoma since 1901. Seventeen times they’ve failed.
The Baylor men’s basketball team hasn’t beaten the Sooners in the last 28 games. Since the Big 12 started a dozen years ago, Oklahoma is the only team in the league that the Bears haven’t beaten. They’ve even beaten Kansas (on Big Monday in 2001).
When will these ghastly streaks end? It almost sounds like the Chicago Cubs and their curse of the billy goat.
It would take a miracle for the streak to end Saturday since the Bears are 24 1/2-point underdogs to the No. 1 Sooners at Floyd Casey Stadium. Interestingly, the betting line has shrunk from 27 points earlier in the week, but that’s still a hefty margin at home.
I think the basketball streak goes down this year. Of course, I also said that last season.
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Sooners pile up dynamic digits
It’s been said that there are lies, there are damned lies and then there are statistics.
Certainly, statistics can be manipulated and twisted to the point where they’re meaningless. But I’ve got to say, in examining and researching Baylor’s upcoming opponent — the Oklahoma Sooners — this week, I noticed more than a few compelling stats that speak to OU’s illustrious college football history.
Here’s a look at the Sooners by the numbers:
665 — Total number of weeks that Oklahoma has been ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. That ranks fourth all-time, behind Michigan (752), Ohio State (741) and Notre Dame (705).
128 — Number of games in which Oklahoma has scored 50 or more points.
101-22 — Bob Stoops’ record in Norman. Making it all the more impressive is the fact that is Stoops is only the second coach ever, and the first in the modern era, to win 100 games in his first 10 seasons.
61-50-3 — Oklahoma’s record in the 10 years prior to Stoops’ arrival, under three less-than-legendary coaches (Gary Gibbs, Howard Schnellenberger and John Blake).
41 — Conference championships won by Oklahoma.
30 — Seasons in which the Sooners have won 10 or more games.
17-0 — Oklahoma’s all-time record against Baylor. The Sooners remain the only Big 12 team the Bears have never beaten.
7 — National championships.
5 — Big 12 football titles, tops in the league.
1-4 — OU’s record in their last five bowl games under Stoops. Sorry, Sooner fans, but all that crimson-and-cream minutiae was beginning to make me nauseated.
