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BAYLOR
at
KANSAS STATE

Nov. 1, 2003
1:10 p.m. CST
KSU Stadium
Manhattan, Kan.

Baylor travels to the Sunflower State for the second time in three weeks, this time to Manhattan for an inter-division Big 12 Conference showdown with Kansas State. Saturday's kickoff is set for 1:10 p.m. CST at KSU Stadium. The Bears (3-5, 1-3) dropped a 56-0 decision to 18th-ranked Texas last weekend at home. The Wildcats (6-3, 2-2) claimed their second consecutive victory after losing three straight, topping Kansas 42-6. The teams have three common opponents this season. Both teams defeated Colorado, and both teams lost to Texas. Baylor lost to Kansas.

SERIES
This is the fifth meeting between Baylor and Kansas State with the Wildcats winning each of the previous meetings. The Bears have faced K-State fewer times than any other Big 12 Conference school; Baylor and Iowa State have played only five times, as well. Kansas State leads the series 3-0 as Big 12 foes with two wins in Waco (49-6 in 1998 and 44-10 in 2002) and one win at Manhattan (48-7 in 1999). The only other meeting was in 1969 as the Wildcats posted a 45-15 victory in Waco.

COACHES
Guy Morriss (TCU, 1973) is 3-5 in his initial season at Baylor. In his third year as a collegiate head coach, Morriss has a 12-19 career record. Prior to arriving at Baylor, Morriss spent two seasons as head coach at Kentucky. This is his first meeting with Kansas State. Bill Snyder (William Jewel, 1962) is in his 15th season as collegiate head coach, all coming at Kansas State. In that time, Snyder has amassed a record of 122-54-1. He is 3-0 against Baylor.

CONNECTIONS
* Kansas State interior defensive line coach Mo Latimore served as an assistant coach at UTEP (1984-1988) along with Baylor safeties coach Larry Hoefer.
* 17 Kansas State players hail from the Lone Star State. The following have connections with Baylor players:
Cypress Falls: Alax Carrier (KSU) and Matt Waller, Iris Williams (BU)
Fort Worth-Wyatt: Quintin Echols (KSU) and Joe Simmons (BU)
Pearland: Sean Sonnier (KSU) and Matt Johnson (BU)

QUICK NOTES
* Baylor's future opposition winning percentage of .788 (26-7) is second nationally behind only Wisconsin (.800, 20-5).
* Baylor's final five opponents of the season are all ranked 11th or better nationally in scoring offense, according to the latest NCAA statistical rankings.
* Baylor's cumulative opposition winning percentage of .573 (51-38) ranks 23rd nationally. * Baylor has just two scoring drives of more than four minutes this season.
* Baylor is 2-0 this season when rushing for two or more TDs, 1-5 when rushing for less than two TDs.
* FS Maurice Lane has tallied double-digit tackles in six of eight games this season.
* QB Aaron Karas has completed at least 10 passes in 12 consecutive games.
* WR Robert Quiroga has caught at least one pass in 22 consecutive games.
* WR John Martin has caught at least one pass in six consecutive games played.
* WR Marques Roberts has caught at least one pass in 10 consecutive games.
* P Daniel Sepulveda has at least one 50-yard punt in eight consecutive games.

BEARS LOOK TO OVERCOME ROAD WOES
Baylor seeks to end a 17-game road losing streak Saturday at Kansas State. Baylor's last victory away from Floyd Casey Stadium was a 20-7 triumph Aug. 31, 2000 at North Texas. That victory ended a 16-game road losing streak, dating back to a 37-35 win Sept. 6, 1997 at Fresno State. The Bears also hope to end a 31-game conference road losing streak. Baylor's last conference victory on the road was as a member of the Southwest Conference when the Bears posted a 48-7 victory Oct. 11, 1995 at SMU.

TOUGH ROAD AHEAD FOR BAYLOR
Baylor's future opposition winning percentage of .788 (26-7) is second nationally behind only Wisconsin (.800, 20-5). Furthermore, the Bears' final five opponents rank 11th or better nationally in scoring offense, according to the latest NCAA statistical rankings. Texas Tech is first (45.1 points per game), Oklahoma is second (44.2), Texas is third (42.2), Oklahoma State is fifth (41.5) and this week's opponent, Kansas State, is 11th (37.9).

BAYLOR vs. BIG 12 NORTH
Nearly all of Baylor's success in the Big 12 Conference has come against teams from the North Division. The Bears are 4-18 against teams from the North with only one victory (Texas, 1997) against teams from the South.

SPECIAL SPECIAL TEAMS
Baylor's special teams have been the strongest facet of the game this season for the Bears. The special teams have produced two scores this season, both on blocked punts. CB James Todd's block against UAB in the season opener resulted in a safety. Todd also recovered CB Michael Boyd's block in the end zone at Kansas. Baylor's 1980 squad holds the school mark for blocks in a season with 13 (punts and placements). P Daniel Sepulveda leads the Big 12 and ranks 11th nationally in punting average (45.0 yards per punt), and CB Willie Andrews is 38th nationally with 24.7 yards per kickoff return (eighth in the Big 12). Andrews also is tied for third all-time at Baylor with 26 kickoff returns this season, and his 641 yards on those returns ranks third in school history.

GARRETT SACK HAPPY
LB John Garrett currently is in a tie for seventh all-time at Baylor with six sacks on the season. He is 4.5 sacks shy of Matthew Pearson's school record, established in 1992. Garrett's sack total is the best by a Bear since A.C. Collier had a half-dozen in 2001. No Bear has tallied seven or more sacks in a season since Scotty Lewis had seven in 1993. Garrett is also tied for eighth all-time at Baylor with nine career sacks.

ARMSTRONG CLIMBS BAYLOR RUSHING CHARTS
With 66 yards rushing last week against Texas, RB Rashad Armstrong moved into 13th place all-time at Baylor in single-season rushing yardage. He now has 757 yards on the season, the most by a Bear back since Jerod Douglas scampered for 1,114 yards in 1995 (second in school history). In just 20 games and 13 starts, Armstrong has rushed for 1,404 yards in his Baylor career. That ranks 17th in school history, and he needs just 150 yards to crack the top 10. Armstrong also needs 46 yards to break Steve Beaird's school record for career yards by a two-year player. Beaird (1973-74) had 1,449 career yards rushing. Armstrong and CB Willie Andrews are also poised to crack Baylor's single-season all-purpose yardage top 10. Through eight games, Armstrong has 928 all-purpose yards, while Andrews has 876. Kalief Muhammad had 1,166 yards in 1996 and currently ranks 10th in Baylor history.

BAYLOR BIG 12'S YOUNGEST TEAM
Baylor's depth chart features nine true freshmen for the Kansas State game, including starters RT Nick Pace and DT Quincy Jenkins. No team in the Big 12 has more true freshmen on its depth chart than Baylor. Including redshirts, Baylor's two-deep roster features 16 freshmen, also tops in the Big 12. In all, the Bears have 25 underclassmen on the two-deep.

YOUNGER SEPULVEDA KEEPS BOOMING 'EM
P Daniel Sepulveda leads the Big 12 Conference and ranks 11th nationally, averaging 45.0 yards per punt. In 57 punts, Sepulveda has tallied 2,565 yards with 19 punts going 50-plus yards and two punts going 60-plus yards. He has also placed 15 punts inside the 20 and three punts inside the five with two coffins. Sepulveda's average is just off the school record of 46.35, established by Ty Atteberry in 1996. Against Texas A&M, Sepulveda punted nine times for an average of 47.8 yards per punt. He posted a net average of 47.1 yards per punt with four inside the 20 and three of 50-plus yards, including a game-high 55-yarder. Against Kansas, Sepulveda had punts of 60 and 61 yards, the last of which was a career long. He has booted at least one punt of 50-plus yards in every game this season. Sepulveda's punting has made Baylor the Big 12's second-ranked punting team in terms of net yards per punt. The Bears average 38.9 net yards per punt, 11th nationally.

ARMSTRONG AMONG NATIONAL RUSH LEADERS
RB Rashad Armstrong ranks fourth in the Big 12 Conference and 31st nationally with 94.6 yards rushing per game. He also leads the conference with 177 carries, and Baylor is 3-1 this season when he rushes for at least 100 yards and/or scores a rushing touchdown.

RECORDS & MILESTONES WATCH
* Willie Andrews needs three punt returns and 70 punt return yards to move into 10th place on Baylor's single-season list in each category.
* Willie Andrews needs one kickoff returns to move into sole possession of third place on Baylor's single-season list. He also needs 14 yards to move into second place on Baylor's single-season kickoff return yardage list and 29 yards to break the school record.
* Rashad Armstrong ranks 13th all-time at Baylor with 757 yards rushing on the season. Here is what Armstrong needs to move into:
12th - 62 yards (Pinkie Palmer, 818 yards, 1968)
11th - 81 yards (Alfred Anderson, 837 yards, 1982)
10th - 96 yards (David Mims, 852 yards, 1991)
9th - 101 yards (Gary Blair, 857 yards, 1976)
8th - 130 yards (Walter Abercrombie, 886 yards, 1979)
* Aaron Karas owns a career completion percentage of .598 (308-of-515), which tops Baylor's career chart (ahead of second-place Don Trull, .557).
* Aaron Karas is 10th on Baylor's career passing yardage list (3,642). He needs 47 yards to pass ninth-place Tom Muecke (3,688) and 143 yards to pass eighth-place Don Trull (3,784).
* Aaron Karas ranks eighth on Baylor's career completions list (308). Here is what Karas needs to move into:
7th - 14 completions (Neal Jeffrey, 321)
6th - 15 completions (Jermaine Alfred, 322)
5th - 21 completions (Terry Southall, 328)
* Robert Quiroga is fourth on Baylor's career receptions list (119). Here is what Quiroga needs to move into:
3rd - 25 catches (Lawrence Elkins, 144)
2nd - 44 catches (Gerald McNeil, 163)
* Robert Quiroga ranks eighth all-time at Baylor in career receiving yards (1,340). Here is what Quiroga needs to move into:
7th - 51 yards (Charles Dancer, 1,390)
6th - 54 yards (Bruce Davis, 1,393)
* Derrick Cash is fifth on Baylor's career interception return yardage list with 189 yards, 5 yards shy of fourth-place Thomas Everett (194) and 28 yards back of third-place Del Shofner (217).
* Derrick Cash has a career yards-per-interception-return average of 25.8, ranking seventh in school history.

SEPULVEDA CATCHES NATIONAL EYE
P Daniel Sepulveda, who began punting last spring, has begun to catch the national eye. The Big 12 leader in punting average, Sepulveda, who ranks 11th nationally in that category, has been added to the watch list for the Ray Guy Award, given annually to the nation's top punter by the Augusta [Ga.] Sports Council. He joins Florida's Eric Wilbur, Maryland's Adam Podlesh and Michigan State's Brandon Fields as the only freshmen on the 44-man list, which will be pared to 10 semifinalists in early November. Baylor special teams' coach Mark Nelson is no stranger to having a punter considered for the Guy Award. Last season, Nelson's punter at Kentucky, Glenn Pakulak, was a finalist along with Tennessee's Dustin Colquitt and winner Mark Mariscal of Colorado. Sepulveda has also caught the eye of Matt Hayes, a columnist for The Sporting News. In a recent issue, Sepulveda was selected as the punter for Hayes' Dream Team, a collection of difference-makers this season.

KARAS FOURTH AMONG ACTIVE BIG 12 PASSERS
QB Aaron Karas ranks fourth among active Big 12 signal callers in career passing yardage with 3,642 yards. Oklahoma State's Josh Fields (5,212 yards) is the active leader and ranks seventh all-time in the Big 12. Fields is followed by Texas Tech's B.J. Symons (4,459; 13th all-time), Kansas State's Ell Roberson (3,837), Karas and Kansas' Bill Whittemore (3,587). Former Texas Tech QB Kliff Kingsbury holds the Big 12 record with 12,429 career passing yards.

QUIROGA ALSO AMONG ACTIVE LEADERS
WR Robert Quiroga is eighth among active Big 12 receivers with 119 career receptions. Oklahoma State's Rashaun Woods is the active and overall leader with 258 snags, an all-time Big 12 record.

SCHEDULE FACTS
Seven of Baylor's 12 2003 opponents (North Texas, Colorado, Texas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State) participated in bowl games last season. Eight of the Bears' 2003 opponents (including Texas A&M) finished at or above .500. Baylor's 2003 opponents went a combined 88-53 (.624) in 2002. Five of the Bears' 12 opponents are currently ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. Furthermore, the Big 12 boasted three teams in the top five spots of the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll. Baylor and Iowa State both have all three - Kansas State, Oklahoma and Texas - on their respective schedules. The Bears and the Cyclones are the only teams in the nation to have three preseason top-five teams on their schedules.

OVER THE AIR
Bear football games can be heard live on the Baylor Radio Network. The network includes 18 affiliates across Texas, including flagship stations KRZI-AM (1660/1580) and KLRK-FM (92.9) in Waco. All Baylor games are broadcast by the "Voice of the Bears" John Morris, a veteran broadcaster in his ninth season. Former Baylor football standouts Walter Abercrombie and Ricky Thompson are in their fourth season providing analysis.

BAYLOR GAMES ON THE INTERNET
The radio call from all of Baylor's games can be heard live on the internet on Baylor's official online website, www.BaylorBears.com, or at www.yahoo.broadcast.com.

BAYLORBEARS.COM
Baylor's official athletic web site can be found at www.BaylorBears.com. The comprehensive site, which includes releases, photos, biographical sketches and audio broadcasts, is part of the Official College Sports Network. OCSN currently hosts sites for more than 100 universities, including four Big 12 schools.

INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS TV SHOW
Inside Baylor Sports, a half-hour look at the world of Baylor athletics, will air weekly throughout Central Texas and other outlets. The program, co-hosted by John Morris and Lori Scott Fogleman, airs on KCEN-TV Channel 6, Fox Sports Southwest and the College Channel (Waco cable 18). IBS also airs Wednesdays on College Sports TV; check local listings for time.

NEXT UP...
The Bears hosts Texas Tech next weekend as part of the annual Homecoming festivities on the Baylor campus. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. CST at Floyd Casey Stadium. Baylor leads the all-time series 32-28-1, but the Red Raiders have won the last seven meetings. The Bears' last victory over Tech was a 9-7 triumph in 1995 at Floyd Casey Stadium. The Raiders were 62-11 winners last year at Lubbock.