Oct. 12, 2004
Eighty years ago, a Baylor squad called by the Waco Times-Herald as a "team of destiny" embarked on a season that saw the Bears capture the school's third Southwest Conference crown and the second title for the program in three years. Led by head coach Frank Bridges, a talented group of Baylor players used a total team effort to finish the season with a 7-2-1 record, capturing the SWC title with an undefeated record of 4-0-1.
In an era where teams would grind out victories on the ground and use a punishing defense to wear down opposing offenses, all accounts of the 1924 season reveal Bridges had assembled a group of players capable of combining offense, defense and special teams to steam-roll opponents and guide the Bears to victory. The local Waco paper, then called the Times-Herald, described the team throughout the season as a "machine," using all facets of the game to overcome opponents.
The season opened with a 10-6 win over Hardin-Simmons. Baylor running back Bill Coffey opened the scoring with his 20 yard touchdown run as the Bears defense held on for the win.
Following the season opening win, the "machine" seemed to hit its stride in week two as Baylor had an impressive 30-0 victory over North Texas in the home opener. Led by Coffey and the excellent line play of Jack Sisco, Sam Coates and Bear Walker, the Bears cruised to a shutout win. Coates led the way for Baylor in the contest, scoring two touchdowns on the afternoon on a pair of offensive line end-arounds.
After dropping a 13-6 decision to Oklahoma Teacher's College, Baylor responded with its second shutout of the season, this time against Arkansas in the Southwestern Conference opener. In his account of the contest, Times-Herald sports editor Marion Barron credited Bridges with the win, motivating his team to overcome the physical edge Arkansas may have had.
"The Bears lined up a squad that was not as formidable as the Razorbacks but it was a team that was fortified with the smart plan of battle given to them by their coach," Barron wrote. "They were a team that clearly understood what it faced and what it had to do if it expected victory."
Team captain Ralph Pittman clearly understood what was needed from him in the victory as the senior led the defensive attack and controlled field position for Baylor, averaging 45 yards a punt on the day.
Baylor kept the momentum rolling in conference play following a loss to Austin College as the Bears recorded a 15-7 win over Texas A&M. The historic win on the road was once again led by the play of the offensive and defensive line as Baylor sent 23,000 Texas A&M fans home unhappy and began preparing for a visit from rival Texas.
From the start of the contest against the Longhorns, Baylor showed why it would be a threat to capture the conference title. A powerful performance by the offensive line paved the way for Coffey to score three touchdowns in the contest, leading the Bears to a 28-10 victory over Texas. The win led to a first in the history of the Southwest Conference as the victory marked the first time a conference team had defeated Texas and Texas A&M in the same season. In fact, the 18-point margin was the biggest setback Texas had seen in conference play up to that point in school history.
Following a hard fought 7-7 tie to SMU and a 30-7 win over St. Edwards College, the stage was set for Baylor to capture its third conference title in school history. In front of a hostile crown in Houston, Baylor defeated a dangerous Rice team 17-9 as the Bears clinched the conference crown.
After falling behind early, Baylor stuck to what had worked all season, using a total team effort to control the line of scrimmage and rally for the victory. Coates proved he would be one of the best ever to play in a Baylor uniform as the sophomore solidified his spot on the All-SWC team with a dominating performance against the Owls. Coates would go on to become one of the conference's most heralded athletes, becoming one of the first players in league history to be named consensus all-conference for three straight seasons.
The recap of the championship clinching victory in the Times-Herald summed up the type of character the team had under Bridges' guidance.
"The Owls fought gamely and did their wonderful best," Barron wrote. "But, it was useless to argue with the lads in the golden jerseys, whose hearts were burning with invincible Baylor spirit."
Although the game has changed in countless ways over the years since the historic championship run, it is clear the 1924 squad showed the heart and spirit of a team can go a long way in determining the outcome of a season. In fact, it's the kind of spirit the 1924 team displayed that has helped Baylor claim victories on the gridiron 80 years later.
