A Look Back: The 1994 Football Team
9/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 27, 2004
Ten years ago this week marks the anniversary of Baylor's 42-18 win over TCU on Oct. 1, 1994. The impressive showing against the Horned Frogs began the Bears journey to a historic Southwestern Conference Co-Championship and a berth into the Alamo Bowl. Led by head coach Chuck Reedy, Baylor finished with a record of 7-5 and completed a wild regular season tied with four other schools for the SWC crown.
The season began on the right foot for the Bears, as Baylor rattled off three straight victories to begin the year. Baylor opened with an impressive 44-3 win over Louisiana Tech to begin the season, as Jerod Douglas led the attack with 12 rushes for 98 yards as freshman quarterback Jeff Watson was 10 of 16 for 139 yards and one touchdown. Baylor's 41-point winning margin in the game was the biggest in its opener since a 68-point win against Blackland Army Air Base in 1942.
Baylor hit the road in the second game of the year and rolled to a 54-20 victory over San Jose State. The Bears jumped out to a 35-0 lead on the Spartans in the first quarter as the 35 points in the quarter still stands as a school record for most points in one frame. The Bears scored in almost every way imaginable in the period as Baylor scored on a pair of runs, a touchdown pass, interception return and a blocked punt return. Baylor's defense continued to dominate, holding San Jose State to -22 yards rushing.
The season continued with one of the most thrilling wins of the year, a 14-10 victory over Oklahoma State in front of 40,214 in Waco. Trailing 10-7 late in the fourth quarter, Watson hit tight end Damon Rhynes for a 70-yard scoring strike as Baylor held on for the victory over the Cowboys.
Following a 37-27 setback at the hands of USC, Baylor began its march towards the Southwestern Conference title with an impressive win over TCU. The defense again showed its dominance as Baylor recovered a fumble on the first play of scrimmage as the offense took over and scored on a drive capped by a 16-yard strike from Watson to John Stanley. The defense sealed the victory early in the third quarter when Adrian Robinson picked off a pass and returned it 89 yards for a score to give Baylor a 28-10 lead.
The Bears moved to 2-0 in the conference with a 44-10 win over SMU at home before falling to Texas A&M and Texas Tech on the road. In the win over the Mustangs, running back Brandell Jackson gained 113 yards on only six rushes as Baylor rolled up 532 yards of total offense.
At 5-3 on the season, a victory in Baylor's next game would mean the Bears would qualify for its 16th bowl game in school history. There was no doubt the Bears would accomplish the feat in the match-up with the Cougars as Baylor rolled to a 52-13 victory over the visitors from Houston. Jackson rushed for two touchdowns in the win and Watson went eight of 14 for 132 yards and one scoring strike as Baylor rolled to the win in front of 35,174 fans on Homecoming.
The win gave the Bears a chance to clinch at least a tie for the SWC title in the next week against Rice. The Owls gave the Bears a strong test; however, Bradford Lewis' 24-yard touchdown run with eight minutes left in the game lifted the Bears to a 19-14 win over Rice and clinched a share of the SWC title.
Although the Bears were unable to clinch the title out-right in the final game of the season, a loss against Texas, Baylor shared the title with four other squads and did earn a berth into the Alamo Bowl to face Washington State. The Cougars managed to come away victorious; however, with a 10-3 win in a defensive battle.
In a wild season which saw five teams share the conference title after Texas A&M was ruled ineligible to win the conference, Baylor remained in the hunt for the crown throughout the year with a balanced offensive attack and stellar defensive performances.
Watson led the passing attack for Baylor, throwing for 1,615 yards on the year for 10 touchdowns while completing over 50 percent of his passes. Baylor's ground game was consistent throughout the year, as four Baylor players rushed for over 400 yards. Kalief Muhammad led the ground attack, rushing for 529 yards on 97 rushes as Douglas gained 473 yards on the season. Jackson and Lewis also reached the 400-yard plateau, as the pair rushed for 446 and 408 yards, respectively.
The defense had a stellar year as well, recording seven defensive touchdowns as LaCurtis Jones and Robinson were named first team all-SWC for their play throughout the year. Fred Miller, a bruising offensive lineman, earned first team honors on the offensive side of the ball.
Although Baylor's 1994 season ended in a pair of tough losses to Texas and Washington State, Bears fans can look back at the 1994 squad as a team that turned a total "team-effort" into a share of the conference crown and the school's last bowl berth.
