Bears Visit Oklahoma for Big 12 South Showdown

10/17/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football

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BAYLOR BEARS (4-2, 1-2) at OKLAHOMA SOONERS (3-3, 2-1)

OCT. 22, 2005 • MEMORIAL STADIUM • NORMAN, OKLA. • 6:00 P.M. CDT

FOX SPORTS NET

BAYLOR LOOKS TO REBOUND AT OKLAHOMA

Baylor returns to action Saturday, Oct. 22, traveling five hours north on Interstate 35 to Norman, Okla., for a Big 12 Conference South Division game against Oklahoma. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CDT at Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium on the Oklahoma campus.

The Bears (4-2, 1-2) dropped a 23-14 decision at home to Nebraska last Saturday. Baylor is 3-1 in road games this season. The Sooners (3-3, 2-1) defeated Kansas 19-3 last Saturday in a game played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Oklahoma is 2-1 at home this season and seeks is first consecutive wins of the 2005 campaign.

Saturday's game will be televised nationally on Fox Sports Net. Drew Goodman handles play-by-play duties, while Gary Reasons provides color analysis and Jim Knox reports from the sideline.

BAYLOR-OKLAHOMA SERIES

This is the 15th meeting between Baylor and Oklahoma; the Sooners have dominated the series, winning each of the first 14 meetings. Oklahoma was a 35-0 winner last season in Waco.

While Oklahoma has won every game in the series, not all have been handily. In fact, the first three meetings as Big 12 foes were decided by a total of 17 points, including scores of 28-24 and 24-23 in the first two meetings.

Baylor and Oklahoma first met Oct. 26, 1901; the Sooners left Waco that day with a 17-6 victory. The teams did not play again until 1973.

SERIES NOTES: Oklahoma is the only Big 12 South team Baylor has never defeated. Kansas State is the only other Big 12 school the Bears have never topped (0-5). ... This is the first time Baylor has faced an unranked Oklahoma team since a 41-10 loss at Norman in 1999. The Sooners have ben ranked first, second, fourth, first and second, chronologically, since then. ... When Baylor faced top-ranked Oklahoma in 2000, it was Baylor's second game against the nation's top-ranked team in a 15-day span. Two weeks prior, the Bears played then-No. 1 Nebraska. ... Baylor held Oklahoma to 56 yards rushing in the 2003 meeting, a season low for the Sooners and the fewest yards rushing allowed by a Baylor team since 1995. In fact, Oklahoma had negative rushing yards until late in the third quarter. ... In the 1989 season opener for both teams, then-No. 8 Oklahoma ran the ball on 70 of 72 plays en route to a 33-7 victory at Norman. The Sooners were 0-of-2 passing, the fourth and last time a Baylor opponent did not complete a pass. ... Baylor's five sacks against the Sooners in 2003 tied the Bears' best-ever sacks output in a Big 12 game. ... Randy Davis returned a kickoff 93 yards for a TD against the Sooners in 2001. That still stands as the eighth-longest kickoff return in Baylor history. ... Pete Rutter's 81-yard punt against Oklahoma in 1989 still ranks fifth all-time at Baylor.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR ...

• Baylor looks to post two conference wins in a season for the first time since 1995 when the Bears were 5-2 in the final season of the Southwest Conference.

• The Bears look for their first five-win season since going 7-4 in 1995.

• Baylor looks for its first season with two conference road wins since 1995 when the Bears had wins at Houston and at SMU.

• 2005 Thorpe Award candidate FS Maurice Lane has 336 career tackles (234 solos and 102 assists), fourth all-time at Baylor. He needs 15 tackles to match Kris Micheaux, who tallied 351 tackles from 1997 to 2000, for third on Baylor's all-time list.

• Senior LG Lequalan McDonald should draw his 30th straight start along the offensive line against Oklahoma, while Lane should make his 41st career start (every game of his collegiate career in which he has played) and senior OS Willie Andrews should make his 30th straight start in the secondary.

• WR Trent Shelton has at least one reception in 28 consecutive games, tied for the 12th-longest active streak in Division I-A and the longest at Baylor since Reggie Newhouse's school-record 34-game streak.

• With 87 career receptions each, junior WR Dominique Zeigler is tied with Charles Dancer (1972-73) for 10th on Baylor's career receptions list. Zeigler needs one reception to move into a three-way, eighth-place tie, four receptions to move into a seventh-place tie and five receptions to move into a sixth-place tie.

• Zeigler has caught at least two passes in each of his last 16 appearances.

• Junior WR Trent Shelton ranks 12th all-time at Baylor with 84 career receptions.

• Shelton needs five yards receiving to become Baylor's 22nd 1,000-yard receiver.

• QB Shawn Bell has completed at least one TD pass in five consecutive games, the first Baylor signal caller to accomplish that feat since Brad Goebel did so in seven consecutive games as a redshirt freshman to open the 1987 season.

• Bell ranks 16th all-time at Baylor with 2,252 career passing yards. He needs 36 yards passing to elclips Mark Jackson (1974-76) for 15th place on Baylor's career yards passing list.

• Bell's 60.95 career completion percentage ranks 12th among active Division I-A quarterbacks.

• Bell needs 12 completions to crack Baylor's single-season completions top 10 list.

• Junior RB Paul Mosley and sophomore RB Brandon Whitaker have combined for 190 touches this season without a fumble.

• Baylor's average starting field position has been its own 35 or better in five of six games this season, including a season-best of its own 43 against Iowa State.

• Conversely, Baylor has held its opponent's average field position to its opponent's 28 or worse in four of six games this season, including deepest starts of the opponent's own 21 twice (Samford and Texas A&M).

• The Bears have scored 35 points off their opponents 13 turnovers while holding opponents to 13 points of their own 13 turnovers.

• Baylor is 7-2 under Morriss when scoring at least 24 points and 7-1 when holding the opponent under 20 points.

• Baylor's defense has allowed 23 or fewer points in six straight games for the first time since 1991 when it held its first six opponents to 23 or fewer points.

BAYLOR IN TELEVISED GAMES

Saturday's game is the 99th televised game in Baylor football history; the Bears are 37-59-2 all-time in televised games. Baylor is 1-2 in televised games this season and 2-6 in televised games under head coach Guy Morriss.

This is the ninth consecutive season in which Baylor has played on Fox Sports Net. The Bears are 2-15 all-time on FSN with wins over North Carolina State (9/19/98) and Colorado (10/4/03). Baylor appeared on FSN Oct. 1 at Texas A&M and last week against Nebraska on FSN Pay-Per-View.

INJURY REPORT

Junior C Will Blaylock sustained a left knee strain against Texas A&M; he is expected to miss three to six weeks. Junior OS Maurice Linguist is questionable due to turf toe (Texas A&M). Junior DT Corey Ford (right knee) is out due to a knee injury sustained against Samford.

BEARS AIM FOR FIRST FIVE-WIN SEASON IN A DECADE

Baylor enters Saturday's game at 4-2 on the season, the first four-win season at Baylor since the 1996 team finished 4-7. A win against Oklahoma would give the Bears their first five-win season since going 7-4 in 1995. Since 1996, Baylor has finished with three wins four times, two wins three times and one win once.

MORRISS REACHES 10-WIN PLATEAU

Baylor's 23-13 victory at Iowa State two weeks ago was the 10th in head coach Guy Morriss' tenure at Baylor. Morriss reached the 10-win plateau in 28 games with the Bears. He is the first Baylor coach to reach 10 wins with the Bears since Chuck Reedy, who amassed 23 wins in four seasons at Baylor.

TEXAS TECH GAME TIME STILL ON HOLD

Baylor's Oct. 29 game against Texas Tech is one of four under consideration for the Big 12 Conference's television package. The Big 12 television partners will make their Oct. 29 selections off a six-day pick. The available windows are 11:30 a.m. CDT (Fox Sports Net), 2:30 p.m. (ABC) or 6 p.m. (TBS). As such, kickoff time for the Baylor-Tech game will not be set until Oct. 23rd.

DIFFICULT STRETCH CONTINUES FOR BEARS

Saturday's game against Oklahoma is the fourth of six consecutive games for the Bears against teams who have at least received votes in at least one of the two major polls at some point this season -- Texas A&M, Iowa State, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Texas.

In fact, of those six opponents, only Nebraska has not been ranked at some point this season; the Huskers are the 26th team in this week's Associated Press Top 25 and the 29th team in this week's ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.

Saturday's game against Oklahoma is Baylor's first meeting against an unranked Sooner squad since 1999. Oklahoma has been ranked fourth or better in each of the five meetings since.

BELL ENTERS SEVERAL CAREER CHARTS

QB Shawn Bell cracked several Baylor career passing lists during last Saturday's game against Nebraska. He now ranks 16th in passing yardage (2,252), 10th in attempts (402), 10th in completions (245), first in completion percentage (.610) and first in touchdown-to-interception ratio (13-5, 2.600).

FROM THE NEBRASKA GAME ...

• The attendance (40,857) was the largest at Floyd Casey Stadium since Oct. 30, 2004, against Texas A&M (41,283). ... It was the largest attendance for a game not involving Texas or Texas A&M since since Sept. 21, 1996, against Oregon State (42,327).

• Baylor snapped a streak of four consecutive games in which Baylor held its opponent under 20 points.

• Baylor scored on its first offensive possession for the fifth consecutive game.

• Baylor's 11 penalties (82 yards) were a season high.

• FS Maurice Lane now has 234 career solo tackles, good for second on Baylor's all-time list. He now trails only LB Mike Singletary, who amassed 351 solo tackles from 1977 to 1980.

• QB Shawn Bell's first-quarter TD run was the first rushing TD of his career.

• Bell's third-quarter, 52-yard pass to Shelton was the longest pass play of Bell's career. It was the second-longest reception of Shelton's career.

• TE Keegan Vann's first-quarter, 12-yard reception was the longest of his career.

• P Daniel Sepulveda extended his school record for career punts of 50-plus yards to 57.

• DT Michael Gary recorded six solo tackles, the most single-game tackles of his career.

• LB Jamaal Harper established career highs for total tackles (14), solo tackles (8), assisted tackles (6) and tackles for loss (2.0).

AS FIRST DOWN GOES, SO GO THE BEARS

Much of Baylor's success this year can be directly connected to the team's success on first down. The Bears enter Saturday's game at Oklahoma averaging 4.5 yards per first down play with a completion percentage of 62.9 on such downs. QB Shawn Bell is 42-of-65 (64.6 percent) on first down for 331 yards and three touchdowns with one interception.

However, the telling numbers are the vast differences between Baylor's first-down statistics in its four wins and its two losses. In the four wins, the Bears averaged 5.5 yards per first-down play, including 4.5 yards per first-down rush and a 76.6 completion percentage (32-of-42) with four touchdown passes and only one interception. In the two losses, the Bears averaged 2.3 yards per first-down play, including 1.9 yards per first-down rush and a 42.9 completion percentage (12-of-28) with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

Entering the Oklahoma game, the Bears average 4.7 yards per play on first down. Baylor quarterbacks are 40-of-58 for 352 yards, four touchdowns, one interception and two sacks on first down. The Bears have scored six total first-down touchdowns.

DEFENSE BEARS DOWN IN SECOND HALF

Baylor's defense has shown a trend of improving as the game progresses through six contests this season. The Bears have allowed just 43 second-half points (not including overtime) this season for an average of 7.2 points per game. In fact, the Bears have allowed only two second-half touchdowns in the last five games, one of which was in the waning moments of the Army game against mostly second-team defenders.

Through six games, Baylor's defense has allowed just 146.2 second-half yards per game on 35.5 plays per game for an average of 4.1 yards per play. Compare that with the 2004 Baylor defensive unit, which allowed 206.8 second-half yards per game on 32.8 plays per game for an average of 6.3 yards per play. In fact, subtract the numbers from the North Texas game in which the Bears held the Mean Green to 30 second-half yards on 24 plays and Baylor's 2004 defensive unit allowed 224.5 second-half yards per game on 6.7 yards per play.

ZEIGLER, SHELTON CLIMB BAYLOR CAREER RECEPTIONS LIST

Junior WRs Trent Shelton and Dominique Zeigler enter Saturday's game against Oklahoma steadily climbing Baylor's career receptions chart. Zeigler is tied for 10th with 87 receptions, while Shelton is 12th with 84. Shelton also needs just five yards receiving Saturday to become Baylor's 22nd receiver with at least 1,000 career receiving yards.

Last season, Shelton (38) and Zeigler (55) joined Marques Roberts (40) as the only the fifth Baylor trio with at least 30 receptions each. This season, Shelton (21), Zeigler (23) and WR Shaun Rochon (26) appear poised to become the sixth Baylor trio to accomplish the feat.

Here is a look at Baylor's career receptions list:

Player Seasons Yds Avg Rec

1. Reggie Newhouse 1999-02 2,552 13.95 183

2. Gerald McNeil 1980-83 2,651 16.26 163

3. Lawrence Elkins 1962-64 2,094 14.54 144

4. Robert Quiroga 2000-03 1,478 11.28 131

5. Kalief Muhammad 1993-96 1,300 13.27 98

6. Melvin Bonner 1989-92 1,984 21.57 92

7. Marques Roberts 2001-04 1,222 13.43 91

8. Harlan Lane 1964-65 1,036 11.77 88

Tommy Davidson 1974-77 1,121 12.74 88

10. Charles Dancer 1972-73 1,390 15.98 87

Dominique Zeigler 2003- 892 10.25 87

12. Trent Shelton 2003- 995 11.85 84

13. Morris Anderson 1995-98 1,173 14.13 83

Andra Fuller 1998-01 840 10.12 83

15. George Cheshire 1965-67 1,034 12.77 81

Matt Clark 1984-87 1,480 18.27 81

LANE CLIMBS CAREER TACKLES CHART

Senior FS Maurice Lane enters Saturday's game against Oklahoma with 336 career tackles, fourth all-time at Baylor. He needs 15 tackles to match Kris Micheaux (1997-00) for third on Baylor's all-time list. With 18 career double-digit tackle outings.

Here is a look at Baylor's career tackles chart:

Player Seasons Solo Asst TT

1. Mike Singletary 1977-80 351 311 662

2. Ray Berry 1983-86 231 149 380

3. Kris Micheaux 1997-00 214 137 351

4. Maurice Lane 2002-05 234 102 336

5. James Francis 1986-89 198 136 334

6. Doak Field 1977-80 164 166 330

7. Thomas Everett 1983-86 204 121 325

8. Gary Joe Kinne 1986-89 179 144 323

9. Mike Welch 1986-90 190 129 319

10. Joe Campbell 1977-80 170 146 316

BAYLOR SECONDARY AMONG NATION'S BEST

Through games of Oct. 15, Baylor ranks second in the Big 12 Conference and sixth nationally with a pass efficiency defense rating of 96.85. The Bears have allowed only five passing touchdowns with seven interceptions; opposing quarterbacks have completed just 49.0 percent of their passes for 182.2 yards per game.

Baylor intercepted only four passes in 11 games last season; the Bears have increased that total by 75 percent through six games this fall. Six different players have interceptions this season, including five different defensive backs. CB C.J. Wilson has two picks, and DT M.T. Robinson has the seventh pick.

The Bears rank second in the Big 12 and 20th nationally in pass defense yardage (182.2 ypg).

DEFENSE AS A WHOLE STACKS UP WELL NATIONALLY

Entering the Oklahoma game, Baylor ranks fifth in the Big 12 and 20th nationally with 303.5 yards allowed per game. The Bears have allowed 16.5 points per game, third in the conference and tied for 13th nationally. Baylor's rush defense ranks 36th nationally, allowing 121.3 yards per game.

Prior to yielding 23 points to Nebraska last Saturday, Baylor held four consecutive opponents under 20 points for the first time since a four-game winning streak to conclude the 1986 season (Baylor also held Louisiana Tech to three points to open the 1987 season). The Bears have held all six opponents this season to 23 or fewer points, the longest such run since the 1991 team had a six-game streak to open the season.

Baylor is 7-1 under head coach Guy Morriss when holding the opponent under 20 points.

BAYLOR IN BIG 12 CONFERENCE STATISTICAL RANKINGS

Through games of Oct. 15, Baylor ranks seventh (84th nationally) in total offense (335.8 ypg), eighth (72nd) in rushing offense (131.7 ypg), eighth (77th) in passing offense (204.2 ypg), eighth (78th) in passing efficiency (116.8) and seventh (72nd) in scoring offense (24.3 ppg).

In special teams, the Bears are seventh (35th) in net punting (36.7 ypp), fourth (20th) in punt returns (14.0 ypr) and fifth (44th) in kickoff returns (22.1 ypr). Baylor ranks fifth (t-55th) in turnover margin at even.

Individually, several Bears appear in this week's rankings. RB Paul Mosley is eighth in rushing (74.5 ypg), while RB Brandon Whitaker is 15th (47.3 ypg). QB Shawn Bell is eighth in passing efficiency (117.17), eighth in passing yardage (188.5 ypg) and eighth in total offense (184.0 ypg). WR Shaun Rochon ranks seventh in receptions per game (4.3), while WR Dominique Zeigler (3.7) is 12th and WR Trent Shelton (3.5) is 17th. Zeigler (45.5) and Shelton (45.0) are 13th and 14th, respectively, in receiving yards per game.

Defensively, CB C.J. Wilson is sixth with 0.33 interceptions per game. FS Maurice Lane is tied for third with 9.2 tackles per game, best in the conference among defensive backs. Elsewhere in tackles per game, LB Jamaal Harper (7.5) is tied for 15th and LB Colin Allred (6.3) is tied for 29th. DE Marcus Foreman (4.7) is tied for 49th in tackles; he is fourth in the league among defensive lineman, just 0.8 tackles per game behind Texas A&M defensive lineman Johnny Jolly. DT M.T. Robinson, OS Willie Andrews and Allred are tied for ninth with 0.50 sacks per game. DE Montez Murphy and DT Michael Gary are tied for fifth with 0.33 forced fumbles per game. Wilson is tied for sixth with 1.0 passes defended per game.

P Daniel Sepulveda ranks third (sixth) with 45.6 yards per punt. Rochon ranks second (sixth) in punt return yardage (17.4 ypr). PK Ryan Havens is tied for the league lead (t-7th) with 1.8 field goals made per game; he is sixth (t-45th) with 8.0 points per game, tied for fourth in the conference and tied for 23rd nationally among place kickers. In all-purpose yardage, Mosley ranks 13th (85.7 ypg) and Rochon ranks 16th (81.5 ypg).

SHELTON KEEPS STREAK ALIVE

WR Trent Shelton heads into the Oklahoma game having caught at least one pass in 28 consecutive games, the longest such string for a Bear since Reggie Newhouse ended his career with a 34-game streak (2000-2002). Shelton's streak is the 12th-longest active streak nationally and the second-longest in the Big 12. Here is a look at the longest active streaks nationally:

43 - Jovon Bouknight, WR, Wyoming

43 - Charles Sharon, WR, Bowling Green State

37 - Chris Francies, WR, UTEP

35 - Derek Hagan, WR, Arizona State

35 - Bill Sampy, WR, Louisiana-Lafayette

34 - Garrett Mills, TE, Tulsa

34 - Mark Philmore, WR, Northwestern

33 - Nichiren Flowers, WR, Nevada

30 - Steve Odom, WR, Toledo

30 - Vincent Marshall, WR, Houston

30 - Mark Simmons, WR, Kansas

28 - Trent Shelton, WR, BAYLOR

28 - Brian Leonard, FB, Rutgers

28 - Scott Mayle, WR, Ohio

28 - Tres Moses, WR, Rutgers

28 - Jeff Webb, WR, San Diego State

27 - Antwon Courington, WR, Southern Mississippi

25 - Jared Ellerson, WR, Minnesota

ANDREWS, BELL, SEPULVEDA AMONG CAREER ACTIVE LEADERS

OS Willie Andrews, QB Shawn Bell and P Daniel Sepulveda both rank among the NCAA's top career active leaders in sundry statistical categories.

Andrews is tied for third in career punt returns (83), fifth in punt return yardage (843), 14th in punt returns per game (2.0), 18th in punt return yardage per game (20.6), eighth in kickoff returns (63), 10th in kickoff return yardage (1,539) and 15th in yards per kickoff return (24.4).

Bell ranks 12th in career completion percentage (60.95).

Sepulveda ranks ninth in total punts (174), ninth in punt yardage (7,740), sixth in punts per game (6.0) and third in yards per punt (44.5).

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

Baylor had two non-offensive touchdowns against Samford -- Jamaal Harper's 29-yard fumble return for a touchdown and Shaun Rochon's 85-yard punt return for a touchdown. It also marked the first time Baylor has recorded two non-offensive scores in one game since Samir AL-AMIN returned two interceptions for touchdowns against Southern Illinois in the 2001 season finale. In 27 games under head coach Guy Morriss, the Bears have recorded 11 non-offensive scores:

• 2003 vs. UAB -- James Todd blocked punt for safety

• 2003 vs. Colorado -- Jamaal Harper 7-yard fumble return (forced by Derrick Cash)

• 2003 at Kansas -- James Todd blocked punt recovery in end zone (blocked by Michael Boyd)

• 2003 at Kansas State -- Robert Quiroga 98-yard kickoff return

• 2003 vs. Texas Tech -- Robert Quiroga 100-yard kickoff return

• 2003 vs. Oklahoma State -- Willie Andrews 30-yard fumble return (forced by John Garrett)

• 2004 vs. Texas State -- Justin Crooks 9-yard fumble return (forced by Montez Murphy)

• 2004 vs. North Texas -- Braelon Davis blocked punt recovery in end zone (blocked by Davis)

• 2004 vs. Iowa State -- Braelon Davis defensive PAT (interception return)

• 2005 vs. Samford -- Jamaal Harper 29-yard fumble return (forced by Colin Allred)

• 2005 vs. Samford -- Shaun Rochon 85-yard punt return

SEPULVEDA NAMED TO RAY GUY WATCH LIST

Junior P Daniel Sepulveda was named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List, the Greater Augusta [Ga.] Sports Council announced recently. Sepulveda, a product of Highland Park High School in Dallas, Texas, became the first sophomore to win the award given to the nation's top punter last season. Through six games this year, Sepulveda ranks sixth nationally with 44.6 yards per punt.

The Guy Award Watch List will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in early November. The national voting body then will for the three finalists to be announced in early December. The winner will be announced Dec. 8 as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.

BELL NAMED TO AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM

Junior QB Shawn Bell was among 12 student-athletes named to the American Football Coaches Association's 2005 Good Works Team, the AFCA announced recently. Bell, the first Baylor student-athlete ever so honored, is one of three signal-callers on the team, joining D.J. Shockley of Georgia and Vince Young of Texas. Four Big 12 Conference student-athletes were so honored as Nebraska WR Mark LeFlore and Kansas State FB Victor Mann also were honored.

The two teams, a Division I-A team and a combined team from Divisions I-AA, II, III and the NAIA, honor players for their dedication and commitment to community service. From 1992-1996, the Good Works Team was selected by the College Football Association. When the CFA disbanded in 1997, the AFCA began selecting the teams.

BEARS GROWING UP

After fielding the nation's second-youngest team a year ago (only SMU at 76.1 percent had a higher percentage of underclassmen on its 2004 roster than Baylor, whose roster was 71.1 percent underclassmen) third-year coach Guy Morriss' 2005 Baylor squad will arguably be the most-seasoned of his tenure in Waco.

Baylor's 132-man 2005 roster includes 19 seniors, 34 juniors, 25 sophomores and 54 freshmen. The Bears' 2004 roster, by comparison, included some 96 underclassmen among the 135 players listed.

SPECIAL SPECIAL TEAMS

The strongest facet of Baylor's squad in Guy Morriss' two seasons on the sideline has arguably been its special teams play. After recording four scores in 2003, the Bears' 2004 special team units tallied two more scores and featured the 2004 Ray Guy Award winner in Daniel Sepulveda and consensus first-team All-Big 12 return specialist Willie Andrews.

The 2004 Bears, who ranked No. 5 nationally in net punting (40.6 ypp), No. 35 in kickoff returns (21.7 ypr) and No. 36 in punt returns (11.1 ypr), were the only Big 12 team to rank among the nation's top 36 in all three of those statistical categories a year ago. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that in the year prior to Mark Nelson's arrival as Baylor's special teams coordinator the program ranked 91st nationally in punt returns, 115th in kickoff returns and 117th in net punting.

Sepulveda captured the Ray Guy Award as the nation's top collegiate punter after ranking No. 3 nationally with his 46.0 yard average and Andrews led the league and ranked 24th nationally in kickoff returns with his 24.7 yard mark.

A senior outside safety who will again contend for All-Big 12 and All-America honors, Andrews ranked No. 6 in the Big 12 and No. 65 nationally in 2004 with 107.6 all-purpose yards per game despite not taking a snap on the offensive side of the ball. He also led the Big 12 and ranked 24th nationally in kickoff returns (24.7 ypr) while standing No. 3 in the league and No. 43 nationally in punt returns (10.8 ypr).

2005 BEARS FACE SIX 2004 BOWL TEAMS

After playing eight of 11 games a year ago against teams that went on to earn bowl invitations, Baylor will tackle six 2004 bowl squads in 2005. However, that's really nothing new for coach Guy Morriss' program: 15 times in Morriss' first two seasons (including 13 of 16 Big 12 contests), Baylor faced an opponent which wound up with a bowl bid at season's end.

The Bears' 2005 opponents combined for a 70-58 (.545) record a year ago and six earned bowl invites -- Texas A&M, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma State.

All-told, six of BU's eight 2005 Big 12 games will be against teams that earned bowl bids last year. The Bears' eight Big 12 foes went 61-34 (.642) last year and accounted for six of the league's seven 2004 bowl bids.

Two of Baylor's three wins a year ago and six of its eight losses were at the hands of eventual bowl-bound teams. The Bears knocked off Cotton Bowl participant Texas A&M (35-34 in overtime) and New Orleans Bowl entrant North Texas (37-14) but dropped games to bowl-bound programs Texas (Rose champion), Iowa State (Independence champion), Texas Tech (Holiday champ), Oklahoma State (Alamo), Oklahoma (Orange) and UAB (Hawai'i).

Baylor and Syracuse were the only programs to play eight eventual bowl teams in 2004 and the Bears' slate ranked as the nation's sixth-toughest according to the NCAA's annual strength of schedule survey.

BAND OF BROTHERS

Baylor's 2005 roster features three sets of brothers: the Boatners (junior Yancy and true freshman Thad), Jenkins (junior Quincy and redshirt freshman Desmond) and McDonalds (senior Lequalan and true freshman LeQuantum).

BAYLOR AGAIN LEADS BIG 12 IN GRADUATION RATES

For the fifth time in the Big 12 Conference's nine-year history, Baylor University posted the highest student-athlete graduation rate of any league institution, according to figures released by the NCAA last fall.

The Bears' most-recent graduation rates, for the freshman class of 1997-98, is 78 percent, a school record by four points over the previous high of 74 percent in 2000. That figure is also 8 points higher than Baylor's general student population and 16 points better than the NCAA Division I national average of 62 percent.

Baylor also graduated a Big 12-best 76 percent of its male student-athletes and a league-high 82 percent of its female student-athletes. The Baylor football program produced a Big 12-leading 88 percent graduation rate, marking the fifth time in the league's history it set the standard for classroom excellence.

Among Division I-A institutions, Baylor's overall student-athlete graduation rate ranked as the nation's 10th-highest mark according to the most-recent NCAA figures.

In addition to leading the Big 12 in graduation rates five times, Baylor ranked second on three other occasions. All-told, 88 percent of Baylor student-athletes who exhausted their eligibility and entered school from 1988-89 through 1997-98 left with degree in hand according to the NCAA study.

LONE STAR TIES

The Bears' 132-man roster features 120 players who played their high school football in the Lone Star state. The other 12 players on Baylor's roster hail from Louisiana (2), Oklahoma (2), California (2), Arizona (1), Nebraska (1), Missouri (1), Mississippi (1), Illinois (1) and Virginia (1).

Of the 70 players listed on Baylor's 2005 depth chart for the Oklahoma game, 63 are Texans, including 22 of the 24 projected starters (includes No. 1 place-kicker and punter) for the Bears.

COACHING STAFF BOASTS 198 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

The 2005 Baylor football coaching staff boasts a combined 198 years of sideline experience in the professional, collegiate and high school ranks. Six members of this year's staff -- Larry Hoefer (safeties), Harold Jackson (wide receivers), Chris Lancaster (offensive line), Wesley McGriff (cornerbacks/recruiting coordinator), Mark Nelson (linebackers/special teams coordinator and Brent Pease (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks) -- have been with Guy Morriss since he first became a Division I-A head coach in 2001 at Kentucky. Entering his fifth season as a head coach, Morriss was recently rated as one of the nation's eight most underrated coaches by SportsIllustrated.com.

The newest member of the Baylor staff is 26-year coaching veteran Don Wnek who replaced Tom Adams as the Bears' defensive line coach on Aug. 7, 2005. Wnek, a specialist in pass rush and defensive line techniques, spent the 2004 season as the director of football operations at the University of Indiana and worked as a federal law officer for the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. Prior to his stint with the U.S. Government, he worked in the CFL, XFL and in the college ranks at his alma mater, Northern Illinois, and Nevada.

Not only is the Baylor staff steeped in sideline experience, but it features three men, Morriss (one), defensive coordinator Bill Bradley (three) and Jackson (five), who combined to earn nine NFL All-Pro awards between them. Two others, Nelson and Pease, also enjoyed successful professional football playing careers.

TRANSFERS FIND HOME AT BAYLOR

Baylor's 2005 depth chart features seven players who began their collegiate careers at other Division I-A programs but have since found their way to Waco. All seven are former Texas high school preps.

Tulane transfer Will Blaylock missed nearly all of Baylor's spring drills with an ankle injury, but the junior is listed as the Bears' top center. Sophomore Jordan Adams stands No. 3 at tight end after joining the program from New Mexico. Junior RB Mario Price, who lettered as a true freshman at Army in 2002 before sitting out the 2003 season in Waco, is No. 4 on the depth chart at running back.

On the defensive side of the ball, sophomore Nick Moore, who lettered at Georgia Tech as a true freshman in 2003, is No. 2 at linebacker behind senior Jamaal Harper and another Tulane transfer, sophomore Alton Widemon, is No. 2 at cornerback.

Junior Paul Howard, the Bears' No. 2 defensive end, began his collegiate career at Texas Tech and played there as a redshirt freshman, and DT Klayton Shoals redshirted as a true freshman at Iowa State before joining the Baylor program.

Howard, Price and Shoals both lettered for the Bears in 2004 while the other four were in the program but sat out due to NCAA transfer rules.

OVER THE AIR

Bear football games can be heard live on the Baylor Radio Network. The network includes 11 affiliates across Texas, including flagship stations ESPN KRZI-AM (1660) in Waco. All Baylor games are broadcast by the "Voice of the Bears" John Morris, a veteran broadcaster in his 11th season as the signature voice of Baylor Athletics. Former Baylor football standouts J.J. Joe (color analyst) and Ricky Thompson (sideline reporter) complete the broadcast team.

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 College Sports TV network. CSTV currently hosts sites for more than 100 universities, including four Big 12 schools and the conference office.

BAYLOR GAMES ON THE INTERNET

The radio call from all of Baylor's games can be heard free of charge live on the Internet at www.BaylorBears.com.

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 (Sunday, 10:30 p.m. CT), Fox Sports Southwest (Wednesday, 1 p.m. CT), College Sports Television (Friday, 3:30 p.m. CT) and the College Channel (Waco cable 18).

NEXT UP...

Baylor returns home Saturday, Oct. 29, for the first of two consecutive home games at Floyd Casey Stadium, hosting Texas Tech as part of Homecoming Weekend on the Baylor campus. Kickoff between the Bears and the Red Raiders has not yet been set due to television possibilities.