Bears, Longhorns Renew Rivalry

10/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football

Oct. 15, 2007

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

GAME EIGHT

BAYLOR (3-4, 0-3) at No. 19 TEXAS (5-2, 1-2)

SATURDAY, OCT. 20, 2007 • 11:30 A.M. CDT

FLOYD CASEY STADIUM (50,000)

WACO, TEXAS

SERIES RECORD

Texas leads 70-22-4

COACHES

BAYLOR: Guy Morriss (TCU, 1973)

Record at Baylor: 18-35 (5th season)

Career Record: 27-49 (7th season)

Record vs. Texas: 0-4

TEXAS: Mack Brown (Florida State, 1974)

Record at Texas: 98-24 (10th season)

Career Record: 184-98-1 (24th season)

Record vs. Baylor: 9-0

BAYLOR/ISP RADIO NETWORK

John Morris, play-by-play

J.J. Joe, color analyst

Ricky Thompson, sideline

Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 161

VERSUS NETWORK TELEVISION

Ron Thulin, play-by-play

Kelly Stouffer, color analyst

Lewis Johnson, sideline reporter

INTERNET FEEDS

www.BaylorBears.com

BAYLOR HOSTS TEXAS

Baylor returns to action Saturday, Oct. 20, hosting Texas for a Big 12 Conference intradivision matchup. Kickoff between the Bears and the Longhorns is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. CDT at Floyd Casey Stadium. This is the fourth Big 12 game of the season for both teams.

The Bears (3-4, 0-3) have dropped three straight following a 58-10 loss at No. 20 Kansas last Saturday. Baylor is 2-1 at home this season, defeating Rice and Texas State and losing to Colorado.

The Longhorns (5-2, 1-2) snapped a two-game losing streak with a 56-3 victory at Iowa State last Saturday. Texas is 2-1 away from home this season, including a 2-0 mark on opponents' home fields. The Horns won at Central Florida and at Iowa State but lost to Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Texas is ranked 19th in this week's Associated Press Top 25, 18th in this week's ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and 22nd in this week's BCS standings.

Saturday's game will be televised nationally on the Versus Network. Fans in Waco can see the game on Grande Cable channel 23 or Time Warner Cable channel 125. Versus also is available on Dish Network (151) and on DirecTV (603).

BAYLOR-TEXAS SERIES

Baylor and Texas meet for the 97th time Saturday, the third-most played rivalry in Baylor football history behind TCU (105 meetings) and Texas A&M (104 meetings).

Texas leads the all-time series 70-22-4, and the Longhorns have won the last nine meetings since a 23-21 Baylor victory Nov. 1, 1997, in Waco. The Bears are 14-27-2 all-time against Texas in Waco. Of note, Texas made coaching changes at the conclusion of both the 1991 and 1997 seasons.

The Horns' current nine-game winning streak against Baylor is Texas' longest since a 15-game run from 1958 to 1973 that ended with Baylor's 34-24 victory at Floyd Casey Stadium in 1974, dubbed the "Miracle on the Brazos."

The series dates back to a 23-0 Texas victory Oct. 29, 1901, in Waco. The programs have played every year since 1923, making this Baylor's longest continually running rivalry.

SERIES NOTES: In 1941, Baylor tied top-ranked Texas 7-7 in a game later deemed to be the greatest upset in Southwest Conference history by Texas sportswriters. The Bears, at 3-3, dented the Longhorns' perfect 6-0 mark, snapping a 10-game UT winning streak that dated back to the previous season. ... In 1989, Baylor defeated Texas 50-7, the most lopsided Bears' victory in the series. That also marks the fifth-most points scored by a Baylor team in a conference game and the fifth-largest margin of victory in a conference game. ... Baylor's second-largest margin of defeat was against Texas when the Longhorns shutout the Bears 77-0 in 1913. That also was the second-most points ever scored against a Baylor team. ... Texas has posted a shutout in four of the last eight meetings. ... Baylor plays a ranked Texas team for the ninth straight year. All-told, the Bears are 5-34-1 against ranked Texas teams with victories in 1951, 1974, 1978, 1980 and 1984. Baylor has lost 10 straight to ranked Texas teams since a 24-10 victory in 1984.

Overall: Texas leads 70-22-4

Waco: Texas leads 27-14-2

Austin: Texas leads 42-8-2

Neutral Site: Texas leads 1-0

Since Start of Big 12: Texas leads 10-1

SERIES SUPERLATIVES

Most Points Scored, Baylor: 50 (1989)

Most Points Scored, Texas: 77 (1913)

Most Points Scored, both teams: 98 (1994, UT 63-35)

Largest Margin of Victory, Baylor: 50-7 (1989)

Largest Margin of Victory, Texas: 77-0 (1913)

LAST MEETING

TEXAS 63, BAYLOR 31

OCT. 14, 2006 • ROYAL-TEXAS MEMORIAL STADIUM • AUSTIN, TEXAS

Sixth-ranked Texas overcame a 10-0 first-quarter deficit and turned five Baylor turnovers into 35 points as the Longhorns defeated the Bears 63-31 in the third-highest scoring game in Baylor football history.

Baylor stunned the Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium crowd of 88,966 on its first offensive play. Shawn Bell executed a play-action fake perfectly and hit a streaking Trent Shelton down the middle of the field for a 67-yard TD pass.

The Bears held Texas to a three-and-out on the ensuing possession and then marched 51 yards in nine plays to the Texas 10. However, Baylor was forced to settle for a 27-yard Ryan Havens field goal.

The remainder of the first half belonged to Texas, though, as the Longhorns scored four second-quarter TDs to build a 28-10 lead.

Baylor answered on the opening drive of the second half, driving 80 yards in 10 plays. Dominique Zeigler capped the drive with an end-around pass back to Bell for a 17-yard TD. It was the first TD pass of Zeigler's career and the first TD reception of Bell's career.

After two Texas TD drives, Baylor pulled back to within 16 points at 42-24 when Paul Mosley split through the middle on a 56-yard TD run to end the third quarter.

Texas put the game away midway through the fourth, scoring three TDs in a 104-second span. The last two TDs came off Baylor turnovers, including the Horns' second defensive score of the game.

Bell finished 25-of-47 for 303 yards, two TDs and one interception. Shelton snagged six passes for 114 yards and a score.

KANSAS STATE GAME TIME SET

Kickoff for Baylor's Oct. 27 game at No. 25 Kansas State has been set for 2:35 p.m. CDT at Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan. The game will not be televised. The Bears defeated the Wildcats 17-3 at Floyd Casey Stadium last season.

QUICK NOTES

• Baylor is 6-8-1 all-time when 3-4, including a 6-5-1 mark when following a loss and a 3-0 with a three-game losing streak.

• Baylor has lost seven straight Big 12 games since its 36-35 comeback victory over Kansas (Oct. 22, 2006).

• Baylor is 200-196-21 all-time in October, including a 6-15 mark under head coach Guy Morriss.

• Baylor is 47-37-6 all-time on the third Saturday of October, including an 8-2-2 mark on Oct. 20.

• Baylor has forced at least one turnover in 26 of the last 30 games, including 17 games with at least two turnovers forced in that time.

• Baylor's defense has held the opposing offense without a first-quarter touchdown in 19 of the last 29 games, including 14 first-quarter shutouts in that time.

• Baylor has been flagged 42 times for 339 yards through this season's first seven games. Last year, the Bears were penalized 55 times for 557 yards through the first seven games.

• Baylor's defense has logged 17 quarterback sacks through seven games this season after recording only 11 sacks in 12 games last year.

• One year after losing 32 seniors, including 24 fifth-year players, Baylor's 2007 roster features 71 underclassmen -- 45 of whom are either true (25) or redshirt (20) freshmen -- and just 17 seniors.

2007 HALL OF FAME CLASS INDUCTED

Baylor's "B" Association inducts six members into the Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame and adds two individuals to the Wall of Honor this weekend. The 2007 Hall of Fame class consists of the following: Melvin Bonner (FB 1989-92), Randy Grimes (FB 1980-82), Kim Mulkey (WBB Coach 2000-present), Cory Sivertson Williams (VB 1991-94), David Wesley (MBB 1990-92) and Ed White (MTEN 1954-56). Former Baylor baseball standouts Don Riddle (1957-59) and E.E. "Dutch" Schroeder (1948-49, Coach 1962-73) join the Wall of Honor.

Induction ceremonies will be held Friday night; the group will be honored during halftime festivities of Saturday's game.

BAYLOR vs. RANKED OPPONENTS

Baylor is 41-150-6 all-time against ranked opponents, 26-131-5 when unranked and playing a ranked opponent. The Bears are 2-36 against ranked opponents since the inception of the Big 12 Conference (33-30 against 20th-ranked North Carolina State in 1998, and 35-34 in overtime against 16th-ranked Texas A&M in 2004). Baylor has lost 10 straight to ranked foes since the 2004 victory over Texas A&M.

Since the Associated Press began conducting weekly polls in 1936, Baylor has played at least one ranked opponent every season except 1987.

BEARS IN MIDST OF TOUGH STRETCH

Saturday's game against Texas is Baylor's second straight game against a team ranked nationally in the Associated Press Top 25. In fact, the Longhorns are the Bears' fourth consecutive opponent at least receiving votes for the Top 25 and Baylor's fifth such opponent this season (TCU was ranked 22nd). Baylor's next three opponents also appear in this week's AP poll: Kansas State (24th), Texas Tech (25th) and Oklahoma (5th).

WHITAKER RECEIVES ATTENTION FROM BACKFIELD

RB Brandon Whitaker leads Baylor with 31 receptions this season, already eclipsing his career high for catches in a season (30, established in each of the past two seasons). Whitaker has led the Bears in receptions in each of the past two games after not catching a pass against Texas A&M, tallying 11 receptions against Colorado and seven receptions at Kansas.

Whitaker established career highs in receptions and yards receivng (166) against Colorado, both Baylor single-game records for a non-receiver. He previously held the single-game receptions record for a non-receiver with nine catches at Washington State last season. Whitaker's receptions total tied for fifth in school history and was one shy of the overall school record. Meanwhile, his yardage total tied for eighth all-time at Baylor.

Whitaker also broke Baylor's career receptions mark for a non-receiver in the Colorado game. His third catch of the game was the 78th of his career, breaking the previous mark held by FB Jeffrey Murray (1986-89). Whitaker now has 93 career catches for 629 yards. He currently ranks eighth on Baylor's overall career receptions list; he needs six catches to pass Kalief Muhammad (1993-96) for seventh on Baylor's all-time list and seven catches to become the seventh player in school history with at least 100 career receptions.

One of four Bears with at least two touchdown receptions this season, Whitaker ranks third on the squad with 272 yards receiving.

GETTIS CATCHES FIRE

Sparked by a career-long, 69-yard reception early in the fourth quarter three weeks ago at Texas A&M, WR David Gettis suddenly has become a key part of Baylor's attack. Gettis followed his 88-yard performace at Texas A&M with an even better game against Colorado, recording career highs for receptions (8) and yards (99). Gettis had 11 career catches for 151 yards entering the Texas A&M game. He has 13 catches for 203 yards in the last three games.

Gettis' contributions have not been limited to his work as a receiver. He has produced 305 yards on 11 kickoff returns over the last two games for an average of 27.7 yards per return. Gettis had a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown last week at Kansas, the eighth-longest in school history and Baylor's first since the 2005 season.

Over the last two games, Gettis has averaged 209.5 all purpose yards per game. Against Colorado, Gettis established a career high with 225 all-purpose yards. That was the best single-game all-purpose yardage total by a Baylor player in the Guy Morriss era and the best by any Bear since Jerod Douglas' school-record, 257-yard performance at Oklahoma in 1997.

OFFENSIVE LINE PLAY VASTLY IMPROVED

After giving up 36 sacks in 12 games last season, Baylor's offensive line has shown vast improvement through the first seven games of the 2007 season. The Bears' quarterbacks have been sacked only eight times in seven games.

Baylor's offensive line did not allow a sack against Texas A&M nor against Colorado, marking the first time the Bears' did not allow a sack in consecutive games since a three-game run late in the 1995 season (at Miami, at SMU, Rice). The Texas A&M game was the first time a Baylor quarterback was not sacked since the 2004 North Texas game, snapping 35-game streak.

Kansas recorded a sack of Baylor's Ryan Roberts midway through the third quarter last Saturday, snapping a streak of 114 consecutive pass plays without allowing a sack for Baylor's offensive line.

From 1998 through 2006, Baylor quarterbacks were sacked 328 times in 113 games (2.9 per game), allowing at least 25 sacks each season and a high of 52 sacks in a 12-game 2002 schedule. This season, the Bears are allowing only 1.1 sacks per game. More impressively, the Bears' quarterbacks were sacked once every 11.3 pass attempts from 1998 through 2006; this season, they have been sacked once every 22.3 pass attempts.

LAKE MAKES NAME FOR HIMSELF

FS Jordan Lake ranks sixth in the Big 12 and is tied for 56th nationally with 9.0 tackles per game. A sophomore from Houston's Memorial High School, Lake leads the Big 12 and ranks 11th nationally in tackles among defensive backs.

Lake, who was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week following the Bears' 34-21 victory at Buffalo, has 63 tackles on the season, including 36 solo stops and 1.0 tackle for loss. Along with two interceptions and three passes broken up, Lake has forced two fumbles and recovered two others.

PAWELEK CONTINUES TO ANCHOR BEARS' DEFENSE

LB Joe Pawelek, a Freshman All-America selection in 2006, has continued his stellar play at middle linebacker as a sophomore in 2007. Through seven games, Pawelek has averaged 8.7 tackles per game to tie for seventh in the Big 12 Conference and tie for 69th nationally. He has averaged 11.0 tackles per game in Baylor's three Big 12 contests, tying teammate Jordan Lake for third in the league.

Pawelek has 61 tackles on the season, including 26 solo efforts and 6.5 stops behind the line. He has 2.0 sacks, one pass break up, one quarterback hurry, a fumble forced and a fumble recovery.

SZYMANSKI RECORD CHASE SLOWED IN CONFERENCE PLAY

QB Blake Szymanski collected 14 touchdown passes in the season's first four games; however, he has only one touchdown pass in three games against Big 12 Conference opponents.

With 15 touchdown passes on the season, Szymanski is nearing Baylor's all-time, single-season touchdown passes list. He enters Saturday's game against Texas tied with Larry Isbell (1950) for third place on Baylor's all-time single-season touchdowns passing list. Szymanski needs one touchdown pass to tie Terry Southall (1966) for second place. Shawn Bell established Baylor's single-season record last season with 19 touchdown passes.

Szymanski established a Baylor record for touchdown passes by a sophomore in the season's third game. With three touchdown passes at Buffalo, Szymanski surpassed Cody Carlson's previous school mark for touchdowns by an underclassman (Carlson's record was 12 in 1983).

INSIDE RECEIVERS FEAST

Inside and and slot receivers have accounted for 38.2 percent of Baylor's receptions this season (68 of 178), 39.8 percent of Baylor's receiving yards (795 of 1,995) and 40.0 percent of Baylor's touchdown receptions (6 of 15).

IR Justin Akers ranks second on the team in receptions (26) and first in yards (321), while IR Brad Taylor is third in receptions (23) and second in yards (286). Akers leads the team with four touchdown receptions, while Taylor is one of three Bears with two touchdown grabs. SR Justin Fenty is tied for sixth on the team in receptions (12) and seventh in yards (114). IR Kyle Mitchell also has three catches for 19 yards, IR Eddy Newton has three receptions for 37 yards, and IR Joe Bennett has one catch for 18 yards.

BEARS HAVE 20/20 VISION

In five seasons under head coach Guy Morriss, Baylor has established a bit of a vicenary rule on the scoreboard. The Bears are 16-12 when scoring at least 20 points and 2-23 when scoring less than 20 points since the start of the 2003 season. Likewise, the Bears are 10-3 when holding the opponent to fewer than 20 points and 8-32 when allowing 20 or more points in that time.

FIRST-QUARTER DEFENSIVE SUCCESS CONTINUES

Baylor's defense allowed just 57 first-quarter points in 12 games last season, averaging 4.8 points per game allowed in the opening period. Two of the seven first-quarter touchdowns allowed by the Bears last season were scores by the opponent's defense, meaning Baylor's defense allowed only 3.6 first-quarter points per game. The Bears' defense allowed only six first-quarter touchdowns (two of which were followed by missed extra points) and one field goal. No team scored more than one offensive touchdown, only two scored more than once -- Texas Tech (offensive touchdown and field goal) and Oklahoma (offensive and defensive touchdown).

That success has carried over to the 2007 season as the Bears have allowed only four first-quarter scores and only two first-quarter touchdowns through the first seven games. Baylor held TCU, Texas State and Buffalo scoreless in the opening period. The Bears allowed one first-quarter touchdown against Rice and one first-quarter field goal at Texas A&M; Colorado managed a touchdown and a field goal in the first quarter. Kansas scored 10 first-quarter points -- a field goal and a special teams touchdown.

In 29 games since the 2005 season opener at SMU, Baylor has held the opponent without a first-quarter offensive touchdown 19 times with 14 first-quarter shutouts. Texas Tech last season and Colorado this season are the only opponents to record more than one first-quarter offensive score during that time. Baylor has not allowed multiple first-quarter offensive touchdowns since UAB scored three first-quarter touchdowns in the 2004 season opener, a span of 39 games. The Bears have held the opponent without a first-quarter offensive touchdown 23 times and scoreless 16 times in those 39 games.

NOTES FROM THE KANSAS GAME

• Kickoff delayed 98 minutes due to inclement weather and lightning.

• Game delayed 32 minutes at the 4:06 mark of the second quarter due to lightning.

• The home team has won all six meetings as Big 12 opponents.

• Baylor's defense failed to force a turnover for the first time this season.

• Most first-half points allowed (31) by Baylor's defense since last year's Oklahoma State game (38).

• Most points Baylor has ever allowed to Kansas.

• Largest margin of defeat since 2005 against Texas (62-0).

• Tied for 10th-largest margin of defeat in a conference game all-time at Baylor.

• RB Brandon Whitaker moved into eighth place on Baylor's career receptions list (93).

• QB Blake Szymanski moved into seventh place on Baylor's single-season passing yardage list (1,934).

• Szymanski moved into fifth place on Baylor's single-season passing completions list (170).

• WR David Gettis' third-quarter, 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was Baylor's first since Shaun Rochon's against Oklahoma in 2005.

• Gettis' kickoff return was the seventh longest in school history.

• QB Ryan Roberts saw the first action of his career.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

Baylor has recorded 15 non-offensive scores in 53 games under head coach Guy Morriss, notching at least one such score in each of Morriss' five seasons.

• 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

• 2005 at Oklahoma -- Shaun Rochon 98-yard kickoff return

• 2005 vs. Oklahoma State -- Colin Allred 25-yard interception return

• 2006 vs. Oklahoma -- Braelon Davis 56-yard fumble return (forced by Davis)

• 2007 at Kansas -- David Gettis 97-yard kickoff return

BAYLOR TURNS OVER A NEW LEAF

Baylor ranked 113th nationally in turnover margin and forced just nine opponent miscues over the 11-game 2004 campaign, but the last three seasons it has reversed that trend. The Bears' defense has forced 68 turnovers (38 interceptions, 30 fumble recoveries) since the start of the 2005 season to rank third in the Big 12 and tied for 18th nationally among Division I-A teams in that span. Baylor has come up with at least one turnover in 26 of 30 games since the start of the 2005 season, including 17 games with two or more.

Baylor forced 34 turnovers over 23 games in Guy Morriss' first two seasons, compared to the 68 it has totaled over the last 30 outings. Here's a look at the teams with most turnovers forced over the last three seasons:

TURNOVERS GAINED 2005 2006 2007 TOTAL

1. TCU 40 26 14 80

2. Boston College 18 37 21 76

South Florida 30 25 21 76

Western Michigan 25 34 17 76

5. Louisiana Tech 31 29 14 74

6. Oklahoma 23 32 18 73

7. Michigan 23 26 23 72

Oregon State 26 28 18 72

Purdue 27 32 13 72

Texas 27 32 13 72

11. Southern Mississippi 34 25 12 71

12. Louisiana-Monroe 26 34 10 70

Louisville 28 25 17 70

Southern California 38 22 10 70

West Virginia 31 24 15 70

16. Miami (Ohio) 35 22 12 69

Oregon 32 22 15 69

18. BAYLOR 29 27 12 68

Florida 31 29 8 68

Hawai'i 21 29 18 68

Idaho 22 25 21 68

UTEP 24 25 19 68

23. Nevada 23 37 7 67

24. Boise State 26 31 9 66

Georgia 29 30 6 66

Missouri 24 28 14 66

FORMER WALK-ONS EARN SCHOLARSHIPS

Six senior walk-on members of the Baylor football team were awarded scholarships for the 2007-08 academic year: OG Ricky Hasoon, LB Daniel Lopez, CB Ralph Rodriguez, OL Ted Tanner, SS Zach Jones and FB Keegan Vann.

At the end of spring practice, the Baylor staff also placed junior WR Thomas White on scholarship. Including the seniors receiving scholarships prior to the start of the season, Baylor's 2007 roster features eight walk-ons who have earned scholarships.

Since Morriss' arrival in 2003, 30 Bears have gone from walk-on to scholarship status.

BAYLOR AMONG NATION'S BEST COLLEGES

Baylor University ranks as the nation's 75th-best institute for higher learning, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2008 "America's Best Colleges" edition. Baylor is ranked third among Big 12 Conference schools, trailing only Texas (44th) and Texas A&M (62nd). Last year, Baylor was the fourth-ranked Big 12 school but leap-frogged Colorado (79th) in this year's rankings.

Other Big 12 schools ranked were: Iowa State (t-85th), Kansas (t-85th), Missouri (t-91st), Nebraska (t-91st), Oklahoma (108th) and Kansas State (124th). Oklahoma State and Texas Tech were considered "third tier" schools and were, therefore, not ranked numerically.

AFCA SALUTES BAYLOR FOR GRADUATION RATE

Baylor was one of 34 NCAA Division I-A schools to have its football program honored with the 2007 Academic Achievement Award by the American Football Coaches Association.

In the most-recent AFCA survey, four institutions registered graduation rates of 90 percent or more for their 2001-02 freshman football class, including Northwestern and Notre Dame, which earned top honors from the Touchdown Club of Memphis with their 95 percent marks.

Baylor joined Big 12 schools Nebraska, Texas and Texas Tech among the 32 institutions who received honorable mention recognition with a graduation rate of 70 to 90 percent. Baylor also was recognized in the AFCA's 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2006 surveys.

2007 SCHEDULE FEATURES EIGHT 2006 BOWL TEAMS

After playing seven of 12 games a year ago against teams that went on to earn bowl invitations, Baylor will face eight 2006 bowl teams this season, including six of its eight Big 12 opponents. But, that's nothing new for coach Guy Morriss' program, as 28 times in his first 46 games (including 25 of 32 Big 12 contests) along the Baylor sideline he's faced an opponent who ended the season in a bowl game.

The Bears' 2007 opponents combined for an 85-67 (.559) record a year ago and eight earned bowl bids -- TCU (Poinsettia champion), Rice (New Orleans), Texas (Alamo champion), Kansas State (Texas), Texas A&M (Holiday), Texas Tech (Insight champion), Oklahoma (Fiesta) and Oklahoma State (Independence champion). Baylor's eight 2007 Big 12 foes went 60-43 (.583) a year ago and recorded all three of the league's bowl wins.

Six of Baylor's eight losses in 2006 came at the hands of eventual bowl-bound teams while it knocked off Texas Bowl participant Kansas State, 17-3, and bowl-eligible Kansas, 36-35.

Over Morriss' four seasons in Waco, his teams have tackled the nation's 55th- (2003), sixth- (2004), 28th- (2005) and 49th- (2006) most-difficult schedules according to the NCAA.

FOOTBALL OPERATIONS HEADED TO CAMPUS IN 2008

Ground was broken May 10, 2007, on the Alwin O. and Dorothy Highers Athletics Complex and the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center, a $34 million complex that will integrate the Baylor athletics department and football program into the campus environment for the first time since the late 1950s.

The lead gift for the privately funded project and the largest single gift in school history is from the estate of Alwin O. Highers Jr. of Alexandria, La. A native Texan and a 1939 Baylor business graduate, Mr. Highers was well known as the owner of Alexandria's Dr Pepper Bottling Co. He also was a dedicated supporter of Baylor athletics and in particular its football program, until his death in 2003. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, who still resides in Alexandria.

The focal point of the Highers Athletics Complex will be the 96,300-square-foot Simpson Athletics and Academic Center, which will be built on University Parks Drive adjacent to Baylor's Mayborn Museum Complex and the university's other athletic facilities that are part of the Julie and Jim Turner Riverfront Athletic Complex on the Brazos River.

A Baylor University graduate and generous Baylor supporter, Bob R. Simpson is a co-founder, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of XTO Energy Inc. of Fort Worth. His leadership at XTO has been recognized by numerous publications, including Barron's ("30 most respected CEO's in the world," March 27, 2006), Oil & Gas Explorer ("Executive of the Year," March 2006), Institutional Investor ("Best CEOs," January 2006), BusinessWeek ("The BusinessWeek Top 50 Performers," April 2006) and Forbes ("2,000 Leading Companies in the World," April 17, 2006).

Simpson earned a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance, with magna cum laude honors, in 1970 and his MBA in 1971.

The first floor of the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center will include functions that are currently housed at Floyd Casey Stadium, such as a main athletics training room, equipment room, football team locker room, coaches' locker room and weight room. Floor two will hold administrative offices, the football office and meeting rooms, as well as an academic center which will benefit all Baylor student-athletes.

The Highers Athletics Complex will include three football practice fields, two with a natural surface and the other with artificial turf. Construction will take approximately 18 months and is expected to be completed by July 2008.

FAMILY AFFAIR

The Bears' 2007 roster includes the sons of six former Baylor football standouts, three of whom were All-Americans during their Baylor careers. True freshmen Matt Singletary, V.J. McElroy and Chris Francis join three other sons of Baylor legacies already in the program--sophomore offensive guard Sam Sledge, redshirt freshman receiver Ben Randle and sophomore running back Tony Anderson, who must sit out the season as a transfer from I-AA Southeast Missouri State.

Singletary's father, Mike, was a three-time All-American and two-time Davey O'Brien Award winner who is enshrined in both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame after standout playing careers at Baylor and with the NFL's Chicago Bears. McElroy's father, Vann, was a two-time All-America defensive back at Baylor who went on to play in two Pro Bowls with the NFL's Los Angeles Raiders. The younger Francis' father, James, earned 1989 All-America and Southwest Conference Player of the Year honors and was a first-round NFL Draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals.

David Sledge was an All-Southwest Conference performer for the Bears in 1978. Alfred Anderson, the third-leading rusher in school history, and Ervin Randle, an eight-year NFL veteran with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs, were Baylor teammates in the early 1980s.

COACHING STAFF FEATURES FIVE NEW FACES

In the off-season, Baylor's coaching staff underwent a makeover as five new faces were added, and the dean of the Bears' staff, Larry Hoefer, was promoted to defensive coordinator.

After spending the past three seasons as running backs coach at the University of Arizona, Kasey Dunn is Baylor's new assistant head coach, special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach. Former University of Houston All-America wide receiver Jason Phillips will coach the Bears' inside receivers and serve as recruiting coordinator after helping his alma mater to three bowl games in four seasons. Morriss also hired former University of Houston safeties coach Clay Jennings, a graduate of Waco's La Vega High School, as Baylor's cornerbacks coach.

Cornell Jackson, who coached running backs at the University of New Mexico the past two years and has 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, is the Bears' new running backs coach. Eric Schnupp joined the staff as tight ends and assistant offensive line coach after working three seasons in a similar position at West Texas A&M. He will assist Morriss with the offensive line.

Hoefer, the only remaining member of Morriss' original staff, was named the Bears' defensive coordinator in late February when Bill Bradley was hired as secondary coach of the NFL's San Diego Chargers.

Lee Hays returns for his second season as Baylor's offensive coordinator and will also tutor the Baylor signal callers in 2007, while Gary Kinne (linebackers) and Don Wnek (defensive line) are back for their second and third seasons, respectively, in the Baylor program.

The 2007 Baylor coaching staff boasts more than 160 years of experience at the professional, collegiate and high school levels. Seven members of Baylor's staff played NCAA Division I football and five played professional football.

BAYLOR CONTINUES TO IMPROVE UNDER MORRISS

Introduced as Baylor's 24th head football coach on Dec. 11, 2002, Guy Morriss inherited a proud program that had fallen on hard times and produced just 13 victories in the six seasons (1997-2002) prior to his arrival. He and his staff have already posted more wins both overall (18) and in Big 12 play (seven) in five years than the Bears registered in the seven previous years (17 overall/four Big 12) before Morriss' Central Texas arrival.

Morriss has directed Baylor to seven of its 11 all-time Big 12 Conference victories and its only two conference road wins, while improving the Bears' league win total in each of the last three seasons. He owns a 18-33 record in five seasons at Baylor and is 27-47 in seven seasons as a head coach overall.

OVER THE AIR

Bear football games can be heard live on the Baylor/ISP Sports Radio Network. The network includes nine 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 with 21 years' experience in the Baylor broadcast booth and in his 13th 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.

BAYLOR/ISP SPORTS FOOTBALL RADIO NETWORK

Abilene KYYW-AM 1470

Amarillo KIXZ-AM 940

Big Spring KBST-AM 1490

Houston KKHT-FM 100.7

Dallas/Fort Worth WBAP-AM 820

Jacksonville KXAL-FM 100.3

Lubbock KJAK-FM 92.7

Lufkin KYBI-FM 101.9

Waco (Flagship) KRZI-AM 1660 espn

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, 11 p.m. CT), Fox Sports Southwest (Wednesday, 1 p.m. CT), College Sports Television (Friday, 4 p.m. CT) and the College Channel (Waco cable 18).

UP NEXT ...

Baylor returns to action Saturday, Oct. 27, traveling to Manhattan, Kan., for its final Big 12 Conference inter-division game of the season at Kansas State. Kickoff between the Bears and the Wildcats is scheduled for 2:35 p.m. CDT at Snyder Family Stadium on the Kansas State campus. The game will not be televised.

Kansas State leads the all-time series 5-1, including a 4-1 advantage since the inception of the Big 12. Baylor's lone victory in the series was a 17-3 win last season at Floyd Casey Stadium.