Oct. 13, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

GAME 7
BAYLOR (3-3, 1-1) vs. #8 OKLAHOMA STATE (6-0, 2-0)

Radio: Baylor/ISP Sports Network (ESPN/KRZI 1660AM Waco)(List of other radio affiliates)
Television: None
Internet Audio:
Internet Video: None
Live Stats: None

GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Oct. 18, 2008
Kickoff: 2:05 p.m. CDT
Location: Stillwater, Okla.
Stadium: Boone Pickens Stadium
Capacity: 60,000
Series: Oklahoma State leads 14-12
Waco: Tied 5-5
Stillwater: Oklahoma State leads 8-5
Neutral: Baylor leads 2-1
First Meeting: OSU 60-0 [Oct. 25, 1914]
Last Meeting: OSU 45-14 [Nov. 17, 2007]

BAYLOR BEARS
Record: 3-3, 1-1 Big 12
Ranking: NR/NR
Head Coach: Art Briles
Career Record: 37-31 (6th season)
Baylor Record: 3-3 (1st season)
vs. Oklahoma State: 1-0
Statistical Leaders:
Rushing: Jay Finley [64-425-4]
Passing: Robert Griffin [79-128-0-1109-9]
Receiving: Kendall Wright [26-333-3]
Tackles: Joe Pawelek [17-51-68]

OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
Record: 6-0, 2-0 Big 12
Ranking: 8th/10th
Head Coach: Mike Gundy
Career Record: 24-19 (4th season)
OSU Record: 24-19 (4th season)
vs. Baylor: 2-1
Statistical Leaders:
Rushing: Kendall Hunter [125-862-9]
Passing: Zac Robinson [81-114-4-1250-12]
Receiving: Dez Bryant [34-597-9]
Tackles: Andre Sexton [25-24-49]


Baylor returns to action Saturday, Oct. 18, traveling to Stillwater, Okla., for a Big 12 Conference South Division contest at No. 8/10 Oklahoma State. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. CDT at Boone Pickens Stadium on the OSU campus. Saturday's game is part of homecoming festivities at Oklahoma State.
The Bears (3-3, 1-1 Big 12) snapped a 13-game conference losing streak last Saturday with a 38-10 victory over Iowa State at home. Baylor is 0-1 on the road this season, falling 31-28 at Connecticut. The Bears have lost seven straight Big 12 road games since a 34-31, triple-overtime victory at Colorado in 2006.
The Cowboys (6-0, 2-0 Big 12) are coming off a 28-23 upset at then-No. 3 Missouri last Saturday. Oklahoma State is off to its best start since opening 6-0 in 1997 before falling to Missouri 51-50 at home in two overtimes. The Cowboys are 4-0 at home this season with victories over Houston, Missouri State, Troy and Texas A&M. Baylor and OSU have played one common opponent; both teams defeated Washington State.
All Baylor football games are broadcast live on the Baylor/ISP Sports Radio Network; Waco's 1660 ESPN Radio is the network's flagship station. Saturday's game also will be carried on Sirius Radio 161. Live streaming audio and GameTracker also are available for all Baylor football games online at www.BaylorBears.com, the official website of Baylor Athletics and a member of the CBS College Sports network.


BAYLOR-OKLAHOMA STATE SERIES
This is the 27th meeting between Baylor and Oklahoma State. The Cowboys lead the all-time series 14-12 after Oklahoma State's 45-14 victory last season in Waco. Baylor is 5-8 against Oklahoma State in games played at Stillwater, but the Bears have not won at OSU since 1939 (13-0) and have lost six straight -- all coming since the inception of the Big 12 Conference.
The Bears and Cowboys first met Oct. 25, 1914, with OSU blanking Baylor 60-0. The Bears won the next nine meetings before a 20-7 Cowboy victory in 1972. The teams have met once in the postseason, a 24-14 OSU victory in the 1983 Bluebonnet Bowl at the Astrodome in Houston.

SERIES NOTES: This is the first Baylor-OSU game since the inception of the Big 12 not played in November. ... In 1974, an 0-2 Baylor team knocked off 12th-ranked Oklahoma State at Floyd Casey Stadium. That win started an 8-1 stretch to close the regular season for the Bears in a season that culminated with a Southwest Conference championship. ... In the 1983 Bluebonnet Bowl, Gerald McNeil caught 10 passes for 163 yards against the Cowboys; one of 15 double-digit reception games in Baylor history, McNeil's total is tied for sixth in school history. His total of 163 yards receiving is tied for ninth all-time at Baylor. ... Rashad Armstrong rushed 33 times against OSU in 2002, the fifth-highest single-game total in Baylor history. Armstrong had 112 yards that day, the second of his three consecutive 100-yard games. ... Baylor's 38-point first half in the 2005 game was the highest-scoring half in Baylor history against a Big 12 opponent. The Bears scored 24 points in the second quarter, tying for the eighth highest-scoring quarter in school history. ... Baylor forced eight turnovers in the 2005 game. ... Oklahoma State's 66-point total in last year's game tied for the sixth-most points ever scored against Baylor and the second-most points scored against the Bears in a conference game.


QUICK NOTES
• The NCAA ranks the Bears' schedule as the nation's eighth-toughest. Baylor's Division I FBS opponents currently have a 44-20 combined record against Division I FBS opponents.
• All three Baylor losses this season have come against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches' Poll at some point this season, including two on the day of the game and two currently.
• Baylor currently is in a six-game stretch with four games against teams ranked No. 12 nationally or higher with three games against teams ranked in the top 10.
• Baylor is 9-0 in takeaways-turnovers over the last four games.
• Baylor has not committed a turnover in four straight games, the longest such streak in the program's modern history (since 1946).
• Baylor quarterbacks have not thrown an interception in five straight games, the program's longest run since a six-game streak to end the 1990 season that is the longest streak in the program's modern history (since 1946).
• Baylor already has rushed for more yards (1,237) than in either of the last two seasons and nearly as many yards as in the last two seasons combined.
• Baylor has rushed for 100-plus yards in five consecutive games for the first time since the first five games of the 2005 season. No Baylor team has rushed for 100 yards in six straight games since the 1997 Bears reached the century mark in each of the season's final seven games.
• Baylor already has eclipsed (15) its rushing touchdown total from the last two seasons combined (14).
• Baylor ranks 18th nationally and second in the Big 12 in rushing (206.2 ypg)
• Baylor is eighth nationally and third in the Big 12 in net punting (39.1 ypp).
• Baylor is tied for 11th nationally and tied for first in the Big 12 in turnover margin (plus-1.17 tpg).
• QB Robert Griffin ranks seventh in the Big 12 and 69th nationally in rushing (70.2 ypg). He also ranks 14th nationally in passing efficiency (157.70), and he is 29th nationally in total offense (255.0 ypg).
• Griffin ranks seventh nationally in rushing yards per game among quarterbacks, ninth among freshmen, third among true freshmen and first among freshmen quarterbacks.
• Griffin has scored at least one rushing touchdown in six consecutive games, the longest such streak by a Baylor player since Jerod Douglas had a six-game run in 1995.
• RB Jay Finley ranks sixth in the Big 12 and 67th nationally in rushing (70.8 ypg).
• Baylor and Oklahoma State are the only Big 12 teams with two players in the league's rushing yardage top seven.
• IR Mikail Baker leads the nation with a 35.83-yard kickoff return average.
• WR Thomas White has caught at least one pass in 11 consecutive games.
• IR Kendall Wright is one of only five freshmen nationally with at least 25 receptions (one of only two in the Big 12). He ranks 10th nationally and third in the Big 12 among freshmen with 55.50 receiving yards per game.
• LB Joe Pawelek ranks fourth nationally and first in the Big 12 in tackles (11.3 tpg). He also is tied for 55th nationally and tied for fourth in the league in interceptions (0.3 ipg).
• Pawelek has recorded at least 10 tackles in five games this season.
• LB Antonio Jones is tied for 13th in the Big 12 in tackles (7.0 tpg).
• Baylor's three starting linebackers have combined for 148 tackles this season, 29.2 percent of the team's total tackles.
• P Derek Epperson ranks 26th nationally and second in the Big 12 in punting (42.4 ypp).
• DE Leon Freeman is tied for 85th nationally and tied for 12th in the conference with 1.0 tackles for loss per game.
• Four Bears have started at least 20 consecutive games: RT Dan Gay (28), Pawelek (27), DT Vincent Rhodes (26) and DE Jason Lamb (24).
• Three Baylor true freshmen are listed first at their respective positions: Griffin, PK Ben Parks and Wright.


LAST TIME vs. OKLAHOMA STATE
OKLAHOMA STATE 45, BAYLOR 14
NOV. 17, 2007 • FLOYD CASEY STADIUM • WACO, TEXAS
Baylor's 2007 season came to an end with a 45-14 loss to Oklahoma State at Floyd Casey Stadium. Oklahoma State tallied 545 yards offense on 72 plays, averaging 7.6 yards per play. The Cowboys got 343 yards on the ground and had two 100-yard rushers.
OSU did not take long to seize the game's first lead. After focing the Bears into a three-and-out on the game's first possession, the Cowboys gained possession of the ball at the Baylor 41. Two plays later, Seth Newton caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Zac Robinson. Oklahoma State never relinquished the lead.
Robinson pushed the Cowboys' lead to 14-0 on an 18-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Baylor cut the OSU lead in half with 9:17 remaining in the second when Blake Szymanski connected with Thomas White on a 6-yard touchdown pass. However, the Cowboys answered with a 24-yard Robinson-to-Tommy Devereaux touchdown pass just 71 seconds later. Robinson added a 4-yard touchdown run with 2:46 remaining before halftime.
Szymanski and White connected again 24 seconds before halftime, this time from 28-yards out. It marked White's third multiple-touchdown reception game of the season, becoming the first Bear to accomplish that feat since Melvin Bonner in 1992.
The second half belonged to Oklahoma State, though. The Cowboys added a 27-yard Dan Bailey filed goal and a 4-yard Dantrelle Savage touchdown run in the third quarter. Savage found the end zone again with 9:59 to play, this time from two yards out.
Brandon Whitaker produced 131 all-purpose yards, gaining 79 yards on 11 carries and 59 yards on nine receptions.


BAYLOR vs. RANKED OPPONENTS
Baylor is 41-154-6 all-time against ranked opponents, 26-135-5 when unranked and playing a ranked opponent. The Bears are 2-40 against ranked opponents since the inception of the Big 12 Conference (33-30 vs. 20th-ranked North Carolina State in 1998, and 35-34 in overtime vs. 16th-ranked Texas A&M in 2004). Baylor has lost 14 straight to ranked foes since the 2004 victory over Texas A&M, including a season-opening loss to then-No. 23 Wake Forest and a loss to then-No. 1 Oklahoma two weeks ago.
Since the Associated Press began conducting weekly polls in 1936, Baylor has played at least one ranked opponent every season except 1987. Baylor has played at least one top-10 team every season since 1993. This is the first time Baylor has played two top-10 teams in a season since 2004 (No. 5 Texas, No. 2 Oklahoma) and the first time the Bears have played two top-10 teams within a three-game span since 2002 (No. 4 Texas, No. 4 Oklahoma; consecutive games).


BAYLOR-NEBRASKA GAME TIME ANNOUNCED
Kickoff for Baylor's Oct. 25 game at Nebraska has been scheduled for 11:40 a.m. CDT at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. The game will be televised nationally on Versus. This is the Bears' sixth televised game in eight contests this season, tying the school record for most televised games in one season.


BEARS MAKE TURNOVERS SCARCE
After committing seven turnovers in the season's first two games, including five in the opener against Wake Forest, the Bears have eliminated turnovers in four games since. Baylor lost one fumble against Northwestern State in the season's second game and have not committed a turnover since.
Baylor's current four-game streak is the first such run in the program's modern history (since 1946). The Bears had not gone three straight games in the same season without a turnover prior to this year since 1994.
Furthermore, Baylor quarterbacks have gone five consecutive games without an interception for the first time since the final six games of the 1990 season, which was the longest such run in the program's modern history.
Meanwhile, Baylor's defense has forced its fair share of turnovers. The Bears have forced 13 turnovers this season (seven interceptions, six fumble recoveries). Baylor has forced nine turnovers during its current four-game streak of not committing a turnover. The Bears are tied for 11th nationally and are tied with Texas Tech for the Big 12 lead with a plus-1.17 turnover margin per game.


RUSHING GAME VASTLY IMPROVED
Baylor has rushed for 1,237 yards this season, easily eclipsing its 12-game season total from last year (934) and almost as much as its rushing total from the last two seasons combined (1,416). The Bears have not rushed for 1,500 yards in a season since 1997 (2,039). Baylor ranks 18th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 206.2 yards rushing per game, a far cry from last season when the Bears ranked 113th nationally and 11th in the Big 12 with just 77.8 yards rushing per game.
Furthermore, Baylor has 15 rushing touchdowns this season, already tripling last year's season total (5) and one more than its total from the last two seasons combined. The Bears' rushing touchdown total is the best by a Baylor team since the 2002 squad had 16 rushing scores; that is the only other season in which the Bears have reached double figures in rushing touchdowns since 1998. Baylor has not tallied 20 rushing touchdowns in a season since 1995 (25).

BAYLOR RUSHING LAST DECADE
SEASON G ATT YDS AVG TDS YPG NCAA/BIG 12
1999 11 385 1208 3.1 8 109.8 95th/11th
2000 11 360 802 2.2 5 72.9 110th/11th
2001 11 409 1053 2.6 8 95.7 108th/10th
2002 12 447 1241 2.8 16 103.4 105th/11th
2003 12 478 1320 2.8 8 110.0 102nd/10th
2004 11 366 1088 3.0 8 98.9 104th/10th
2005 11 385 1209 3.1 10 109.9 99th/10th
2006 12 235 482 2.1 9 40.2 119th/12th
2007 12 298 934 3.1 5 77.8 113th/11th
2008 6 249 1237 5.0 15 206.2 18th/2nd


30 POINTS KEY FOR BEARS
Since 2001, Baylor is 18-2 (.900) when scoring at least 30 points and 9-58 (.134) when scoring less than 30 points. The only losses in that span when scoring 30 points were at Texas in 2006 (63-31) and at Oklahoma in 2005 (37-30 in double overtime). Baylor has won seven consecutive games when reaching the 30-point plateau.


RUSHING RECORDS
Baylor rushed for 426 yards on 42 carries against Washington State. It was Baylor's third 400-yard rushing game ever and its first since the Bears rushed for a school-record 482 yards at SMU in 1993, a game in which Baylor did not throw a pass. The Bears rushed for 207 yards against Northwestern State the previous week. It marked the first time Baylor had rushed for 200-plus yards in consecutive games since 1997 (Texas, Texas A&M and Missouri). In fact, it was the first back-to-back 100-yard rushing games for Baylor since 2005 (Texas Tech, Texas).
The Bears have since continued the rushing success, rushing for at least 100 yards in each of the last three games. Baylor's current five-game streak of 100-yard rushing games is its longest since a five-game span to open the 2005 season (Baylor reached the century plateau only twice in their final six games that year). The Bears have not rushed for at least 100 yards in six straight games since a seven-game streak to end the 1997 season.
The Bears' five rushing touchdowns against Washington State were their most in a game since scoring five against Samford in 2002. It was Baylor's most rushing touchdowns against a Division I FBS opponent since a five-touchdown game against SMU in 1995.


BAKER GIVES KICKOFF RETURN GAME SHOT IN THE ARM
IR Mikail Baker resumed his role as Baylor's primary kickoff return specialist two weeks ago against Oklahoma. In two games since, he has returned six kicks for 215 yards and one touchdown. His 35.83-yard average ranks first nationally. Baylor ranks ninth nationally and second in the Big 12 with a 25.91-yard kickoff return average.
Baker averaged 23.73 yards on 22 returns (522 yards) as Baylor's primary kickoff return specialist in 2006. Last season, Baker returned four kickoffs for 103 yards, but a broken collarbone in the season's second game forced him to miss the remainder of the season. His 26.26-yard career kickoff return average currently ranks first in Baylor history.


WRIGHT EMERGES AS BEARS' TOP TARGET
IR Kendall Wright leads the Bears in receptions (26), receiving yards (333) and receiving touchdowns (3). He ranks 19th in the Big 12 Conference with 4.33 receptions per game, and he 21st in the league and 97th nationally with 55.50 receiving yards per game. Wright is one of only five freshmen nationally and one of only two in the Big 12 with at least 25 receptions this season. He ranks 10th nationally and third in the Big 12 among freshmen in receiving yards per game.
No Baylor freshman has ever led the Bears in receptions. Brad Taylor established Baylor's freshman receptions record with 35 last season. Wright already has two 100-yard receiving games this season, going for 114 yards on six catches at Connecticut and 132 yards on seven catches last week against Iowa State. He already is tied 13th on Baylor's career 100-yard receiving games list, and he is the first Baylor freshman with two 100-yard receiving games.


GRIFFIN NEARING SEASON RUSHING CHARTS
Halfway through the regular season, QB Robert Griffin already has cracked two Baylor single-season top 10 lists and is knocking on the door of several others.
With eight rushing touchdowns, Griffin is tied with five others for seventh place on Baylor's single-season list. He is the first Bear to score eight rushing touchdowns in a season since 2002 when Jonathan Golden tallied eight, thanks largely to a five-touchdown game against Samford. Griffin has scored at least one rushing touchdown in each game this season. His six-game run is Baylor's longest since 1995 when Jerod Douglas scored a rushing touchdown in six straight games. Griffin's eight rushing touchdowns already is a school record for a quarterback.
Griffin also is on pace to crack Baylor's top 10 lists in rushing yardage, yards per game, yards per attempt and 100-yard games. In fact, he already has joined Mike Brannan (1979-82) as the only Baylor quarterbacks to record two career 100-yard rushing games. Griffin established a school record with 217 yards against Washington State and then tallied 102 yards against Oklahoma. Coincidentally, Brannan also logged his 100-yard games as a freshman. He had 120 yards at SMU and 101 yards against Rice in the sixth and 10th games of his career, respectively, but never again reached the century mark.
However, Griffin passes, too. With nine touchdown passes, he is on pace to crack Baylor's single-season top 10 list in that category, as well. Griffin is responsible for 17 touchdowns this season, already tied for fifth place on Baylor's single-season list. He also is on pace to reach Baylor's single-season top 10 lists for total plays, total yards and yards per play.


LINEBACKER CORPS RACKS UP TACKLES
Baylor's three starting linebackers -- Antonio Johnson, Antonio Jones and Joe Pawelek -- have combined for 148 tackles this season, averaging 24.7 tackles per game (29.2 percent of the Bears' total tackles). Pawelek leads the team 68 tackles, followed by Johnson (42); Jones (38) is fourth on the team.
Pawelek led the Bears with 86 tackles in 2006; that was the only time a linebacker has led Baylor in tackles since Kris Micheaux accomplished the feat with 96 stops in 2000. The last Baylor linebacker with at least 100 tackles in a season was Dean Jackson, who had 114 in 1996.
Johnson is tied 13th in the Big 12 with 7.0 tackles per game. Jones ranks 22nd in the league with 6.3 tackles per game.


PAWELEK CONTINUES TO CLIMB TACKLES LIST
With two tackle assists against Oklahoma, LB Joe Pawelek moved into sole possession of fourth place on Baylor's career list in that category with 147.
Further ascention up the list should come quickly for Pawelek. He needs one tackle assist to move into third place and 20 to move into second place. However, the school record still is distant; Mike Singletary (1977-80) tallied 311 in his career.
This season, Pawelek ranks fourth nationally and first in the Big 12 Conference with 12.0 tackles per game. He has recorded at least 10 tackles in each of the season's first five games, giving him 10 double-digit tackle performances in his career. Pawelek also is tied for 55th nationally and fourth in the Big 12 with 0.33 interceptions per game.


GRIFFIN MAKES NAME FOR HIMSELF
Attention on Baylor freshman QB Robert Griffin has not been confined to Central Texas or even the Central U.S. ESPN.com columnist Bruce Feldman called Griffin the nation's sixth-biggest surprise through the first third of the season.
Griffin leads the nation in starts at quarterback as a true freshman, and his 9-to-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio is best nationally. In fact, Griffin is the nation's only quarterback to have thrown at least five touchdown passes this season without throwing an interception.
Furthermore, Griffin was named Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week following his performance against Washington State.


SCHEDULE AMONG NATION'S TOUGHEST
Baylor's 2008 schedule currently ranks as the nation's eighth-most difficult by the NCAA as the Bears face eight opponents who participated in bowl games last season. In fact, Baylor is one of only three schools from BCS conferences to play at least three non-conference games against other teams from BCS conferences. Coincidentally, the Bears play both of the other such teams -- Connecticut and Wake Forest (Washington State is the Bears' other BCS non-conference opponent).
Five of Baylor's 12 opponents were ranked nationally to start the season: Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Texas Tech and Wake Forest; two others -- Connecticut and Oklahoma State -- have since joined that quintet in the national rankings. Baylor has not played more than four opponents ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 at time of game in one season since facing five such teams in 1998.
Baylor's remaining schedule (24-8, .750) ranks as the third-toughest nationally behind only Kansas (24-7, .774) and Michigan (27-8, .771). The Bears and Texas A&M are the nation's only teams with three opponents remaining on their schedules who each are at least 6-0 this season. Four of Baylor's six remaining opponents -- Oklahoma State (No. 8 AP/No. 10 coaches), Texas (1/1), Missouri (11/12) and Texas Tech (7/5) -- rank in the nation's top 12, according to this week's national rankings.
Baylor's 2008 opponents currently tout a 44-20 (.688) combined record against Division I FBS competition. That ranks as the eighth-toughest schedule nationally and the third-toughest in the Big 12 behind only Nebraska (48-18, .727) and Kansas (44-18, .710).


BEARS MAKE GOOD USE OF COMPLETIONS
Baylor has completed 89 passes this season, 53 of which have resulted in first downs (59.6 percent). Earlier this season at Connecticut, 12 of the Bears' 14 completions moved the chains (85.7 percent). Last season, Baylor established a school record with 280 completions; however, only 148 resulted in first downs (52.9 percent).
Furthermore, Baylor completions have resulted in touchdowns 11.2 percent of the time this season (10-of-89). Last season, only 7.5 percent the Bears' completions resulted in touchdowns (21-of-280).


BEARS IN MIDST OF TOUGH STRETCH
Baylor is in the midst of a six-game stretch in which four of Baylor's opponents are nationally ranked. In fact, three of the four are against teams ranked in the top 10. Two weeks ago, Baylor faced then-No. 1 Oklahoma. After facing No. 8 Oklahoma State this week, travel to Nebraska before hosting No. 11/12 Missouri and traveling to No. 1 Texas. The Bears then host Texas A&M and enjoy an off week before closing the regular season at Texas Tech, which is ranked seventh/fifth this week.


WHITE CRACKS TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION CHART
WR Thomas White's third-quarter touchdown reception against Northwestern State earlier this season was the 11th of his career. He moved into a an eighth-place tie on Baylor's career chart, matching Stanley Williams (1949-51), George Cheshire (1965-67) and Marques Roberts (2001-04). Seven of White's touchdown receptions have come in his last seven games.
White needs two touchdown receptions to tie Bruce Davis (1980-83) and Dominique Zeigler (2003-06) for sixth all-time at Baylor. Lawrence Elkins (1962-64) and Melvin Bonner (1989-92) hold Baylor's career record; each had 19 touchdown receptions.


MILESTONE WATCH
• QB Robert Griffin needs three passing touchdowns to move into an eight-place tie on Baylor's single-season list.
• Griffin needs one rushing touchdown to move into a fourth-place tie on Baylor's single-season list. He needs two rushing touchdowns to move into a second-place tie and five rushing touchdowns to match Steve Beaird's 1974 school record.
• Griffin needs two touchdowns (rushing or passing) to move into a third-place tie on Baylor's single-season list for touchdown responsibility. He needs five touchdowns to move into a second-place tie and six touchdowns to match Blake Szymanski's school record, established last season.
• WR Thomas White needs two touchdown receptions to move into a sixth-place tie on Baylor's career chart.
• White also needs 26 yards to become Baylor's 24th 1,000-yard receiver.
• WR David Gettis needs three kickoff return yards to crack Baylor's career top 10 list.
• QB Blake Szymanski needs 15 pass attempts to move into eighth place on Baylor's career list.
• With his next touchdown pass, Szymanski will move into a seventh-place tie on Baylor's career list. He needs three scoring passes to move into a fifth-place tie.
• Szymanski needs 224 yards to crack Baylor's career passing yardage top 10 chart.


NOTES FROM THE IOWA STATE GAME
• Baylor tied its largest margin of victory in a Big 12 game (49-21 vs. Iowa State in 1996).
• Baylor's most points scored in a Big 12 game since scoring 44 points against Oklahoma State in the 2005 season finale.
• Baylor's fewest points allowed in a Big 12 game since holding Kansas State to three points in 2006.
• Baylor held a Big 12 opponent scoreless in the first quarter for the first time since Oct. 14, 2006 (at Texas).
• Baylor held a Big 12 opponent without a first-half touchdown for the first time since Sept. 30, 2006 (Kansas State).
• Fewest yards allowed (257) by a Baylor team since the Bears held Iowa State to 257 yards in 2004.
• QB Robert Griffin established a school record for highest single-game completion percentage (87.5, 21-of-24). He broke the program records for minimums of 10 attempts and 20 attempts.
• Griffin's passing yardage total (278) was the 10th-best, single-game performance against a Big 12 opponent in Baylor history and Baylor's 34th-best overall.
• IR Mikail Baker's third-quarter kickoff return TD was the first of his career and tied for the 10th-longest in Baylor history. It was Baylor's first since David Gettis' at Kansas State last season.
• K Ben Parks' third-quarter, 36-yard field goal was a career long.
• IR Kendall Wright established career highs for receptions (7), receiving yards (132) and receiving TDs (2).
• FS Jordan Lake established a career high with three passes broken up.
• S Jeremy Williams established a career high with 2.0 tackles for loss.


TRANSFERS FIND HOME AT BAYLOR
Baylor's 2008 roster features six student-athletes who began their collegiate careers at other NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision universities: LS Casey Cooper (Alabama), QB Kirby Freeman (Miami-FL), DE Adam Geib (Air Force), CB Drew Kerr (Houston), DT Phillip Taylor (Penn State) and C J.D. Walton (Arizona State). Freeman and Walton both started in the Wake Forest game; it was Walton's 13th consecutive start for the Bears. Taylor will be eligible next season.


THOSE GOOD OLD BAYLOR LINES
For the first time in several years, Baylor fields veteran units on both the offensive and defensive lines. The Bears' five starting offensive linemen have combined for 100 career starts; LT Jason Smith leads the way with 33 career starts, followed by RT Dan Gay with 28 starts. Meanwhile, the Bears four starting defensive linemen have combined for 79 career starts; DT Vincent Rhodes leads the way with 28 career starts, while DE Jason Lamb has 26 career starts.
All nine of those players had started at least one game prior to this season. In fact, only DE Leon Freeman (one start prior to this season) and LG Jordan Hearvey (six starts prior to this season) had fewer than 12 starts under their belts entering the 2008 campaign. Five of Baylor's nine starting linemen have started every game since the start of last season.


HOME SWEET HOME
Baylor plays seven home games this season for only the sixth time since Floyd Casey Stadium opened in 1950. The Bears opened with three straight home games for the first time since 1992 and only the second time since 1945.


NICKNAME GAME
Baylor head coach Art Briles has a penchant for giving his players nicknames. Virtually every player on the Bears' roster has a nickname. Some came to Baylor with their nickname, and some have been given nicknames by Briles. Some of the more commonly heard nicknames from Briles are Shazam (QB Blake Szymanski), Romeo (IR Romie Blaylock), All-Star (PK Ben Parks), Diego (BS Larry Washington), Swerve (LG Jordan Hearvey) J-Willy (S Jeremy Williams), Yosemite Sam or Yo-Yo (RB Ray Sims) and Marty Akins (TE Justin Akers).
Here are some other nickname tidbits:
- RB Jeremy Sanders' pre-Baylor nickname was "J-Mo." Briles morphed J-Mo into "Motown."
- QB Robert Griffin, whose teammates call him "Rambo," is called "Cream" by Briles (as in "rises to the top").
- CB Dwain Crawford is called "Fish," as in crawfish.
- Briles calls true freshman WR Kendall Wright "My Dubbie," which came from "K-Dub."
- DT Vincent Rhodes is called "Big Vin."
- DE Jason Lamb is called "Lambo."


DEGREE IN HAND
Five members of Baylor's 2008 football squad already have received their undergraduate degrees: QB Kirby Freeman, LB Ben Hixson, DT Vincent Rhodes, QB Ryan Roberts and LT Jason Smith. That leads the Big 12 Conference and ties for 13th nationally along with Louisiana Tech, Ole Miss, Syracuse and UCF. Miami-FL leads all schools with 13 such players, followed by Boston College and Virginia Tech -- each with 10 such players. Maryland has nine, while Auburn, Clemson and Pittsburgh each have eight. Arizona State, Memphis, Ohio State and Penn State each have seven, and Northwestern has six.


FORMER SIGNAL CALLERS FIND NEW HOMES
Baylor's 2008 roster features 10 student-athletes who were starting quarterbacks in high school, including two former signal callers who played quarterback beyond high school.
Inside receiver John David Weed was on Baylor's depth chart at quarterback last fall and saw action in three games during the 2007 season; he also was the starting quarterback at Tyler [Texas] Junior College during the 2005 and 2006 seasons.
Another junior college transfer -- running back Jeremy Sanders -- made the move to another position after playing quarterback beyond high school. Sanders, a product of Marlin [Texas] High School, spent two seasons as the starting quarterback at Navarro [Texas] College before transferring to Baylor this season.
The most interesting position change was that of Zac Scotton, who now plays defensive end. The six-foot-six, 255-pound Scotton made the switch away from quarterback prior to his junior season at Houston's Cypress Creek High School after out-growing the position.


TRADING PLACES
During spring practice, 10 Baylor players changed positions from last season. An 11th player made a position change during preseason drills as Jeremy Sanders moved from quarterback to running back.
Position changes made during the spring were as follows: Mikail Baker (wide receiver to inside receiver), Krys Buerck (wide receiver to cornerback), Elliott Coffey (safety to linebacker), Dwain Crawford (rover to cornerback), Antonio Johnson (defensive end to linebacker), V.J. McElroy (cornerback to inside receiver), Ray Sims (outside safety to running back), Matt Singletary (defensive end to inside receiver), Sam Sledge (offensive line to defensive line) and John David Weed (quarterback to inside receiver).


SEVERAL BEARS EARN PRESEASON ACCOLADES
Four Baylor student-athletes were named preseason All-Big 12 Conference by various outlets: WR David Gettis, FS Jordan Lake, LB Joe Pawelek and LT Jason Smith.
Lake was the most highly decorated, also earning honorable mention All-America honors from The Sporting News. He was named all-conference by the league's coaches, and he was a first-team all-conference selection by Lindy's, The Sporting News, Blue Ribbon Yearbook and CollegeFootballNews. Lake also earned second-team all-Big 12 honors from Athlon and Phil Steele.
Pawelek, who joined Lake on the coaches' preseason All-Big 12 team, was a first-team all-conference selection by Athlon, Lindy's, The Sporting News and CollegeFootballNews. He was tabbed second-team all-league by Phil Steele.
Smith earned second-team all-Big 12 honors from Athlon and Lindy's, while he was a fourth-team all-conference pick by Phil Steele. Gettis was named third-team all-Big 12 by Phil Steele.


EPPERSON ON RAY GUY AWARD WATCH LIST
P Derek Epperson is one of 46 student-athletes on the 2008 Ray Guy Award Watch List. The Ray Guy Award is given annually to the nation's top collegiate punter. Baylor's Daniel Sepulveda is the award's only two-time winner, picking up the hardware in 2004 and 2006.
Epperson is one of only 11 sophomores and one of seven punters from the Big 12 Conference on the list. He ranks second in the Big 12 and ninth nationally with a 45.4-yard average on 11 punts with five inside the opponent's 20, four punts of 50-plus yards and two punts of 60-plus yards. As a team, Baylor ranks third in the Big 12 and fifth nationally in net punting (41.8 average).
Three of Epperson's last five punts have been 50-plus yards, and the other two were downed inside the opponent's 10. Through only three games of his sophomore season, Epperson already ranks 10th in Baylor history with 12 career punts of 50-plus yards and ninth with three career punts of 60-plus yards. A product of Keller [Texas] High School, Epperson earned freshman All-Big 12 and honorable mention Freshman All-America honors from The Sporting News last season.


LAKE ON THORPE AWARD WATCH LIST
FS Jordan Lake is one of 40 student-athletes included on the 2008 Jim Thorpe Award Watch List. The award is given annually to the nation's best defensive back.
A consensus second-team All-Big 12 honoree as a sophomore in 2007, Lake registered six double-digit tackle games a year ago and finished the season with 120 total tackles, the most by a Baylor player since 2003. He ranked third in the Big 12 (first among defensive backs) and 30th nationally with 10.0 tackles per game last season.
A screening committee will meet Oct. 3 to narrow the field to 10 or 12 semifinalists. Three finalists will be selected Nov. 24. The names of these finalists will be submitted to a national panel of sports writers, sportscasters, coaches and former players who vote to determine the winner. The winner will be announced at the ESPN College Football Awards Show.
Formal presentation of the Jim Thorpe Award takes place at ceremonies in Oklahoma City on the first Tuesday in February following the national signing date for college football recruits.


PAWELEK ON BUTKUS AWARD WATCH LIST
LB Joe Pawelek is on the 2008 Butkus Award Watch List; the award is given annually to the nation's top collegiate linebacker. Pawelek, a 2006 Freshman All-American, is one of 66 student-athletes on the initial watch list, including 2007 winner James Laurinaitis.
A product of Smithson Valley High School in Spring Branch, Texas, Pawelek has been among Baylor's leaders in tackles each of the past two seasons. He led the Bears with 86 stops as a freshman in 2006 and was second on the team with 99 tackles last year. A 2007 All-Big 12 Conference selection, Pawelek tallied eight tackles for loss, including two sacks, forced three fumbles, recovered two fumbles and had one interception last season.
Pawelek is one of only four linebackers from the Big 12 on the Butkus Award Watch List, joining Joe Mortensen of Kansas, Ryan Reynolds of Oklahoma and Sean Witherspoon of Missouri.


WALTON IN RUNNING FOR RIMINGTON TROPHY
C J.D. Walton is one of 42 players on the Rimington Trophy's 2008 watch list. He is one of seven Big 12 Conference student-athletes on the list. The Rimington Trophy annually recognizes the nation's top center.
One of three Baylor offensive linemen to start every 2007 game, Walton was a key cog along a Bears' line which yielded just 21 sacks (on a school-record 561 pass attempts), the program's fewest since 1995. He shared the team's 2007 Best Offensive Lineman Award with tackle Jason Smith.
Walton saw action on 65 or more plays in 10 games with a high of 97 at Buffalo. For the season, he played 911 snaps, most by a Baylor offensive performer in 2007, and second-most overall behind free safety Jordan Lake's 974.
Included on the 2008 Spring Watch List are two finalists from the 2007 Watch List, as well as the award's 2007 winner in Arkansas' Jonathan Luigs. The 2008 winner will be honored at the Rimington Trophy presentation banquet Jan. 17 at the Rococo Theatre in Lincoln, Neb.


BAYLOR AMONG TOP UNIVERSITIES
In a recent Forbes Magazine study, Baylor ranked as the nation's 34th-best university and the top university in the Big 12 Conference. The Forbes list ranked 127 universities. Baylor ranked as the third-best university in the state of Texas behind only SMU (13th) and Rice (24th). Baylor was the 19th-ranked non-Ivy League private university in the nation, sixth among schools with religious affiliations.
Other Big 12 schools in the Forbes rankings were Texas (44th), Texas A&M (49th), Missouri (53rd), Colorado (62nd), Kansas (67th), Oklahoma (73rd), Kansas State (108th), Iowa State (120th) and Nebraska (123rd). Oklahoma State and Texas Tech were not ranked.
U.S. News & World Report recently ranked Baylor at No. 76 -- only one point from tying five other universities at No. 71 -- among the nation's top national doctoral-granting universities. The ranking in the magazine's 2009 edition of "America's Best Colleges" represents Baylor's second-highest overall U.S. News ranking, just behind last year's ranking at No. 75. The magazine evaluated more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools.
Universities in the state of Texas continue to lead the Big 12 among the publication's "Best National Universities." Among Big 12 schools, Baylor is the third highest-ranked university behind only Texas (47th) and Texas A&M (64th). Other Big 12 schools ranked were Colorado (77th); Iowa State, Kansas and Nebraska (tied for 89th); Missouri (96th); Oklahoma (108th); and Kansas State (130th). Oklahoma State and Texas Tech both are in the third tier.


FORMER WALK-ONS EARN SCHOLARSHIPS
Seven former walk-ons have been awarded scholarships for the 2008-09 academic year: Joe Bennett, Carter Brunelle, Ty Findley, Chris Greisenbeck, Ryan Roberts, Sam Sledge and Larry Washington. Baylor has awarded 37 former walk-ons with scholarships since 2003. Most notable of that group was punter Daniel Sepulveda, who was the first two-time winner of the Ray Guy Award and was drafted in fourth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007.


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 CBS College Sports network. CBS College Sports currently hosts sites for more than 100 universities, including five Big 12 schools.


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," the award winning weekly TV show that covers all aspects of Baylor athletics, returns for its 10th season during the 2008-2009 academic year.
Senior Producer Robert Shiekh provide viewers an inside look at Baylor athletics with thorough highlights, in-depth interviews and imaginative features on all 18 sports presented in a fast-paced, entertaining style. Co-hosts John Morris and Lori Fogleman guide viewers through the best coverage of Baylor athletics on television.
"Inside Baylor Sports" airs Sundays, Aug. 24, 2008 through June 7, 2009, at 10:30 p.m. CT on KCEN-TV in Central Texas. The program also airs weekly throughout the region on FSN Southwest at 1 p.m. each Wednesday beginning Aug. 27 and is archived on the web at www.BaylorTV.com. "Inside Baylor Sports" also may been seen nationally on CBS' College Sports Television.


NEXT WEEK
Baylor remains on the road next Saturday, Oct. 25, traveling to Norman, Okla., for a Big 12 Conference inter-division game at Nebraska. Kickoff between the Bears and Huskers is scheduled for 11:40 a.m. CDT at Memorial Stadium on the Nebraska campus. The game will be televised nationally on Versus.
Nebraksa leads the all-time series 9-1, winning all six meetings as Big 12 Conference foes. The Bears' lone victory in the series was a 26-7 decision at Lincoln in 1956. Baylor is 1-6 all-time at Nebraska, including an 0-3 mark in the Big 12 era.