Nov. 10, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
GAME 11
BAYLOR (3-7, 1-5) vs. TEXAS A&M (4-6, 2-4)
GAME INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008
Kickoff: 3:05 p.m. CST
Location: Waco, Texas
Stadium: Floyd Casey Stadium
Capacity: 50,000
Series: Texas A&M leads 65-30-9
Waco: Texas A&M leads 33-19-6
College Station: Texas A&M leads 30-10-3
Neutral: Texas A&M leads 2-1
First Meeting: Texas A&M 33-0 [1899]
Last Meeting: Texas A&M 34-10 [Sept. 29, 2007]
BAYLOR BEARS
Record: 3-7, 1-5 Big 12
Ranking: NR/NR
Head Coach: Art Briles
Career Record: 37-35 (6th season)
Baylor Record: 3-7 (1st season)
vs. Texas A&M: 0-0
Statistical Leaders:
Rushing: Robert Griffin [143-688-11]
Passing: Robert Griffin [135-229-2-1759-12]
Receiving: Kendall Wright [43-564-4]
Tackles: Joe Pawelek [49-65-114]
TEXASA&M AGGIES
Record: 4-5, 2-4 Big 12
Ranking: NR/NR
Head Coach: Mike Sherman
Career Record: 4-5 (1st season)
Texas A&M Record: 4-5 (1st season)
vs. Baylor: 0-0
Statistical Leaders:
Rushing: Mike Goodson [82-395-5]
Passing: Jerrod Johnson [171-285-6-2129-19]
Receiving: Ryan Tannehill [48-746-5]
Tackles: Matt Featherston [48-31-79]
Baylor returns to action Saturday, Nov. 15, hosting Texas A&M. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. CST at Floyd Casey Stadium on the Baylor campus. The game, which is Baylor's final home game this season, will not be televised. This is the 105th rendition of the Battle of the Brazos, tying the TCU series as the most-played in Baylor football history.
The Bears (3-7, 1-5 Big 12) look to snap a four-game losing streak after falling 45-21 at then-No. 5 Texas at Austin last Saturday. The Bears are 3-3 at home this season, including a 1-2 mark in Big 12 play.
The Aggies (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) lost to then-No. 6 Oklahoma 66-28 at home last Saturday, ending a modest two-game winning streak. Texas A&M is 2-1 on the road this season, winning at New Mexico (28-22) and at Iowa State (49-35) and losing at Oklahoma State (56-28).
Baylor and Texas A&M have played two common opponents this season; both teams lost at Oklahoma State and at home to Oklahoma.
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-TEXAS A&M SERIES
Saturday is the 105th meeting between Baylor and Texas A&M in football, tied with TCU as the most-played series in Baylor football history. The Aggies hold a 65-30-9 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to a 33-0 A&M victory in 1899. Texas A&M also leads the series 33-19-6 in games played in Waco.
Baylor and Texas A&M have played every season since 1931 save the 1943 and 1944 seasons when Baylor did not field a team due to World War II.
SERIES NOTES: Texas A&M holds an 11-1 advantage in the series since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1996. ... Baylor has only one victory over Texas A&M since 1985, a 35-34 overtime victory at Floyd Casey Stadium in 2004. ... The last four meetings have been decided by 38 total points since TAMU's 63-point victory in 2003. The 2004 and 2005 games both went to overtime. ... In 1936, Baylor and 14th-ranked Texas A&M battled to a scoreless tie in the Bears' first-ever game against a ranked opponent. The following season, Baylor posted its first-ever victory over a ranked opponent as the 15th-ranked Bears blanked the 13th-ranked Aggies 13-0. That also was Baylor's first game as a ranked team; it propelled the Bears to a 5-0 record and a No. 5 national ranking. ... A 21-21 tie in 1951 stopped Baylor's 4-0 season start. ... In 1965, Kenny Stockdale was 20-of-27 for 286 yards and two TDs as the Bears shutout the Aggies 31-0. That yardage total ranks 19th all-time at Baylor. ... In the 1979 Baylor victory, Mike Singletary recorded 22 tackles. That tally still ranks eighth in school history. ... This is the latest in the calendar year Baylor and Texas A&M have played since meeting Nov. 21, 1913. In fact, Baylor and Texas A&M have played in November only twice since 1924 - Nov. 9, 1996, and Nov. 8, 1997.
QUICK NOTES
• The NCAA ranks the Bears' schedule as the nation's 13th-toughest.
• Six of Baylor's seven losses this season have come against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 at some point this season, including five on the day of the game and four currently ranked.
• Five of Baylor's eight Big 12 games this season are against nationally ranked opponents, including four against teams ranked in the top 10 (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech).
• Baylor was listed as the Big 12's "Biggest Midseason Surprise" by CollegeFootballNews.com.
• Baylor averages 9.2 second-quarter points per game in Big 12 play as opposed to 4.2 points per game in each of the other three quarters.
• Baylor averages 21.6 points per game in Big 12 play, a 60-percent increase from last season (13.5).
• Baylor's scoring defense in Big 12 games (33.5) is more than 10 points per game lower than last season (44.0).
• Baylor is 18-2 when scoring 30-plus points since 2001, going 9-62 when scoring less than 30.
• Baylor is 15-4 in takeaways-turnovers over the last eight games.
• Baylor has at least one rushing touchdown in 10 consecutive games, the Bears' longest such streak since a 14-game run over the 1997 and 1998 seasons and the BU's longest single-season streak since a 10-game streak in 1990.
• Baylor has rushed for more yards (1,851) than in the last two seasons combined (1,416).
• Baylor has more than quadrupled its rushing touchdown total (23) from last season (5), eclipsed its rushing touchdown total from the last two seasons combined (14) by 64.2 percent, and is one shy of matching its total from the last three seasons combined.
• Baylor's 23 rushing touchdowns are the most by a Bears' squad since the 1995 squad had 25.
• Baylor ranks 30th nationally and third in the Big 12 in rushing (185.1 ypg)
• Baylor is sixth nationally and third in the Big 12 in net punting (39.98 ypp).
• Baylor is tied for 13th nationally and second in the Big 12 in turnover margin (plus-1.0 per game).
• Baylor is tied for sixth nationally and ranks second in the Big 12 in fewest turnovers lost (10).
• Baylor is tied for third nationally and leads the Big 12 in fewest interceptions thrown (4). Only Florida and Penn State (both with three) have thrown fewer interceptions this season.
• Baylor is 22nd nationally and fifth in the Big 12 in kickoff returns (23.95 ypr).
• Baylor ranks 32nd nationally and second in the Big 12 in kickoff return defense (19.6 ypr).
• Baylor ranks 36th nationally and sixth in the Big 12 in fourth-down conversion percentage (56.5).
• LT Jason Smith was named first-team midseason All-America by SI.com. He also was named midseason honorable mention All-America by College Football News/Scout.com.
• Smith is projected 16th in The Sporting News' mock NFL Draft.
• Sports Illustrated (SI.com) lists Smith among 15 players with rising NFL Draft stock; he is 19th on the media outlets "Top Prospects" list.
• QB Robert Griffin was named midseason freshman All-America by Rivals.com, midseason Big 12 "Best Newcomer" by the Austin American-Statesman, midseason Big 12 "Top Freshman" by CollegeFootballNews.com and midseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year by ESPN.com.
• LB Joe Pawelek was named midseason honorable mention All-America by College Football News/Scout.com.
• Griffin established an NCAA Bowl Subdivision record for consecutive passes without an interception to start a career regardless of class (209). The streak also was Baylor's overall record and was four attempts shy of tying the overall Big 12 record.
• Griffin ranks seventh in the Big 12 and 68th nationally in rushing (68.8 ypg). He also ranks 33rd nationally in passing efficiency (139.02), and he is 28th nationally in total offense (244.7 ypg).
• 10 of the nation's top 40 quarterbacks in passing efficiency play in the Big 12, including all six in the conference's South Division.
• Griffin ranks sixth nationally in rushing yards per game among quarterbacks, seventh among freshmen, third among true freshmen and first among freshman quarterbacks.
• Griffin ranks second in the Big 12 in rushing among freshmen.
• RB Jay Finley ranks ninth in the Big 12 and 76th nationally in rushing (64.4 ypg).
• IR Kendall Wright ranks 19th in the Big 12 and 95th nationally in receptions per game (4.3), and he ranks 20th in the league and 99th nationally in receiving yards per game (56.4).
• Wright is tied for seventh nationally in receptions (43) among freshmen. He ranks 10th nationally and third in the Big 12 among freshmen with 57.1 receiving yards per game.
• Wright has established Baylor freshman records for receptions (43) and receiving yards (564).
• LB Joe Pawelek ranks third nationally and first in the Big 12 in tackles (11.4 tpg). He also is tied for 24th nationally and tied for third in the league with 0.4 interceptions per game.
• Pawelek and Iowa's Pat Angerer lead the nation in interceptions among linebackers.
• Pawelek ranks 42nd nationally with 10 passes defended (interceptions plus breakups). He is tied for the national lead among linebackers.
• Three of Pawelek's six career interceptions have come in the opponent's end zone. Another such interception (this season vs. Oklahoma) was negated by pass interference called on another player.
• Pawelek has recorded at least 10 tackles in eight of 10 games this season; he has recorded at least seven tackles in each game.
• Pawelek's 114 tackles this season are 15 more than his season total from last year; he is the first Baylor linebacker with at least 100 tackles in a season since Dean Jackson had 114 in 1996.
• FS Jordan Lake is fifth in the league and tied for 42nd nationally with 8.6 tackles per game. He leads all Big 12 defensive backs and ranks ninth nationally among such players in tackles per game.
• Lake is tied for 10th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 5.9 solo tackles per game. He ranks second nationally and first in the Big 12 among defensive backs.
• LB Antonio Johnson ranks 21st in the Big 12 with 6.5 tackles per game.
• LB Antonio Jones is tied for 24th in the Big 12 with 6.2 tackles per game.
• DE Leon Freeman is tied for 24th in the Big 12 with 0.7 tackles for loss per game.
• Baylor's three starting linebackers have combined for 241 tackles, 29.7 percent of the team's total tackles.
• IR Mikail Baker ranks 23rd nationally and fourth in the Big 12 in kickoff returns (26.3 ypr).
• P Derek Epperson ranks 10th nationally and second in the Big 12 in punting (44.3 ypp).
• Eight Bears have started at least 20 consecutive games: RT Dan Gay (32); Pawelek (31); DT Vincent Rhodes (30); DE Jason Lamb (28); RG James Barnard, NG Trey Bryant, Lake and C J.D. Walton (22).
• Three Baylor true freshmen are listed first at their respectitve positions: Griffin, PK Ben Parks and Wright.
LAST TIME vs. TEXAS A&M
TEXAS34, BAYLOR 10
SEPT. 29, 2007 • KYLE FIELD • COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS
Baylor was held to seven first downs and out-gained 552-254 as Texas A&M posted a 34-10 victory over the Bears in the Big 12 opener for both teams.
Texas A&M ran 94 offensive plays, the most against a Baylor team since Oklahoma ran 95 plays in a two-overtime game in 2005 and tied for the fourth-most ever run against the Bears. The Aggies used 65 of those plays on the ground, racking up 352 yards rushing.
Despite being dominated offensively most of the game, Baylor remained within striking distance until midway through the fourth quarter.
With the Bears trailing 20-3, Blake Szymanski connected with David Gettis on a 69-yard post route that gave Baylor a first-and-goal at the Aggies' 3. Jay Finley plowed his way into the end zone on the next play, pulling the Bears to within 10 points with 13:44 remaining in the game.
Baylor's defense forced Texas A&M into a three-and-out on the Aggies' ensuing possession; however, the Bears were unable to get any closer, managing just 66 yards on 12 plays over the remainder of the game.
Texas A&M pulled away down the stretch, getting touchdown runs of two yards and five yards from Stephen McGee (5:39) and Jerrod Johnson (1:42), respectively.
Matt Szymanski put Texas A&M on the board first, connecting on a 28-yard field goal with 4:14 to play in the first quarter. Baylor answered with a 46-yard Caleb Allen field goal on the opening period's final play.
The Aggies regained the lead with 2:08 remaining before halftime when McGee connected with Mike Goodson on a 58-yard touchdown pass.
Javorski Lane pushed the Aggies' lead to 17-3 with a 1-yard touchdown run at the 10:45 mark in the third, and Matt Szymanski, who also missed three field goals on the day, added a 23-yard field goal with 7:36 remaining in the third.
Blake Szymanski finished the game 12-of-35 for 194 yards and an interception for the Bears; he connected with eight different receivers, but no Bear had more than two catches on the day.
McGee was 16-of-28 for 200 yards with one interception for the Aggies; he also rushed 17 times for 110 yards. Lane finished with 123 yards on 24 carries.
Jordan Lake tallied 18 tackles on the day, including 11 solo stops and one stop behind the line. Brandon Stiggers (13) and Joe Pawelek (12) gave the Bears three players with at least 10 tackles. Showing the disparity in the time of possession and total offensive plays (Baylor ran just 52 plays in 16:42), the Bears top eight tacklers had more stops than any Aggie defender.
GRIFFINNEARS RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS RECORD
QB Robert Griffin scored his 11th rushing touchdown of the season last week at Texas, moving into sole possession of second place on Baylor's single-season list. He is two shy of Steve Beaird's 1973 record. Griffin, who is the first Baylor player with at least 10 rushing touchdowns in a season since John Henry had 10 in 1993, scored at least one rushing touchdown in six consecutive games earlier this season, tying Jerod Douglas' 1995 school record.
Griffin also produced his fourth 100-yard rushing game last week at Texas, gaining 101 yards on 13 carries. He joins Walter Abercrombie (1979, 1980, 1981), Alfred Anderson (1983), Rashad Armstrong (2003), Beaird (1974), Jerod Douglas (1995), Cleveland Franklin (1975), Dennis Gentry (1980) and Brandell Jackson (1993) as the only Baylor players with at least four 100-yard games in a season. Griffin needs one such game to crack Baylor's all-time career top 10 list.
Furthermore, Griffin is tied for ninth on Baylor's single-season points scored list with 66, tied for fourth among non-kickers.
HE PASSES, TOO
With 12 touchdown passes, QB Robert Griffin is tied with four others for eighth place on Baylor's single-season list. He is the first player in Baylor history to record at least 10 rushing touchdowns and at least 10 passing touchdowns in the same season. Griffin needs 34 yards passing and one passing completions to move into 10th place on Baylor's single-season lists in those categories. He has completed 59.0 percent of his passes, currently the fourth-best season percentage in Baylor history.
Griffin is responsible for 23 touchdowns this season, tying Blake Szymanski's record established last season. He has amassed 2,447 total yards, third on Baylor's single-season list; Szymanski established the school record with 2,942 yards last season. Griffin's 6.578-yard average per play currently ranks sixth on Baylor's single-season chart.
SCHEDULE AMONG NATION'S TOUGHEST
Baylor's 2008 schedule currently ranks as the nation's 13th toughest (66-40, .623); that ranks third among Big 12 teams behind only Texas (fifth, .657) and Kansas (sixth, .644). 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 - later joined that quintet in the national rankings (Connecticut and Wake Forest have since exited).
Baylor had 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; that changed last week when Baylor played Texas, its fifth ranked opponent this season. The Bears finish the season Nov. 29 at Texas Tech, which currently is ranked second nationally. It will mark the first time Baylor has played six ranked opponents in a season since 1977 when the Bears were 5-6 with all six losses coming against ranked opponents.
The Bears play eight opponents this season who participated in bowl games last year. 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 played both of the other such teams - Connecticut and Wake Forest (Washington State is the Bears' other BCS non-conference opponent).
PAWELEK NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
LB Joe Pawelek was named first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced recently. Pawelek, a product of Smithson Valley High School in Spring Branch, Texas, earned academic all-district honors for the second consecutive season. He is eligible for Academic All-America honors; that team is announced in late November.
This is the sixth consecutive season in which Baylor has produced an academic all-district honoree and the fifth time in the last six years that the Bears have produced a first-team selection. Daniel Sepulveda was a second-team selection as a sophomore in 2004 and earned first-team honors in 2005 and 2006. In 2003, John Martin was a first-team pick, while Stephen Sepulveda was named second-team.
RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS STREAK CONTINUES
Baylor has scored at least one rushing touchdown in each game this season. That 10-game streak is the program's longest since a 14-game stretch that covered the final seven games of the 1997 season and the first seven games of the 1998 season. The Bears' current streak is the program's longest within one regular season since a 10-game streak to close the 1990 season.
The last season in which Baylor scored at least one rushing touchdown in each game was 1986. Baylor had at least one rushing touchdown in 10 of 11 games during the 1995 season; the only game in which the Bears did not score a rushing touchdown was in a three-field goal, 9-7 victory at home against Texas Tech.
BEARS STINGY WITH TURNOVERS
Baylor has committed only 10 turnovers this season, significantly lower than its 2007 total (37). The Bears have committed at least 20 turnovers each season since 1997 (19). The modern program record (since 1946) for fewest turnovers in a season is 17, established in 1949 and matched in 1993. In fact, Baylor has committed fewer than 20 turnovers in a season only five times since 1946.
Earlier this season, Baylor established a modern program record by not committing a turnover in four consecutive games. The Bears have committed more than one turnover only twice in 10 games this season (five vs. Wake Forest and two vs. Missouri).
Baylor has committed only four turnovers in its last eight games and only five in nine games since the season opener against Wake Forest. The Bears are tied for 13th nationally and rank second in the Big 12 Conference in turnover margin (plus-1.00 per game).
Meanwhile, Baylor's defense has forced its fair share of turnovers. The Bears have forced 19 turnovers this season (10 interceptions, nine fumble recoveries). Baylor forced nine turnovers during its four-game streak of not committing a turnover.
HALFTIME POSITION IMPORTANT
Baylor has lost 18 consecutive games when trailing at halftime. The Bears' last victory when trailing at the half was Oct. 21, 2006, overcoming a 35-17 deficit to defeat Kansas 36-35. In fact, Baylor scored all 19 points for the comeback win during the fourth quarter of that game.
This season, the Bears are 3-1 when leading at the half and 0-5 when trailing. Baylor is 0-1 this season when tied at half (14-14 at Connecticut).
PAWELEK CONTINUES TO PILE UP TACKLES
LB Joe Pawelek leads the Big 12 Conference and ranks third nationally with 11.4 tackles per game. He collected 14 tackles, one shy of his career high, earlier this season against Oklahoma State, including a career-best 13 solo stops.
Pawelek has recorded at least 10 tackles in eight of Baylor's 10 games this season, and he has recorded at least seven tackles in each game. He now has 114 tackles on the season, 15 more than his 2007 season total. Pawelek is the first Baylor linebacker with at least 100 tackles in a season since Dean Jackson had 114 in 1996. He needs 11 tackles to crack Baylor's single-season tackles top 10 list and become the first Baylor linebacker with at least 125 tackles in a season since LaCurtis Jones had 125 in 1994.
With 65 assisted tackles this year, Pawelek ranks sixth on Baylor's single-season list. He needs 10 assisted tackles to climb into third place and 19 to reach second place. Mike Singletary owns the school record with 105 in 1978.
Pawelek ranks third all-time at Baylor with 165 career assisted tackles. He needs two to pass Doak Field (1977-80) for second on Baylor's all-time list. However, the school record still is distant; Mike Singletary (1977-80) tallied 311 in his career. Pawelek needs 10 tackles to reach 300 career stops.
RUSHING GAME VASTLY IMPROVED
Baylor has rushed for 1,851 yards this season, nearly doubling its 12-game season total from last year (934) and easily eclipsing its rushing total from the last two seasons combined (1,416). The Bears had not rushed for 1,500 yards in a season since 1997 (2,039). Baylor ranks 30th nationally and third in the Big 12 with 185.1 yards 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.
The Bears rushed for 216 yards earlier this season at Nebraska. It was Baylor's first 200-yard rushing game against a Big 12 team since 2003 (202 vs. Colorado) and its first in a Big 12 road game since 1998 (258 at Texas A&M). In fact, it was Baylor's third-best rushing yardage total ever in a Big 12 game. After gaining 201 yards on the ground last week at Texas, the Bears have rushed for 100-plus yards in three consecutive Big 12 games for the first time since accomplishing the feat in each of the final seven games of the 1997 season.
Furthermore, Baylor has 23 rushing touchdowns this season, more than quadrupling last year's season total (5). Baylor has rushed for 64.2 percent more touchdowns than its total from the last two seasons combined (14) and is one shy of matching its total from the last three seasons combined. The Bears' rushing touchdown total is the best by a Baylor team since the 1995 squad had 25 rushing scores. Baylor has two players with at least five rushing touchdowns (QB Robert Griffin, 11; RB Jay Finley, 6) for the first time since 1996 (RB Jerod Douglas, 8; FB Shawn Washington, 7).
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 10 386 1851 4.8 23 185.1 30th/3rd
WRIGHT BECOMES BAYLOR'S ALL-TIME FRESHMAN RECEPTIONS LEADER
IR Kendall Wright has established a Baylor record for receptions (43) and receiving yards (564) by a freshman. He leads the Bears in both categories; no Baylor freshman has ever led the team in either category. Wright also has 143 yards rushing (most of which has come on lateral passes), good for third on the team.
Wright ranks 19th in the Big 12 and 95th nationally with 4.3 receptions per game. He also ranks 20th in the league and 99th nationally with 56.4 receiving yards per game. He is one of nine freshmen nationally with at least 40 receptions, one of five true freshmen. Wright ranks 10th nationally in receiving yards per game among freshmen, seventh among true freshmen.
Wright has two 100-yard receiving games this season, going for 114 yards on six catches at Connecticut and 132 yards on seven catches against Iowa State. He is tied for 13th on Baylor's career 100-yard receiving games list, and he is the first Baylor freshman with two 100-yard receiving games.
NCAA FBS FRESHMAN RECEPTIONS LEADERS
DeAndre Brown, Southern Mississippi 55
*Tyron Carrier, Houston 54
*Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M 48
A.J. Green, Georgia 46
*Patrick Edwards, Houston 46
Michael Floyd, Notre Dame 46
Kendall Wright, BAYLOR 43
*Martavious Odoms, Michigan 43
Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M 42
NCAA FBS FRESHMAN RECEIVING YARDS PER GAME LEADERS
DeAndre Brown, Southern Mississippi 93.30
T.Y. Hilton, Florida International 86.33
*Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M 82.89
A.J. Green, Georgia 80.60
*Patrick Edwards, Houston 79.25
Michael Floyd, Notre Dame 78.00
*Tyron Carrier, Houston 67.56
Julio Jones, Alabama 63.40
Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M 59.44
Kendall Wright, BAYLOR 56.40
* - redshirt freshman
30 POINTS KEY FOR BEARS
Since 2001, Baylor is 18-2 (.900) when scoring at least 30 points and 9-62 (.127) 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.
BEARS HAVE 20/20 VISION
Baylor has followed a vicenary rule this season, going 3-4 when scoring at least 20 points and 0-3 when scoring less than 20 points. Furthermore, the Bears are 3-2 when recording at least 20 first downs, compared to 0-5 when gaining fewer than 20 first downs.
SMITH'S STOCK SMOOTHLY RISING
LT Jason Smith, known to teammates and coaches as "Smooth," has seen NFL Draft stock soar as the season has progressed. Smith is projected as the 16th pick in The Sporting News' latest mock NFL Draft, sixth among offensive linemen and third among tackles. Sports Illustrated lists Smith among 15 players with rising NFL Draft stock; the publication ranks him 19th on its "Top Prospects" list.
GRIFFINBAYLOR'S TOP RUSHING QUARTERBACK
QB Robert Griffin has rewritten Baylor's records book for quarterback rushing. He has established program season records for a quarterback in rushing yards (688) and rushing touchdowns (11). He has four 100-yard rushing games this year, establishing Baylor career and season records for quarterbacks. Griffin joins Mike Brannan (two) as the only Baylor quarterbacks to ever rush for 100 yards in a game more than once.
NO REST FOR THE WEARY
Life in the Big 12 Conference is not for the weak of heart. Baylor's eight-game conference slate features five nationally ranked opponents. In fact, all five have been ranked in the top 10 at some point this season. Baylor already has played then-No. 1 Oklahoma, then-No. 8 Oklahoma State, then-No. 14 Missouri and then-No. 5 Texas. The Bears conclude the season at second-ranked Texas Tech.
BEARS MAKE GOOD USE OF COMPLETIONS
Baylor has completed 145 passes this season, 82 of which have resulted in first downs (56.6 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 9.0 percent of the time this season (13-of-145). Last season, 7.5 percent the Bears' completions resulted in touchdowns (21-of-280).
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 went on to rush for 100-plus yards in five consecutive games before Oklahoma State held Baylor to 42 rushing yards. The five-game streak was the Bears' longest since a five-game run to open the 2005 season.
Baylor has rushed for 100-plus yards in eight of 10 games this season, the most since the Bears reached the century plateau nine times in 11 games during the 1997 season.
LINEBACKER CORPS RACKS UP TACKLES
Baylor's three starting linebackers - Antonio Johnson, Antonio Jones and Joe Pawelek - have combined for 241 tackles this season, averaging 24.1 tackles per game (29.7 percent of the Bears' total tackles). Pawelek leads the team with 114 tackles; Johnson (65) is third, while Jones (62) is fourth.
Pawelek, who leads the Big 12 and ranks third nationally with 11.4 tackles per game, led the Bears with 86 tackles in 2006; that was the first time a linebacker led Baylor in tackles since Kris Micheaux accomplished the feat with 96 stops in 2000. Pawelek's 114 tackles are the most by a Baylor linebacker since Dean Jackson had 114 in 1996. Johnson is 21st in the Big 12 with 6.5 tackles per game, while Jones is tied for 24th (6.2).
GRIFFINREWRITES NCAA RECORD BOOK
QB Robert Griffin was intercepted for the first time in his career on the Bears' final offensive play against Missouri. That snapped a streak of 209 consecutive passes without an interception for Griffin. His 209-attempt streak was the longest in NCAA Bowl Subdivision history to start a career, regardless of class. Brad Otton of Southern California previously held the mark of 202 attempts, established over the 1994 and 1995 seasons.
Griffin also established Baylor's overall record for consecutive pass attempts without an interception, breaking Shawn Bell's previous mark (161) established from 2003 to 2005. Griffin was four attempts shy of tying the overall Big 12 Conference of 213 consecutive attempts without an interception, held by Texas A&M's Reggie McNeal (2003-2004) and Kansas' Todd Reesing (2007).
EPPERSON NAMED RAY GUY AWARD SEMIFINALIST
P Derek Epperson is one of 10 student-athletes on the semifinalists list for the 2008 Ray Guy Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate punter. Nominees were evaluated on their statistics and contribution to the team with particular emphasis placed on net average, percentage of total punts inside the opponents' 20 yard line, average return yardage and percentage of punts not returned.
A product of Keller [Texas] High School, Epperson is 10th nationally and second in the Big 12 Conference with a 44.28-yard punting average. His punting has helped Baylor to a No. 6 national ranking in team net punting (39.98 yards), which ranks third in the Big 12.
Epperson has 16 punts of 50-plus yards this season (tied for 10th on Baylor's single-season list) and three of 60-plus yards (tied for seventh on Baylor's single-season chart), including a career-long 65-yard boot at Nebraska. Of his 46 punts, 13 pinned the opponent inside the 20 yard line (28.3 percent), and another five resulted in touchbacks. All told, 69.6 percent of his punts have not been returned.
Epperson is one of two punters from the Big 12 on the 10-man semifinalists list, joining Matt Fodge of Oklahoma State. Others on the list are: Bryan Anger (California), Ryan Donahue (Iowa), Chas Henry (Florida), Kevin Huber (Cincinnati), Pat McAfee (West Virginia), Zoltan Mesko (Michigan), Louie Sakoda (Utah) and A.J. Trapsso (Ohio State).
MILESTONE WATCH
• QB Robert Griffin needs 34 passing yards to move into 10th place on Baylor's single-season list. He needs 95 yards to move into ninth place, 139 yards to move into eighth place, 205 yards to move into seventh place and 228 yards move into sixth place.
• Griffin needs one passing completion to move into 10th place on Baylor's single-season list. He needs nine completions to move into ninth place and 16 completions to move into eighth place.
• Griffin needs one passing touchdown to move into a seventh-place tie on Baylor's single-season list. He needs two passing touchdown to move into a fifth-place tie, three to move into a fourth-place tie and four to move into a third-place tie.
• Griffin needs two rushing touchdowns to match Steve Beaird's 1974 school record.
• Griffin needs 192 yards to move into second place on Baylor's single-season total yards list.
• Griffin needs one touchdown (rushing or passing) break Blake Szymanski's school record (23), established last season.
• Griffin needs six touchdowns (rushing or passing) to move into a 10th-place tie on Baylor's career touchdown responsibility list.
• Griffin needs one touchdown (rushing or receiving) to move into sixth place on Baylor's single-season points scored list and two touchdowns to move into fourth.
• IR Kendall Wright needs 10 receptions to move into a ninth-place tie on Baylor's single-season list. He needs 11 to tie for eighth, 12 to tie for seventh, 13 to tie for sixth and 15 to tie for fifth.
• WR Thomas White needs two TD receptions to move into a sixth-place tie on Baylor's career chart.
• WR David Gettis needs three kickoff return yards to crack Baylor's career top-10 list.
• LB Joe Pawelek needs two assisted tackles to move into second place on Baylor's career chart.
• Pawelek needs two assisted tackles to move into fifth place on Baylor's single-season list. He needs seven to move into fourth place, 10 to move into third place and 19 to move into second.
• Pawelek needs 12 tackles to move into 10th place on Baylor's single-season list. He needs 13 to move into ninth place and 16 to move into seventh place.
• Pawelek needs 10 tackles to reach 300 on his career.
• IR Mikail Baker needs three kickoff returns to move into sixth place on Baylor's career list and four to move into fifth place.
• Baker needs three kickoff returns to move into fith place on Baylor's single-season list and seven to move into fourth place.
• Baker needs 76 kickoff return yards to move into third place on Baylor's career list and 169 yards to move into second place.
• Baker needs 10 kickoff return yards to move into fifth place on Baylor's single season list, 23 yards to move into fourth, 38 yards to move into third, 110 yards to move into second and 132 yards to break David Gettis' 2007 school record.
• P Derek Epperson needs two punts of 50-plus yards to move into an eighth-place tie on Baylor's career list. Doing so also would move him into a ninth-place tie on Baylor's single-season list.
• Epperson needs one punt of 60-plus yards to move into sole possession of sixth place on Baylor's career list. He needs two such punts to tie for fifth place and three such punts to tie for fourth.
• Epperson needs one punt of 60-plus yards to move into sole possession of seventh place on Baylor's single-season list and two such punts to tie two others for fifth place.
• K Ben Parks needs one extra points made to move into a fifth-place tie on Baylor's single-season list. He needs to to tie for fourth, three to tie for third and four to tie for second.
• Parks' next extra-point attempt will be his 37th of the season, the second-highest season total in Baylor history.
NOTES FROM THE TEXAS GAME
• Third-largest crowd to ever watch a Baylor football game behind only games at Michigan in 1997 (106,0641) and 1975 (104,248).
• Baylor's second-quarter, 96-yard touchdown drive tied its longest of the season (at Nebraska). IR Kendall Wright accounted for 89 of the 96 yards with a 34-yard run and a 55-yard reception.
• Baylor produced at least 100 yards rushing for the third consecutive Big 12 game, the first time the Bears have accomplished that feat since 1997.
• QB Robert Griffin's third-quarter, 63-yard run was Baylor's longest play from scrimmage this season.
• Griffin's second-quarter, 55-yard pass to IR Kendall Wright was Griffin's second-longest pass play of the season and the Bears' sixth-longest play from scrimmage this season. It also was Wright's career-long reception.
• Wright's second-quarter, 34-yard run was a career long.
• DE Leon Freeman established career highs for tackles (9) and solo stops (8).
• CB Krys Buerck's first-quarter interception was the first of his career.
GRIFFINMAKES 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.
THREE BEARS EARN MIDSEASON HONORS
Three Baylor student-athletes earned midseason honors from various publications this week. LB Joe Pawelek and LT Jason Smith both were named midseason honorable mention All-America by College Football News/Scout.com, while Smith earned first-team midseason All-America honors from Sports Illustrated (SI.com). QB Robert Griffin was named midseason Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year by ESPN.com and midseason Freshman All-America by Rivals.com. He also was named midseason Big 12 "Best Newcomer" by the Austin American-Statesman.
WHITE AMONG BAYLOR'S ALL-TIME TOP RECEIVERS
With three catches for 35 yards at Oklahoma State, WR Thomas White became the 24th player in Baylor history to eclipse 1,000 career receiving yards. A former walk-on, White recorded his 11th career touchdown reception against Washington State earlier this season. 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.
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 122 career starts; LT Jason Smith leads the way with 37 career starts, followed by RT Dan Gay with 32 starts (consecutively). Meanwhile, the Bears four starting defensive linemen have combined for 94 career starts; DT Vincent Rhodes leads the way with 32 career starts (30 consecutively), while DE Jason Lamb has 30 career starts (28 consecutively).
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.
DEGREE IN HAND
Six members of Baylor's 2008 football squad already have received their undergraduate degrees: QB Kirby Freeman, LB Ben Hixson, RB Jacoby Jones, DT Vincent Rhodes, QB Ryan Roberts and LT Jason Smith. That leads the Big 12 Conference and ties for 12th nationally along with Northwestern. 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.
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."
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).
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.
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.
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.
LAKEON 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 be seen nationally on CBS College Sports Television.
NEXT WEEK
Baylor enjoys its second off-week of the season before concluding the 2008 campaign Saturday, Nov. 29, at second-ranked Texas Tech. Kickoff time has not yet been scheduled.
