BIG 12 BATTLE NEAR THE BRAZOS

NEVER SAY NEVER

"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."  -Ken Olson, president, chairman, founder of Digital Equipment Corp, 1977 

I never thought I would see the day when Texas didn't play Texas A&M on Thanksgiving and Oklahoma didn't play Nebraska the day after...that the biggest, best and most important college bowl games wouldn't be played on New Year's Day...that a Heisman Trophy winner would be accused of murder and the baseball hall of fame wouldn't include the all-time homerun king or the all-time hits leader.

"We don't like their sound and guitar music is on the way out."  

-Decca Recording Co. - rejecting the Beatles, 1962

I never imagined there would be a day when there would be NHL hockey in Texas, California, Florida and Arizona...a professional team of any kind in OKC...no NFL team in Los Angeles...that every game in all four professional sports could be seen on TV...or that I could care less about watching Monday night football, or any NFL football for that matter.

"Everything that can be invented has been invented." 

-Charles H Duell, Commissioner, US Office of Patents, 1899

I never considered there was any chance that the sport of horseracing would go over three and a half decades without a triple crown winner...that the heavy-weight champion of the world would be anonymous... that Dean Smith wouldn't be coaching the Tar Heels...that Keith Jackson wouldn't be broadcasting the Rose Bowl...or that Joe Paterno would've ever been guilty of not doing the right thing.

"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once"  - Albert Einstein 

...And never in my wildest imagination could I have fathomed a day when the Oklahoma Sooners would be ranked in the top ten and still be a 14 point underdog to the Baylor Bears...but that will be the case when #10 Oklahoma visits Waco to take on #5 Baylor tomorrow night.

BIG NIGHT ON THE BRAZOS

Bear-ly Recognizable

Holy Grant Teaff, Batman!   What in the name of Walter Abercrombie is going on down there in yawn city?  

Under Art Briles, the Baylor Bears football program is 'bearly' recognizable from the perennial last place doormats that have hibernated over the years at Floyd Casey Stadium.  

 -The 2013 Baylor Bears are undefeated and ranked #5 in the country, their highest ranking in 60 years.  
-The Bears are 4-0 in the Big 12 for the first time ever
-A win tomorrow night would make the Bears 8-0 for the first time in the school history.
-Baylor has the top ranked offense in the country, averaging 63.9 points and 718 yards a game.

What next?  Dancing in public? Somebody opens a second bar in town?  Waco named as a top vacation destination?

Bear-ing it all

"We're going tarpless"- Baylor Head Coach, Art Briles

Tomorrow night's game against Oklahoma is the most anticipated game in Waco since...well....since ever.  And why not?  It's the first time in forty eight years that a game involving two top ten college football teams will be played in Waco.  

How big a game is this for Baylor fans?  Big enough to force the school to 'bear' it all.  In 2004, embarrassed by all the empty seats at Floyd Casey Stadium, the powers that be decided to install a large green tarp that covered up almost 3000 empty end-zone seats.  The tarp has long been a contentious topic among Baylor faithful.  The detractors make claim that covering up the empty seats with a tarp exclaiming "This is Bear Country" makes them look like bigger asses than the seats do by being ass free.  Due to the high demand for tickets the tarp is coming off for tomorrow night's game for only the second time in nine seasons, the other being when A&M visited in 2006.  Tarp or no tarp, it will only be the 4th sellout in the 63 year history of 'The Floyd.'  Pretty Grizzly.

Look, I realize that Baylor has sucked for quite a while, but you can't tell me that there is anything better to do in Waco.  Other than hang out at George's or join a cult, the only thing left to do other than watch a football game...would be leave town.

Tis the Season

Even the most optimistic Baylor fan would have to concede that their schedule to this point has been weak at best.  Much like Texas Tech, the Bears have built their resume by feasting on opponents who have a combined record of 27-31.  The best team that the Bears have played this year, if going by record alone, has been Wofford.  Wow, Wofford? What happened, Waco High wasn't interested in a home and home?

The Baylor season basically starts tomorrow.  Following OU, the Bears still have Tech, OSU, TCU and Texas...or basically the upper crust of the Big 12 left to play.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Baylor is overrated or that they're not any good.   I think they're a very good team, maybe even a great team...but until you play someone worth a damn and take a shot to the jaw a couple times, it's hard to really know.   The Sooners may not win tomorrow night, but if nothing else, I expect them to be a little better test for Baylor than Buffalo or whoever the hell Wofford is.   

Battle on the Brazos

Baylor Wins if...
Offense: Baylor is able to exploit the middle of the Sooners defense with their rushing attack and is able to pick up the OU blitz. All year long, they have been able to almost score at will...but even though this isn't a great OU defense, it is the best one that Baylor has seen this year.  If they happen to be stopped a couple times early, it will be interesting to see if they can remain patient.
Defense: If Baylor stops the Sooners rushing attack, short of turning the ball over several times, they win the game
Intangibles:  This is a big moment for Baylor...bigger than they've had years...They have never been 8-0, never been 5-0 in conference, and never won more than 9 straight at home or more than 11 in a row total.  Are they ready?

Oklahoma Wins if...
Offense: The Sooners need to follow K-States example and run the football.  If they can control the clock, take the fans out of the game and keep the Baylor offense off the field, they have a chance.  OU can simply not afford to turn the ball over.
Defense:  If Mike Stoops has one of those magic game plans, now would be the time to break it out.  OU has to find a way to at least slow down Seastrunk and the Baylor rushing attack...as well as find a way to put enough pressure on Petty to force him into some mistakes.  If the Sooners blitz, they better get there or the Baylor receivers will have a field day. For the OU defense, 'Bend but don't break' will never be more apropos.
Intangibles:  These kinds of games are the reason that kids come to play at Oklahoma.  This is why OU schedules non-conference opponents like Notre Dame, Florida State and Miami so that they are prepared for games like this one.  The Sooners don't hope for big spot light games, they expect them.  Baylor wants to be 8-0 for the first time ever...OU has gone undefeated 11 times.  OU is 21-1 lifetime against Baylor, so they will not be intimidated by the Bears or their fans.  It's also time for a Big Game Bob sighting....

PREDICTION:

OU 42  Baylor 37

I have gone from thinking we have no chance to feeling like we are going to pull off the upset.   No reason, just a gut feeling...a feeling that might just turn out to be gas instead of intuition.

Here is the bottom line...if Baylor were to win this game, the city of Waco would be one big party for anyone ever associated with Baylor University.  Waco...a fun place to be? Now that'll be the day!

Just the opinion of one mildly interested guy

The Overweight Armchair Sooner

Buddy Putty