Facing a 3d and 17 from its own 30, and with only 2 seconds left, Oklahoma State tries one of those lateral plays where you keep throwing the ball back and forth. One of the laterals gets away from OSU, and rolls all the way back to the OSU 3 -- where Eric Striker of Armwood H.S. in Seffner, Fla. picks it up AND TROTS INTO THE END ZONE FOR ANOTHER OKLAHOMA TOUCHDOWN.
Looking back over the results of the second half, I think this has to be the most painful loss in Oklahoma State football history. Consider what happened:
1. Oklahoma State was at home, and was heavily favored to win the game, keep the UCFC, and take the Big XII championship to the Fiesta Bowl.
2. OSU finished the game with 432 total yards, while OU had only 358.
3. OU's quarterback was hurt at the end of the first half, and the Sooners had to use back-ups all through the second half.
4. OSU had a running back, Desmond Roland, who went for 144 yards on 21 carries.
5. OSU scored what appeared to be the game-winning touchdown after a flawless 82 yard drive, leaving less than 2 minutes for OU's third-string quarterback.
6. OSU appeared to have the game-winning interception with less than a minute to go -- but the play was not even reviewed by the officials.
And when it was all over, OU had won anyway, 33-24. The Sooners got one touchdown on a punt return. They got another on a fake field goal that resulted in a pass from the holder to the kicker. And they got another when a linebacker recovered a fumble on the last play of the game. So OSU loses everything -- the rivalry game, the UCFC, the Big XII title, and the chance to play in the Fiesta Bowl. Their all-time record in UCFC games is now 3-10.
OU does not get the Big XII title -- that will now go to either Baylor or Texas. But the Sooners do get the UCFC. We will have to wait to see which bowl game will host the next UCFC battle. In the meantime, Oklahoma's all-time record in UCFC play is now 27-16-1.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Oklahoma St. 24 - 27 Oklahoma (19 seconds left in 4th Quarter)
Oh, my! Blake Bell, OU's third-string quarterback, throws an 8-yard pass to Jalen Saunders for a TOUCHDOWN to put Oklahoma in the lead.
Oklahoma St. 24 - 20 Oklahoma (24 seconds left in 4th quarter)
What a wild game!
After a few more scrambling passes, OU has the ball with a first and goal on the OSU 8.
Meanwhile, the folks on the Touchdown Radio Network are enraged that OSU was not given credit for Justin Gilbert's apparent interception. They report that Twitter is exploding with fury against the officials.
After a few more scrambling passes, OU has the ball with a first and goal on the OSU 8.
Meanwhile, the folks on the Touchdown Radio Network are enraged that OSU was not given credit for Justin Gilbert's apparent interception. They report that Twitter is exploding with fury against the officials.
Oklahoma St. 24 - 20 Oklahoma (1:02 left in 4th Quarter)
But the Sooners are not dead yet. A few passes and a pass interference call get them down to the OSU 30. Then, on 1st and 10 from the 30, it appears that Justin Gilbert -- an OSU cornerback from Huntsville H.S. in Huntsville, Tex. -- has made a game-saving interception. But the officials rule that Gilbert didn't hang on to the ball!
Oklahoma St. 24 - 20 Oklahoma (1:46 left in the 4th Quarter)
With their backs against the wall, the Cowboys pull off a scoring drive for the ages:
1st and 10 (OSU 11): Clint Chelf passed to Josh Stewart for 14 yards
1st and 10 (OSU 25): Clint Chelf passed to Charlie Moore for 27 yards
1st and 10 (OU 48): Clint Chelf passed to Tracy Moore for 20 yards
1st and 10 (OU 28): Clint Chelf passed to Tracy Moore for 23 yards
1st and Goal (OU 5): Desmond Roland rushed for 2 yards
2d and Goal (OU 3): Desmond Roland rushed for 2 yards
3d and Goal (OU 1): Desmond Roland rushed for 1 yard. TOUCHDOWN
This is the coldest game ever played at Boone Pickens Stadium, but the OSU fans are feeling very warm and happy right now.
1st and 10 (OSU 11): Clint Chelf passed to Josh Stewart for 14 yards
1st and 10 (OSU 25): Clint Chelf passed to Charlie Moore for 27 yards
1st and 10 (OU 48): Clint Chelf passed to Tracy Moore for 20 yards
1st and 10 (OU 28): Clint Chelf passed to Tracy Moore for 23 yards
1st and Goal (OU 5): Desmond Roland rushed for 2 yards
2d and Goal (OU 3): Desmond Roland rushed for 2 yards
3d and Goal (OU 1): Desmond Roland rushed for 1 yard. TOUCHDOWN
This is the coldest game ever played at Boone Pickens Stadium, but the OSU fans are feeling very warm and happy right now.
Oklahoma St. 17 - 20 Oklahoma (4:27 left in 4th Quarter)
The OU drive stalls, and the Sooners punt down to the OSU 11. This may be the Cowboys' last chance to score.
Oklahoma St. 17 - 20 (7:03 left in 4th Quarter)
Facing 2d and 10 from his own 1 yard line, Blake Bell dropped the snap. He picked up the ball, and found Sterling Shepherd of Heritage Hall H.S. in Oklahoma City, Okla. Shepherd caught the ball at the OU 25, and was off to the races. He dashed all the way to the OSU 42 before he was tackled.
Oklahoma St. 17 - 20 Oklahoma (8 minutes left in 4th Quarter)
OSU's drive stalls at the OU 36. On 4th and 5, the guys from the Touchdown Radio Network wanted OSU to go for it. But Coach Mike Gundy orders a punt, and Kip Smith (of Legacy H.S. in Bloomfield, Colo.), lofts a perfect kick that is downed at the OU 1 yard line.
Oklahoma St. 17 - 20 Oklahoma (10:01 left in 4th Quarter)
This game has become the Michael Hunnicutt show. The OU drive stalls, but Hunnicutt kicks a 39-yard field goal to put the Sooners in the lead for the first time today. Hunnicutt has 14 of the 20 points scored by OU so far today.
I went to Vanderbilt, and I never, ever expect Vanderbilt to beat Tennessee -- no matter how good Vandy is, or how bad UT is. That's what it's like when you lose to the same team so many times. So if I had been an OSU fan, I would have been a nervous wreck, terrified that the Sooners would find some way to pull this game out. And so far, that is what is happening. OSU has 333 yards, to only 238 for OU, but the Sooners are winning. Can the Cowboys now overcome the pressure, the weather, and the OU defense, to pull this game out?
I went to Vanderbilt, and I never, ever expect Vanderbilt to beat Tennessee -- no matter how good Vandy is, or how bad UT is. That's what it's like when you lose to the same team so many times. So if I had been an OSU fan, I would have been a nervous wreck, terrified that the Sooners would find some way to pull this game out. And so far, that is what is happening. OSU has 333 yards, to only 238 for OU, but the Sooners are winning. Can the Cowboys now overcome the pressure, the weather, and the OU defense, to pull this game out?
Oklahoma St 17 - 17 Oklahoma (11:40 left in 4th Quarter)
The Sooners, facing a forth and 1 at the OSU 27, decided to go for it. Brennan Clay, of Scripps Ranch H.S. in San Diego, plunges across for the first down.
San Diego! Clay must be freezing out there.
San Diego! Clay must be freezing out there.
Oklahoma St. 17 - 17 Oklahoma (end of 3d Quarter)
OSU goes three and out, and OU's patchwork offense has the ball again. The Sooners are facing 2d and 7 on their own 28.
THE UCFC! A great game, a great tradition!
THE UCFC! A great game, a great tradition!
Oklahoma St. 17 - 17 Oklahoma (2:35 left in the 3d Quarter)
Wow, this has suddenly become an amazing game.
Oklahoma, playing without its starting quarterback, is now going for broke on every play. The Sooners used a double reverse to spring Jalen Saunders loose for a 35-yard game deep into OSU territory. Then, on third and goal from the 8, OU's third-string quarterback -- Blake Bell of Bishop Carroll H.S. in Wichita, Kan. -- was chased all the way back to his own 30 before heaving the ball to the back of the end zone. It was briefly in the hands of an OU receiver, but he was crushed by an OSU back and could not hang on to the ball.
So this set up fourth and goal from the 8. With everyone expecting OU to kick a field goal, OU Coach Bob Stoops CALLED A FAKE -- and not just any fake, but a fake where the holder (Grant Bothun, a RECEIVER from Rowlett H.S. in Rowlett, Tex.) is supposed to throw a roll-out pass to THE KICKER. The kicker, Mike Hunnicutt, made a nice catch and was HAMMERED in the end zone. But he held on to the ball, and then made the extra point. So we are all tied once again.
Here are the OU passing statistics so far:
Trevor Knight: 3-7, 28 yards, 0 TD's, 0 INT's
Kendal Thompson: 2-9, 17 yards, 0 TD's, 1 INT
Blake Bell: 1-2, 6 yards, 0 TD's, 0 INT's
Grant Bothun: 1-1, 8 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT's
TOTAL: 7-19, 59 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
But the game is tied.
Oklahoma, playing without its starting quarterback, is now going for broke on every play. The Sooners used a double reverse to spring Jalen Saunders loose for a 35-yard game deep into OSU territory. Then, on third and goal from the 8, OU's third-string quarterback -- Blake Bell of Bishop Carroll H.S. in Wichita, Kan. -- was chased all the way back to his own 30 before heaving the ball to the back of the end zone. It was briefly in the hands of an OU receiver, but he was crushed by an OSU back and could not hang on to the ball.
So this set up fourth and goal from the 8. With everyone expecting OU to kick a field goal, OU Coach Bob Stoops CALLED A FAKE -- and not just any fake, but a fake where the holder (Grant Bothun, a RECEIVER from Rowlett H.S. in Rowlett, Tex.) is supposed to throw a roll-out pass to THE KICKER. The kicker, Mike Hunnicutt, made a nice catch and was HAMMERED in the end zone. But he held on to the ball, and then made the extra point. So we are all tied once again.
Here are the OU passing statistics so far:
Trevor Knight: 3-7, 28 yards, 0 TD's, 0 INT's
Kendal Thompson: 2-9, 17 yards, 0 TD's, 1 INT
Blake Bell: 1-2, 6 yards, 0 TD's, 0 INT's
Grant Bothun: 1-1, 8 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT's
TOTAL: 7-19, 59 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
But the game is tied.
Oklahoma St. 17 - 10 Oklahoma (4:44 left in 3d Quarter)
OU's offense has been dreadful, but OSU has not been able to put the Sooners away. The Cowboys were driving again, but Clint Chelf throws an interception to Julian Wilson of Southmoore H.S. in Oklahoma City, Okla. It's OSU's first turnover of the game. The Sooners will take over at their own 39.
Unfortunately for the Sooners, the guys on the Touchdown Radio Network report that OU quarterback Trevor Knight is out for the rest of the game with an injured wrist.
Unfortunately for the Sooners, the guys on the Touchdown Radio Network report that OU quarterback Trevor Knight is out for the rest of the game with an injured wrist.
Oklahoma St. 17 - 10 Oklahoma (9 minutes left in 3d Quarter)
OU has to punt again. I should point out that Oklahoma's starting quarterback, Trevor Knight (from Reagan H.S. in San Antonio, Tex.), has not been able to play in the second half due to an injury sustained on OU's drive at the end of the first half. I don't think OU can win the game even if he returns, but the Sooners will have no chance if he doesn't come back.
Oklahoma St. 17 - 10 Oklahoma (10:57 left in 3d Quarter)
After an exchange of punts, the Sooners will start from their own 21.
But that's not the big news here. The big news is that the number one song in America on December 5, 1970 was:
"I Think I Love You," by the Partridge Family. How cool is that?
But that's not the big news here. The big news is that the number one song in America on December 5, 1970 was:
"I Think I Love You," by the Partridge Family. How cool is that?
Oklahoma St. 17 - 10 Oklahoma (13:18 left in 3d Quarter)
The Pokes make the Sooners pay for that interception, as they quickly drive 82 yards for a touchdown. The scoring play is a 15 yard pass from Clint Chelf of Enid H.S. in Enid, Okla. to Desmond Roland. OSU now has 267 yards to only 132 for OU.
This Casey Kasem countdown is great, by the way. Here are the last three songs that he's played:
# 6: "Fire and Rain," by James Taylor
# 5: "We've Only Just Begun," by the Carpenters
# 4: "I'll Be There," by the Jackson 5.
This Casey Kasem countdown is great, by the way. Here are the last three songs that he's played:
# 6: "Fire and Rain," by James Taylor
# 5: "We've Only Just Begun," by the Carpenters
# 4: "I'll Be There," by the Jackson 5.
Oklahoma St. 10 - 10 Oklahoma (14:50 left in 3d Quarter)
First turnover of the game!
Oklahoma got the ball to start the second half. But the Sooners start by hurling a long pass that is intercepted by Kevin Peterson of Wagoner H.S. in Wagoner, Okla. The Pokes will take over at their own 18.
Oklahoma got the ball to start the second half. But the Sooners start by hurling a long pass that is intercepted by Kevin Peterson of Wagoner H.S. in Wagoner, Okla. The Pokes will take over at their own 18.
Oklahoma St. 10 - 10 Oklahoma (Halftime)
After so many recent UCFC games that looked more like Tecmo Bowl than real football, this has been a pleasant and entertaining game to watch. Oklahoma looked terrible in its earlier games against Texas and Baylor, and they don't appear to be quite as good as Oklahoma State. But they are playing hard, and they still have a very good chance to take the UCFC back to Norman.
It's halftime, so I've switched to XM Radio's "70's on 7" channel, where they are playing Casey Kasem's countdown from December 5, 1970. "See Me, Feel Me" by the Who is number 12.
It's halftime, so I've switched to XM Radio's "70's on 7" channel, where they are playing Casey Kasem's countdown from December 5, 1970. "See Me, Feel Me" by the Who is number 12.
Oklahoma St. 10 - 10 Oklahoma (38 seconds left in 2d Quarter)
Oklahoma's offense finally gets going, and the Sooners put together a long drive that stalls at the OSU 4. Mike Hunnicutt boots a 21-yard field goal, and once again we are tied.
Oklahoma St. 10 - 7 Oklahoma (8:40 left in 2d Quarter)
OU couldn't do anything from its own 2, and they punted. OSU took advantage of the short field to quickly move into field goal position. Ben Grogan of Martin H.S. in Arlington, Tex. trotted in and booted a 41-yard field goal to put Oklahoma State back into the lead.
OSU now has 202 yards to only 62 for OU.
OSU now has 202 yards to only 62 for OU.
Oklahoma St. 7 - 7 Oklahoma (12:27 left in 2d Quarter)
Big stand by the Sooner defense. OSU quickly drove down into OU territory, and soon had second and goal at the OU 1. Normally that's an automatic seven points in the Big XII, but the Oklahoma defense stuffed Oklahoma State on back-to-back runs up the middle, and the Sooners will take over at their own two.
By the way, it's 20 degrees in Stillwater.
By the way, it's 20 degrees in Stillwater.
Oklahoma St. 7 - 7 Oklahoma (18 seconds left in 1st quarter)
Well, that didn't take long. After OSU's touchdown, OU went three and out. Then OSU went three and out. Then Jalen Saunders, of Elk Grove, Calif., took an OSU punt at the OU 36 and ran it back -- untouched -- 64 yards for a touchdown. Mike Hunnicutt of Pearce H.S. in Richardson, Tex. tacked on the extra point, and we are all tied at 7.
Uniform watch: Oklahoma is wearing its classic white uniform with red numerals and red helmet with white OU logo. Oklahoma State has a black helmet with OSU logo, orange shirts with white numerals, and black pants.
By the way, I'm watching the game on ABC, but listening to the broadcast of the College Football Game of the Week on the Touchdown Radio Network. I love the idea of a Touchdown Radio Network. It makes me feel as though I should be listening to the game on a big Philco radio from the 1940's.
Uniform watch: Oklahoma is wearing its classic white uniform with red numerals and red helmet with white OU logo. Oklahoma State has a black helmet with OSU logo, orange shirts with white numerals, and black pants.
By the way, I'm watching the game on ABC, but listening to the broadcast of the College Football Game of the Week on the Touchdown Radio Network. I love the idea of a Touchdown Radio Network. It makes me feel as though I should be listening to the game on a big Philco radio from the 1940's.
Oklahoma St. 7 - 0 Oklahoma (1:37 left in first quarter)
So far OSU looks like much the better team on a frigid but sunny day in Stillwater. The Pokes have 122 total yards to only 54 for the Sooners. Ninety-nine of OSU's yards came on their touchdown drive, which ended with a one-yard touchdown run by Desmond Roland of Lake Highland H.S. in Dallas. We'll see if the Sooners can get back into this one.
Oklahoma St. v. Oklahoma
This is one of the great underrated rivalries in college sports. Most folks don't know much about the Oklahoma/Oklahoma St. rivalry, mainly because the Sooners lead the all-time series by a whopping 83-17-7. But Oklahoma State has a big fan base in the Sooner State, and the Cowboys have a richer tradition than Oklahoma in a number of other sports, such as basketball. As a result, the Bedlam Series (as it is known in Oklahoma) is a big deal in a state that loves sports as much as any state in the Union. Any time OU and OSU meet, in any sport, there is a lot at stake.
Today, of course, there is more at stake than usual. With one day left in the regular season, here are the standings in the Big XII:
Oklahoma St: 7-1
Baylor: 7-1
Texas: 7-1
Oklahoma: 6-2
Kansas St: 5-4
Texas Tech: 4-5
Texas Christian: 2-7
W. Virginia: 2-7
Iowa St: 2-7
Kansas: 1-8
Oklahoma State has already beaten Baylor and Texas, so the Pokes hold all the tiebreakers. If they beat Oklahoma today, OSU will win the Big XII and probably go to the Fiesta Bowl. They will also keep the UCFC. On the other hand, if OSU loses, then the winner of the Baylor/Texas game will get the Big XII title, and the Sooners will take the UCFC.
It is rare for Oklahoma to be playing the role of spoiler in this game, but the Sooners will likely not be intimidated. They've only lost to the Cowboys once since 2002.
This will be the third time OU and OSU have met for the UCFC. On December 1, 1956, OU capped off a national championship season with a 53-0 victory over Oklahoma State. On November 29, 2008, OU successfully defended the UCFC in one of the highest-scoring title games ever: a wild 61-41 win for the Sooners over the Cowboys.
The oddsmakers don't give Oklahoma much of a chance -- they have installed OSU as a 10-point favorite in a game expected to total 57 points. That would work out to something like a 34-24 win for the Cowboys. Of course, OSU fans would like something like the 44-10 beatdown they put on OU in 2011 -- the last time the Sooners came to Stillwater. But my guess is that they would be happy with a 10-point victory as well.
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Sooners are, I think, the last of the programs in the Big XII that we have profiled, and in my opinion they are the best. The Sooners have finished first in the AP Poll on seven occasions: 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, and 2000. Only Notre Dame (8) and Alabama (9) have topped the AP poll more often than Oklahoma. The Sooners are 6th in all-time wins (840) and 4th in all-time winning percentage (.719).
Oklahoma also has a rich record in the UCFC. They are 26-16-1 all-time in UCFC games, and have played in some of the biggest title bouts. On January 2, 1956, they beat Maryland 20-6 in the Orange Bowl to take the crown in the same season they won the national championship. They then held the trophy for seventeen games in a row, before being stunned by Notre Dame 7-0 on November 16, 1957. On September 28, 1963, they went to Los Angeles and took the crown from defending national champion Southern California -- only to lose it a few weeks later to eventual 1963 Champion Texas. On January 1, 1968, the Sooners beat Tennessee 26-24 in the Orange Bowl to regain the crown. The Sooners played for the UCFC on January 4, 2005 -- when they played Southern California for the 2004 national championship -- but lost 55-19. The UCFC was also on the line when Oklahoma played for the 2008 national championship against Florida on January 8, 2009 -- but the Sooners lost that game 24-14. That 2008 Oklahoma team was the last Sooner squad to hold the Big Gold Trophy.
Of course, Oklahoma had a chance to win the UCFC a few weeks ago, but were drubbed by Baylor, 41-12. We will have to see if they do better today.
Oklahoma also has a rich record in the UCFC. They are 26-16-1 all-time in UCFC games, and have played in some of the biggest title bouts. On January 2, 1956, they beat Maryland 20-6 in the Orange Bowl to take the crown in the same season they won the national championship. They then held the trophy for seventeen games in a row, before being stunned by Notre Dame 7-0 on November 16, 1957. On September 28, 1963, they went to Los Angeles and took the crown from defending national champion Southern California -- only to lose it a few weeks later to eventual 1963 Champion Texas. On January 1, 1968, the Sooners beat Tennessee 26-24 in the Orange Bowl to regain the crown. The Sooners played for the UCFC on January 4, 2005 -- when they played Southern California for the 2004 national championship -- but lost 55-19. The UCFC was also on the line when Oklahoma played for the 2008 national championship against Florida on January 8, 2009 -- but the Sooners lost that game 24-14. That 2008 Oklahoma team was the last Sooner squad to hold the Big Gold Trophy.
Of course, Oklahoma had a chance to win the UCFC a few weeks ago, but were drubbed by Baylor, 41-12. We will have to see if they do better today.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Oklahoma St. 49 - 17 Baylor (Final)
I don't know what it is about Big XII football that lends itself to blowouts of this kind, but we do seem to get a lot of them. There have been three UCFC games this year that I thought might be really close: Baylor v. Oklahoma; Baylor v. Texas Tech; and Oklahoma St. v. Baylor. All three had moments of drama in the first half, but all three turned into blowouts in the second half. Big XII football reminds me of arm-wrestling; once one team gets the momentum, it is extremely difficult for the other team to turn things around.
For over a year, the momentum was all with the Baylor Bears, who put on one of the greatest runs in UCFC history. Let's review their many triumphs once more:
11/17/12: Baylor 54, Kansas St. 24
11/24/12: Baylor 52, Texas Tech 45 (OT)
12/01/12: Baylor 41, Oklahoma St. 34
12/27/12: Baylor 49, UCLA 26 (Holiday Bowl)
08/31/13: Baylor 69, Wofford 3
09/07/13: Baylor 70, Buffalo 13
09/21/13: Baylor 70, Louisiana-Monroe 7
10/05/13: Baylor 73, W. Virginia 42
10/12/13: Baylor 35, Kansas St. 25
10/19/13: Baylor 71, Iowa St. 7
10/26/13: Baylor 59, Kansas 14
11/07/13: Baylor 41, Oklahoma 12
11/16/13: Baylor 63, Texas Tech 34
That is a remarkable run for any team. But for a program like Baylor, which has so often labored in the shadow of bigger schools with larger fan bases, it is something to be cherished and honored. I am very sorry for the Baylor fans that they have lost the UCFC after such a long run, and that they probably will not win the Big XII title or have a chance to play for the National Championship. I am very sorry that they lost so badly tonight, when they were playing on national television. I think it is unfair that many casual fans will only remember this defeat, and not their great run of victories. I do believe, however, that in future years, Baylor fans will have wonderful memories of this season. I will remember seeing Bryce Petty carve up one team after another as if he were playing a video game. I will remember their hard-fought victory in Manhattan, Kan., and their great blowout over Oklahoma, and all the beautiful touchdowns that I saw them score. And I hope they win the rest of their games, and get the national attention they deserve.
Baylor loses the UCFC after defending it twelve times in a row. Their all-time record in UCFC play falls to 27-19-3.
As for the new champions, they deserve a great deal of credit. No one has come close to controlling Baylor the way Oklahoma State did tonight. And while the Cowboys certainly got some help from Baylor's injuries, a volcanic home crowd, and the cold weather, they were much the better team on both sides of the ball. Oklahoma State has been improving all year, and they came together with a great effort tonight. They are very worthy holders of the UCFC.
The Cowboys move to 3-10 in UCFC games, and they take the title for the first time since 2008. They will keep it for at least two weeks, because they don't play again until December 7, when they will host the Oklahoma Sooners. If the Cowboys win that game, they will be the Big XII Champions. We will be watching.
For over a year, the momentum was all with the Baylor Bears, who put on one of the greatest runs in UCFC history. Let's review their many triumphs once more:
11/17/12: Baylor 54, Kansas St. 24
11/24/12: Baylor 52, Texas Tech 45 (OT)
12/01/12: Baylor 41, Oklahoma St. 34
12/27/12: Baylor 49, UCLA 26 (Holiday Bowl)
08/31/13: Baylor 69, Wofford 3
09/07/13: Baylor 70, Buffalo 13
09/21/13: Baylor 70, Louisiana-Monroe 7
10/05/13: Baylor 73, W. Virginia 42
10/12/13: Baylor 35, Kansas St. 25
10/19/13: Baylor 71, Iowa St. 7
10/26/13: Baylor 59, Kansas 14
11/07/13: Baylor 41, Oklahoma 12
11/16/13: Baylor 63, Texas Tech 34
That is a remarkable run for any team. But for a program like Baylor, which has so often labored in the shadow of bigger schools with larger fan bases, it is something to be cherished and honored. I am very sorry for the Baylor fans that they have lost the UCFC after such a long run, and that they probably will not win the Big XII title or have a chance to play for the National Championship. I am very sorry that they lost so badly tonight, when they were playing on national television. I think it is unfair that many casual fans will only remember this defeat, and not their great run of victories. I do believe, however, that in future years, Baylor fans will have wonderful memories of this season. I will remember seeing Bryce Petty carve up one team after another as if he were playing a video game. I will remember their hard-fought victory in Manhattan, Kan., and their great blowout over Oklahoma, and all the beautiful touchdowns that I saw them score. And I hope they win the rest of their games, and get the national attention they deserve.
Baylor loses the UCFC after defending it twelve times in a row. Their all-time record in UCFC play falls to 27-19-3.
As for the new champions, they deserve a great deal of credit. No one has come close to controlling Baylor the way Oklahoma State did tonight. And while the Cowboys certainly got some help from Baylor's injuries, a volcanic home crowd, and the cold weather, they were much the better team on both sides of the ball. Oklahoma State has been improving all year, and they came together with a great effort tonight. They are very worthy holders of the UCFC.
The Cowboys move to 3-10 in UCFC games, and they take the title for the first time since 2008. They will keep it for at least two weeks, because they don't play again until December 7, when they will host the Oklahoma Sooners. If the Cowboys win that game, they will be the Big XII Champions. We will be watching.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Oklahoma St. 28 - 3 Baylor (10:10 left in 3d Quarter)
This game, which promised so much drama when it began, has now turned into a party for Oklahoma State. Taking over on their own 20, the Cowboys quickly race 80 yards down the field, using flea flickers and hurling long passes all over the place. All year, Baylor's defense has been like a distant radio station that fades in and out, and the Bears have looked absolutely helpless on Oklahoma State's two possessions in this half. Clint Chelf is now 14-17 for 321 yards and 2 touchdowns -- and on this drive Chelf actually caught a pass for a 48-yard gain. The drive was capped off by another short run from Kye Staley, who dashed in from one yard to pretty much put this game away.
Unless something extraordinary happens, we won't have much more to say on this game -- we usually stop the live-blogging once someone opens up a 21-point margin. But I will wonder if things would have been different had Bryce Petty not stumbled and fell when he had a chance to give Baylor an early 7-0 lead.
Oklahoma St. 21 - 3 Baylor (11:55 left in the 3d Quarter)
Baylor, trying desperately to stay in the game, quickly zipped down to the Oklahoma St. 20, where their drive stalled. Facing 4th and 4, they eschewed a field goal that would have made the score 21-6, and instead went with a sort of wishbone-option pitchout that never had any chance of making the first down. Oklahoma State takes over on downs, and unless something truly extraordinary happens, these pages will soon be orange and black.
I turned off the Baylor Sports Network. It was too sad to keep listening.
I turned off the Baylor Sports Network. It was too sad to keep listening.
Oklahoma St. 21 - 3 Baylor (13:23 left in 3d Quarter)
Oklahoma State took the opening kickoff, and soon faced a 3d and 3 from its own 44. Baylor's defense, desperate to get the ball back, crowded the line. But Clint Chelf lobbed a deep pass to Tracy Moore, who battled with a Baylor defender for the ball at the Baylor 30. Moore came down with the ball, the Baylor defender hit the ground, and Moore trotted in for a touchdown. It was a huge, huge, play -- and like almost all the huge plays in this game, it was made by Oklahoma State.
Baylor is now in an almost hopeless position. They need to score a lot of points very quickly.
Baylor is now in an almost hopeless position. They need to score a lot of points very quickly.
Oklahoma St. 14 - 3 Baylor (Halftime)
Oklahoma State takes a knee, and we're headed for the locker rooms.
The Baylor color commentator said that the Bears are lucky not to be further behind, and I see his point. Oklahoma State had 276 yards in the first half, to only 174 for Baylor. But Baylor still has a chance to hold the UCFC -- if they can get their offense going.
The Baylor color commentator said that the Bears are lucky not to be further behind, and I see his point. Oklahoma State had 276 yards in the first half, to only 174 for Baylor. But Baylor still has a chance to hold the UCFC -- if they can get their offense going.
Oklahoma St. 14 - 3 Baylor (13 seconds left in 2d Quarter)
Oklahoma State called two time outs in an effort to freeze the Baylor kicker, but Aaron Jones of Crowley H.S. in Crowley, Tex. boots a 29-yard field goal to put the Bears on the board.
Oklahoma St. 14 - 0 Baylor (16 seconds left in 2d Quarter)
Oklahoma State's defense digs in, and Baylor now faces a 4th and 2 at the Oklahoma State 12. Baylor calls time out to decide whether to kick a field goal or go for the first down. The radio guys want them to kick.
Oklahoma St. 14 - 0 Baylor (45 seconds left in 2d Quarter)
On first and 10 from his own 17, Petty hits Clay Fuller of Smithson Valley H.S. in Bulverde, Tex. with a long pass, and he dashes all the way down to the Oklahoma State 30. Linwood then scoots 10 yards for a first down at the Cowboy 20. At this point Oklahoma State calls time.
Oklahoma St. 14 - 0 Baylor (1:16 left in 2d Quarter)
Baylor's defense, which has been on the field almost the whole game, holds again. The Cowboys punt to the Baylor 17. Baylor will get one more chance to do something before the half.
Oklahoma St. 14 - 0 Baylor (2:56 left in 2d Quarter)
Baylor desperately needs to get something going, but Oklahoma State appears to have their offense completely figured out. The Bears are overwhelmed on three straight plays, and they are forced to punt. Oklahoma State takes over on its own 35 -- if they can get another score before the half, they can put Baylor in a very deep hole.
Oklahoma St. 14 - 0 Baylor (4:20 left in 2d Quarter)
Well, I urged the Bears to go for it on 4th down.
Oklahoma State takes over at its own 20 and goes 80 yards in only five plays for its second touchdown of the game. Clint Chelf, the Cowboys' quarterback from Enid H.S. in Enid, Okla., is 11-11 for 232 yards so far. (Baylor's Petty is only 9-16 for 59 yards). Chelf's 11th completion was a 12-yard pass to Charlie Moore from Union H.S. in Tulsa, Okla., and Moore trotted into the end zone to give Oklahoma State a two-touchdown lead.
The crowd in Stillwater is going absolutely nuts, and I don't blame them. From what I've seen so far, I would be stunned if Baylor can pull out this game.
Oklahoma State takes over at its own 20 and goes 80 yards in only five plays for its second touchdown of the game. Clint Chelf, the Cowboys' quarterback from Enid H.S. in Enid, Okla., is 11-11 for 232 yards so far. (Baylor's Petty is only 9-16 for 59 yards). Chelf's 11th completion was a 12-yard pass to Charlie Moore from Union H.S. in Tulsa, Okla., and Moore trotted into the end zone to give Oklahoma State a two-touchdown lead.
The crowd in Stillwater is going absolutely nuts, and I don't blame them. From what I've seen so far, I would be stunned if Baylor can pull out this game.
Oklahoma St. 7 - 0 Baylor (6:28 left in 2d Quarter)
Baylor finally got a drive going, but it stalled at the Oklahoma State 42. On 4th and 5, I would have gone for the first down, but the Bears punt. Oklahoma State will take over at its own 20.
Oklahoma St. 7 - 0 Baylor (8:47 left in the 2d Quarter)
Baylor's offense is struggling, but Baylor's defense forces another punt by Kip Smith of Legacy H.S. in Broomfield, Colo. This one goes into the end zone, so the Bears will start at their own 20.
Oklahoma St. 7 - 0 Baylor (11 minutes left in 2d Quarter)
Once again, Baylor cannot get a first down and is forced to punt. Oklahoma State will take over on its own 36.
To be fair, it should be noted that Baylor is without two of its best offensive weapons. Tevin Reese, the outstanding wide receiver from Temple H.S. in Temple, Tex.; and Lache Seastrunk, the excellent running back (who is also from Temple H.S. in Temple, Tex.) are both hurt. They are greatly missed, as Baylor's offense thus far has been a mere shadow of its usual self. The Bears are lucky not to be further behind, but their luck can't hold forever.
To be fair, it should be noted that Baylor is without two of its best offensive weapons. Tevin Reese, the outstanding wide receiver from Temple H.S. in Temple, Tex.; and Lache Seastrunk, the excellent running back (who is also from Temple H.S. in Temple, Tex.) are both hurt. They are greatly missed, as Baylor's offense thus far has been a mere shadow of its usual self. The Bears are lucky not to be further behind, but their luck can't hold forever.
Oklahoma St. 7 - 0 Baylor (12:17 left in 2d Quarter)
Oklahoma State was moving down the field with relative ease, and faced a 4th and 1 at the Baylor 45. They were planning to go for it, and keep their drive alive, but they were whistled for an illegal substitution. So the Cowboys had to punt, and Baylor will take over at its own 12. Can they finally get their offense going?
Oklahoma St. 7 - 0 Baylor (end of 1st Quarter)
Oklahoma State faces a 4th and 1 at its own 44.
That quarter did not go well for the Bears. Oklahoma State had 156 total yards, while Baylor had only 72. Bryce Petty, the Baylor quarterback, was 5-9 for only 25 yards. That will not be good enough to hold the Big Gold Trophy.
That quarter did not go well for the Bears. Oklahoma State had 156 total yards, while Baylor had only 72. Bryce Petty, the Baylor quarterback, was 5-9 for only 25 yards. That will not be good enough to hold the Big Gold Trophy.
Oklahoma St. 7 - 0 Baylor (1:17 left in 1st Quarter)
Baylor goes three-and-out for only the eighth time all season, as the Oklahoma State defense is flying all over the place. Spenser Roth of Knoxville Catholic H.S. in Knoxville, Tenn. gets off a great punt -- driving the ball all the way to the Oklahoma State 29. But the Cowboys just went 99 yards for a touchdown, so they won't be too intimidated by the prospect of needing to go 71 for another.
Oklahoma St. 7 - 0 Baylor (3:07 left in 1st Quarter)
And Oklahoma State makes Baylor pay big-time for its fumble. In just a few plays, Oklahoma State zips 99 yards down the field for the first score of the game. The Cowboys take the lead on a two-yard run by Kye Staley of Guthrie H.S. in Guthrie, Okla. Ben Grogan of Martin H.S. in Arlington, Tex. tacks on the extra point, and Oklahoma State has a 7-0 lead.
This is the third game in a row where Baylor has fallen behind in the first half. But tonight they are on the road in a very hostile environment.
This is the third game in a row where Baylor has fallen behind in the first half. But tonight they are on the road in a very hostile environment.
Oklahoma St. 0 - 0 Baylor (6:35 left in 1st Quarter)
Two huge mistakes by Baylor. Bryce Petty, Baylor's excellent quarterback from Midlothian H.S. in Midlothian, Tex., was in the clear and running in for an easy touchdown when he suddenly STUMBLED AND FELL at the Oklahoma State 1 yard line. That didn't seem to be such a big deal, but two plays later, Shock Linwood of Linden-Kildare H.S. in Linden, Tex. tried a plunge into the end zone -- and did that silly play where the runner reaches out with the ball. Oklahoma State slapped the ball out of his hands and grabbed it. So Baylor blows a golden chance to take the lead, and Oklahoma State takes over at its own one yard line.
Oklahoma St. 0 - 0 Baylor (8:08 left in 1st Quarter)
Oklahoma State was running the ball down the field, and they had what appeared to be an easy 3d and 1 at their own 47. But then they tried a weird screen pass where the receiver caught the ball several yards behind the line of scrimmage, and he couldn't make the first down. On fourth down, they decided to go for it, and went back to their running game -- but Baylor was in a run blitz and stopped them cold. So the Bears will be taking over at the Ok St. 47.
Oklahoma St. 0 - 0 Baylor (12:29 left in 1st Quarter)
The Bears took the opening kickoff, moved to midfield, couldn't get any further, and punted to the Ok St. 14.
Oklahoma St. 0 - 0 Baylor (15 minutes left in 1st Quarter)
I'm tuned in to the Baylor Sports Network (which is excellent) and ABC-TV (which is OK).
It's 35 degrees and falling in Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., which is crammed full of folks wearing orange and black. Huge day for both Baylor and Ok State, who have rarely gotten this much attention for their football programs.
Baylor is averaging 61.2 points per game, and over 680 yards per game. On the other hand, the Baylor Sports Network tells us that the Bears haven't beaten a ranked team on the road since 1991.
The Baylor Sports Network tells us that this is the 300th consecutive game called by Baylor play-by-play man John Morris. Morris is a native of Danville, Ky., who grew up listening to the legendary Cawood Ledford, and he is very, very good.
Uniform watch:
Baylor: black helmets with gold BU logo, white jerseys with green numerals and gold shoulders, black pants, black socks, and black shoes.
Oklahoma St: white helmets with black and orange OSU logo, black jerseys with orange numerals, white pants, black socks and black shoes.
For a Big XII game in 2013, these uniforms aren't nearly as annoying as they could be.
It's 35 degrees and falling in Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., which is crammed full of folks wearing orange and black. Huge day for both Baylor and Ok State, who have rarely gotten this much attention for their football programs.
Baylor is averaging 61.2 points per game, and over 680 yards per game. On the other hand, the Baylor Sports Network tells us that the Bears haven't beaten a ranked team on the road since 1991.
The Baylor Sports Network tells us that this is the 300th consecutive game called by Baylor play-by-play man John Morris. Morris is a native of Danville, Ky., who grew up listening to the legendary Cawood Ledford, and he is very, very good.
Uniform watch:
Baylor: black helmets with gold BU logo, white jerseys with green numerals and gold shoulders, black pants, black socks, and black shoes.
Oklahoma St: white helmets with black and orange OSU logo, black jerseys with orange numerals, white pants, black socks and black shoes.
For a Big XII game in 2013, these uniforms aren't nearly as annoying as they could be.
Oklahoma St. v. Baylor
On January 10, 2011, Auburn and Oregon met in a UCFC game that was also a game for the 2010 National Championship. Early in 2011 season, Auburn lost the UCFC to Clemson, and since then the UCFC has rarely featured two highly-rated teams. But today's game features two teams with a combined record of 18-1. Oklahoma and Texas are usually the two big guns in the Big XII, but this year Baylor has beaten Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State has beaten Texas. As a result, these two teams are at the top of the Big XII standings:
(3) Baylor: 6-0, 9-0
(11) Oklahoma St: 6-1, 9-1
Texas: 6-1, 7-3
Oklahoma: 5-2, 8-2
Kansas St: 4-3, 6-4
Texas Tech: 4-4, 7-4
Texas Christian: 2-6, 4-7
W. Virginia: 2-6, 4-7
Kansas: 1-6, 3-7
Iowa St: 0-7, 1-9
It is 349 miles up I-35 from Baylor's home in Waco, Tex. to Stillwater, Okla. -- home of the Oklahoma State Cowboys. But for most of its history, Baylor was in the old Southwest Conference, while Oklahoma State was in the old Big 8. So the teams didn't play regularly until 1996. Oklahoma State leads the all-time series 18-13, but the Cowboys have beaten Baylor in 15 of the last 17 seasons. The Bears haven't won in Stillwater since 1939.
This is undoubtedly the biggest Baylor/Oklahoma State game ever. For most of their histories, these teams have not been very formidable. Out of 125 D-1A schools, Oklahoma State ranks 80th in all-time winning percentage, while Baylor is 83d. But they have been great this year. Baylor's triumphs have been qualified in some detail on this blog, so we don't need to repeat them. But Oklahoma State has been almost as good as Baylor. Here's what they've done this year (home teams listed first):
08/31/13: Oklahoma St. 21 - 3 Mississippi St. (in Houston)
09/07/13: Tex-San Antonio 35 - 56 Oklahoma St.
09/14/13: Oklahoma St. 59 - 3 Lamar
09/28/13: W. Virginia 30 - 21 Oklahoma St.
10/05/13: Oklahoma St. 33 - 29 Kansas St.
10/19/13: Oklahoma St. 24 - 10 Texas Christian
10/26/13: Iowa St. 27 - 58 Oklahoma St.
11/02/13: Texas Tech 34 - 52 Oklahoma St.
11/09/13: Oklahoma St. 42 - 6 Kansas
11/16/13: Texas 13 - 38 Oklahoma St.
So except for a bad day in West Virginia, which could happen to almost anyone, Oklahoma State has been invincible -- and they seem to be getting better as the year goes on. Tonight, in the cold, on their home field, they will be very tough to beat.
Vegas, however, still believes in Baylor. They like the Bears by 8 in a game where the over-under line is 78. That would work out to a final score of 43-35 for the Bears. I don't see Baylor scoring that many points tonight. In fact, I'm picking Oklahoma State to pull this one out, and to bring Baylor's long run to an end.
(3) Baylor: 6-0, 9-0
(11) Oklahoma St: 6-1, 9-1
Texas: 6-1, 7-3
Oklahoma: 5-2, 8-2
Kansas St: 4-3, 6-4
Texas Tech: 4-4, 7-4
Texas Christian: 2-6, 4-7
W. Virginia: 2-6, 4-7
Kansas: 1-6, 3-7
Iowa St: 0-7, 1-9
It is 349 miles up I-35 from Baylor's home in Waco, Tex. to Stillwater, Okla. -- home of the Oklahoma State Cowboys. But for most of its history, Baylor was in the old Southwest Conference, while Oklahoma State was in the old Big 8. So the teams didn't play regularly until 1996. Oklahoma State leads the all-time series 18-13, but the Cowboys have beaten Baylor in 15 of the last 17 seasons. The Bears haven't won in Stillwater since 1939.
This is undoubtedly the biggest Baylor/Oklahoma State game ever. For most of their histories, these teams have not been very formidable. Out of 125 D-1A schools, Oklahoma State ranks 80th in all-time winning percentage, while Baylor is 83d. But they have been great this year. Baylor's triumphs have been qualified in some detail on this blog, so we don't need to repeat them. But Oklahoma State has been almost as good as Baylor. Here's what they've done this year (home teams listed first):
08/31/13: Oklahoma St. 21 - 3 Mississippi St. (in Houston)
09/07/13: Tex-San Antonio 35 - 56 Oklahoma St.
09/14/13: Oklahoma St. 59 - 3 Lamar
09/28/13: W. Virginia 30 - 21 Oklahoma St.
10/05/13: Oklahoma St. 33 - 29 Kansas St.
10/19/13: Oklahoma St. 24 - 10 Texas Christian
10/26/13: Iowa St. 27 - 58 Oklahoma St.
11/02/13: Texas Tech 34 - 52 Oklahoma St.
11/09/13: Oklahoma St. 42 - 6 Kansas
11/16/13: Texas 13 - 38 Oklahoma St.
So except for a bad day in West Virginia, which could happen to almost anyone, Oklahoma State has been invincible -- and they seem to be getting better as the year goes on. Tonight, in the cold, on their home field, they will be very tough to beat.
Vegas, however, still believes in Baylor. They like the Bears by 8 in a game where the over-under line is 78. That would work out to a final score of 43-35 for the Bears. I don't see Baylor scoring that many points tonight. In fact, I'm picking Oklahoma State to pull this one out, and to bring Baylor's long run to an end.
Baylor 63 - 34 Texas Tech
For the second game in a row, Baylor fell behind early. In fact, they trailed 14-0 in the first quarter. But, as has been the case for more than a year, the Bears' offense was awesome once it got going. By the end of the first quarter, Baylor had taken a 21-20 lead. At the half, they were up 35-27. And after three quarters, it was 56-34. That's the way it's been with Baylor -- they score in wave after wave, and just overwhelm the other team's defense.
So the Bears are now 9-0 on the year, and they have won the UCFC for the thirteenth time in a row. They also keep the title for a full calendar year -- no one has done that in over seven years. Their all-time record in UCFC play is now 27-18-3. Texas Tech suffers their second consecutive loss in UCFC play to Baylor. Their all-time UCFC record is 17-15. But as long as the title stays in the Big XII, they may get another chance at the Big Gold Trophy.
So the Bears are now 9-0 on the year, and they have won the UCFC for the thirteenth time in a row. They also keep the title for a full calendar year -- no one has done that in over seven years. Their all-time record in UCFC play is now 27-18-3. Texas Tech suffers their second consecutive loss in UCFC play to Baylor. Their all-time UCFC record is 17-15. But as long as the title stays in the Big XII, they may get another chance at the Big Gold Trophy.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Baylor v. Texas Tech
On November 17, 2012 -- almost one year ago -- Baylor stunned Kansas State 54-24 to take the Unofficial College Football Championship. Here's what the Bears have done since then:
11/24/12: Baylor 52, Texas Tech 45 (OT)
12/01/12: Baylor 41, Oklahoma St. 34
12/27/12: Baylor 49, UCLA 25 (Holiday Bowl)
08/31/13: Baylor 69, Wofford 3
09/07/13: Baylor 70, Buffalo 13
09/21/13: Baylor 70, La-Monroe 7
10/05/13: Baylor 73, W. Virginia 42
10/12/13: Baylor 35, Kansas St. 25
10/19/13: Baylor 71, Iowa St. 7
10/26/13: Baylor 59, Kansas 14
11/07/13: Baylor 41, Oklahoma 12
That's twelve wins in a row -- the longest win in school history, and the longest series of wins in the UCFC since Florida won 13 straight from January 8, 2009 to November 28, 2009. If Baylor wins tonight, they will have kept the UCFC for an entire calendar year -- and no one has done that since USC held the crown from January 1, 2004 until January 4, 2006.
But the Bears still have a lot of work ahead of them. They are 5-0 in the Big XII, but Texas is 6-0 in the conference. And Baylor is up to number 4 in the AP poll. I don't think enough of the teams ahead of them will lose for them to reach the BCS title game, but it could happen -- and even if it didn't, an undefeated season topped by a trip to the Fiesta Bowl would be spectacular.
Here's what lies ahead for Baylor (home games in all caps):
11/16/13: Texas Tech (in Arlington, Tex.)
11/23/13: at Oklahoma St.
11/30/13: at Texas Christian
12/07/13: TEXAS
This is quite a gauntlet. Oklahoma State, which is 8-1 and ranked 12th in the nation, will be extremely difficult to beat. But a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, and it is absolutely vital that Baylor keep the ball rolling by beating Texas Tech tonight.
The Red Raiders, under new coach Kliff Kingsbury, got off to a 7-0 start against pretty weak competition. But their last three games are a 38-30 loss at Oklahoma, a 52-34 loss at home against Oklahoma State, and a 49-26 loss at home to Kansas State. These figures do not indicate that the Red Raider defense will be capable of stopping Baylor's high-flying attack. In fact, the folks in Vegas have installed Baylor as a 27-point favorite in a game where 84 total points are expected. That would work out to something like a 56-28 win for the Bears. We'll have to wait and see; Baylor's defense has only given up 28 points in one game this year. On the other hand, the Bears may be looking ahead to next week's showdown in Stillwater.
This is the first time all year that Baylor has played one of their old rivals from the Southwest Conference. The Red Raiders lead the all-time series 36-34-1. This is their third meeting for the UCFC. On November 17, 1933, Texas Tech beat Baylor 13-0 to take the title. On November 24, 2012, Baylor pulled out a wild 52-45 overtime victory to keep the crown. At the time, it seemed like Baylor's hold on the Big Gold Trophy was shaky. But they have been rock-solid since that time.
Having come this far with them, I can't help rooting for Baylor to hold the title. But an emergency school play is putting me out of commission for tonight's game. I will, however, try to post a recap as soon as possible. (Of course, if this page is suddenly black and red, you will know that the UCFC has gone back to Lubbock).
11/24/12: Baylor 52, Texas Tech 45 (OT)
12/01/12: Baylor 41, Oklahoma St. 34
12/27/12: Baylor 49, UCLA 25 (Holiday Bowl)
08/31/13: Baylor 69, Wofford 3
09/07/13: Baylor 70, Buffalo 13
09/21/13: Baylor 70, La-Monroe 7
10/05/13: Baylor 73, W. Virginia 42
10/12/13: Baylor 35, Kansas St. 25
10/19/13: Baylor 71, Iowa St. 7
10/26/13: Baylor 59, Kansas 14
11/07/13: Baylor 41, Oklahoma 12
That's twelve wins in a row -- the longest win in school history, and the longest series of wins in the UCFC since Florida won 13 straight from January 8, 2009 to November 28, 2009. If Baylor wins tonight, they will have kept the UCFC for an entire calendar year -- and no one has done that since USC held the crown from January 1, 2004 until January 4, 2006.
But the Bears still have a lot of work ahead of them. They are 5-0 in the Big XII, but Texas is 6-0 in the conference. And Baylor is up to number 4 in the AP poll. I don't think enough of the teams ahead of them will lose for them to reach the BCS title game, but it could happen -- and even if it didn't, an undefeated season topped by a trip to the Fiesta Bowl would be spectacular.
Here's what lies ahead for Baylor (home games in all caps):
11/16/13: Texas Tech (in Arlington, Tex.)
11/23/13: at Oklahoma St.
11/30/13: at Texas Christian
12/07/13: TEXAS
This is quite a gauntlet. Oklahoma State, which is 8-1 and ranked 12th in the nation, will be extremely difficult to beat. But a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, and it is absolutely vital that Baylor keep the ball rolling by beating Texas Tech tonight.
The Red Raiders, under new coach Kliff Kingsbury, got off to a 7-0 start against pretty weak competition. But their last three games are a 38-30 loss at Oklahoma, a 52-34 loss at home against Oklahoma State, and a 49-26 loss at home to Kansas State. These figures do not indicate that the Red Raider defense will be capable of stopping Baylor's high-flying attack. In fact, the folks in Vegas have installed Baylor as a 27-point favorite in a game where 84 total points are expected. That would work out to something like a 56-28 win for the Bears. We'll have to wait and see; Baylor's defense has only given up 28 points in one game this year. On the other hand, the Bears may be looking ahead to next week's showdown in Stillwater.
This is the first time all year that Baylor has played one of their old rivals from the Southwest Conference. The Red Raiders lead the all-time series 36-34-1. This is their third meeting for the UCFC. On November 17, 1933, Texas Tech beat Baylor 13-0 to take the title. On November 24, 2012, Baylor pulled out a wild 52-45 overtime victory to keep the crown. At the time, it seemed like Baylor's hold on the Big Gold Trophy was shaky. But they have been rock-solid since that time.
Having come this far with them, I can't help rooting for Baylor to hold the title. But an emergency school play is putting me out of commission for tonight's game. I will, however, try to post a recap as soon as possible. (Of course, if this page is suddenly black and red, you will know that the UCFC has gone back to Lubbock).
Baylor 41 - 12 Oklahoma
Before this game, Oklahoma's all-time record against Baylor was a sparkling 21-1, with the Sooners' only loss coming two years ago -- when a great performance by Robert Griffin III led the Bears to a 45-38 victory. But all that history did Oklahoma no good in this game, as Baylor's spectacular run continued in smashing fashion. The Bears were a bit nervous in the early going, and actually trailed 5-3 after Oklahoma kicked a field goal with 12:09 to go in the second quarter. But Baylor's offense tends to go very quickly once it gets going. The Bears scored three touchdowns to take a 24-5 lead into the locker room, and then scored again to make the score 31-5 with 8 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Baylor fans, who were all wearing black like their team, were utterly transported. They've waited a long time to see something like this, and they were rightfully ecstatic. Plus, of course, they kept the Unofficial College Football Championship.
So Baylor has now won the UCFC twelve times in a row, and their all-time record is now 26-18-3 in UCFC play. Oklahoma falls to 26-16-1
Next up, Baylor heads to JerryWorld to defend its title against Texas Tech.
The Baylor fans, who were all wearing black like their team, were utterly transported. They've waited a long time to see something like this, and they were rightfully ecstatic. Plus, of course, they kept the Unofficial College Football Championship.
So Baylor has now won the UCFC twelve times in a row, and their all-time record is now 26-18-3 in UCFC play. Oklahoma falls to 26-16-1
Next up, Baylor heads to JerryWorld to defend its title against Texas Tech.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Baylor v. Oklahoma
I don't like Thursday night football.
It's not so bad if it's a game no one cares about -- but the only time a game this big should be played on Thursday is if it's being played on Thanksgiving.
Anyway, because of outside commitments, I do not have time to do justice either to the Oklahoma Sooners -- who have one of the greatest of all football traditions -- or to this game, which may be the most important college football game ever played in Waco, Tex. I also won't be able to live-blog tomorrow night's competition.
I will do the usual post-game write-up on Saturday, and I'll probably add a post about Oklahoma as well. In the meantime, here are the current standings in the Big 12, with the current AP ranking next to each team in the top 20. This pretty much tells you what's at stake -- not even counting the UCFC:
Texas: 5-0, 6-2
(6) Baylor: 4-0, 7-0
(14) Oklahoma St: 4-1, 7-1
(10) Oklahoma: 4-1, 7-1
Texas Tech: 4-2, 7-2
Kansas St: 2-3, 4-4
W. Virginia: 2-4, 4-5
Texas Christian: 1-5, 3-6
Kansas: 0-5, 2-6
Iowa St: 0-5, 1-7
Vegas is picking Baylor by 14 1/2 points, and they've set the over/under line at 73 1/2. That would work out to something like a 44-30 Baylor win. If Baylor can do that, they have a great chance of going undefeated.
Anyway, if this blog is crimson and cream on Friday, you'll know there's been a change in the UCFC, whether I write anything or not.
It's not so bad if it's a game no one cares about -- but the only time a game this big should be played on Thursday is if it's being played on Thanksgiving.
Anyway, because of outside commitments, I do not have time to do justice either to the Oklahoma Sooners -- who have one of the greatest of all football traditions -- or to this game, which may be the most important college football game ever played in Waco, Tex. I also won't be able to live-blog tomorrow night's competition.
I will do the usual post-game write-up on Saturday, and I'll probably add a post about Oklahoma as well. In the meantime, here are the current standings in the Big 12, with the current AP ranking next to each team in the top 20. This pretty much tells you what's at stake -- not even counting the UCFC:
Texas: 5-0, 6-2
(6) Baylor: 4-0, 7-0
(14) Oklahoma St: 4-1, 7-1
(10) Oklahoma: 4-1, 7-1
Texas Tech: 4-2, 7-2
Kansas St: 2-3, 4-4
W. Virginia: 2-4, 4-5
Texas Christian: 1-5, 3-6
Kansas: 0-5, 2-6
Iowa St: 0-5, 1-7
Vegas is picking Baylor by 14 1/2 points, and they've set the over/under line at 73 1/2. That would work out to something like a 44-30 Baylor win. If Baylor can do that, they have a great chance of going undefeated.
Anyway, if this blog is crimson and cream on Friday, you'll know there's been a change in the UCFC, whether I write anything or not.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Kansas 12 - 59 Baylor (Final)
The Bears continue to look amazing. They have now won 11 games in a row -- the longest winning streak in Baylor history. And almost all of those games have been blowouts. Their all-time record in UCFC play is now 25-18-3. Next up, they head home to defend the crown against one of the legendary powers of the game: the Oklahoma Sooners. That game will take place on Thursday night, November 7, in Waco, Tex.
As for Kansas, they fall to 1-6 in UCFC play, and they will have to hope that the trophy stays in the Big XII long enough for them to get another shot at it.
As for Kansas, they fall to 1-6 in UCFC play, and they will have to hope that the trophy stays in the Big XII long enough for them to get another shot at it.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Kansas 0 - 21 Baylor (3:57 left in 1st Quarter)
And we're off to the World Series. Baylor caps off an 86-yard drive with a 14-yard run by Glasco Martin Stony Point H.S. in Round Rock, Tex. Baylor builds a 21-point lead, and it seems clear that this will not be KU's day.
So far Baylor has 257 yards, while KU has 17. That should give you a sense of how it's gone.
So far Baylor has 257 yards, while KU has 17. That should give you a sense of how it's gone.
Kansas 0 - 14 Baylor (7:15 left 1st Quarter)
OK, now we're rolling. Baylor's defense held, Baylor got the ball back, Baylor went 84 yards in four plays to take a two-touchdown lead. This time, the score came on a 29-yard run by Lache Seastrunk of Temple H.S. in Temple, Tex.
Kansas 0 - 7 Baylor (9:17 left in 1st Quarter)
Baylor couldn't do much on its first two possessions, but this time we saw the True Bears. On Baylor's third possession, QB Bryce Petty of Midlothian H.S. in Midlothian, Tex. hit Tevin Reese of Temple H.S. in Temple, Tex. way down field at the KU 15. Reese caught the ball in stride and ran untouched for a 62-yard touchdown. Aaron Jones of Crowley H.S. in Crowley, Tex. added the extra point, and the Bears have the early lead.
We will keep blogging unless Baylor gets a 21-point lead. The question is, can the Bears build that lead in time for us to switch over to Game Three of the World Series.
We will keep blogging unless Baylor gets a 21-point lead. The question is, can the Bears build that lead in time for us to switch over to Game Three of the World Series.
Kansas 0 - 0 Baylor (14:22 left in 1st Quarter)
Uniform watch: Baylor has white helmets with the green BU logo; white shirts with gold shoulders and green numerals, and white pants with green stripes. As usual, the numerals are meant to look futuristic, but they remind me of the numbers on the cars at Paducah International Raceway back in the 1980's.
Kansas is in all blue -- blue helmets with the Jayhawk logo, blue shirts, and blue pants with red stripes. Kansas's numerals are unique in college football -- they are basically larger versions of the font used for KU basketball.
On their first possession, Baylor goes three and out.
Kansas is in all blue -- blue helmets with the Jayhawk logo, blue shirts, and blue pants with red stripes. Kansas's numerals are unique in college football -- they are basically larger versions of the font used for KU basketball.
On their first possession, Baylor goes three and out.
Kansas v. Baylor
This is another one of those Big XII match-ups where the teams were in different conferences for most of their history. Kansas and Baylor have met only 12 times, and the Bears hold an 8-4 lead in the all-time series. They have never met for the UCFC.
The big story for this game, of course, is Baylor -- which moved up to number 6 in the AP poll. This is Baylor's highest ranking in the AP poll since 1980, when the Bears won the old Southwest Conference with a record of 10-1 and climbed up to number 6 in the rankings. (That team lost the Cotton Bowl to Alabama by a score of 30-2). The Bears have also won 10 games in a row -- which ties them for the longest winning streak in Baylor history. To recap, here's what Baylor has done so far this season (home team listed first):
Baylor 69 - 3 Wofford
Baylor 70 - 13 Buffalo
Baylor 70 - 7 La-Monroe
Baylor 73 - 42 W. Virginia
Kansas St. 25 - 35 Baylor
Baylor 71 - 7 Iowa St.
It is striking that Baylor scored so many fewer points in their only road game than in their home victories, but Kansas State was probably the best team the Bears have played all year.
Baylor is not expected to have much trouble today, road game or no. They are 35-point favorites in a game where the oddsmakers expect 65 points to be scored. That would work out to a 50-15 victory for the Bears, which would give them the all-time Baylor winning streak. It would also let them keep the UCFC until their next game, against a team somewhat better-known than their other opponents this season -- Oklahoma.
The big story for this game, of course, is Baylor -- which moved up to number 6 in the AP poll. This is Baylor's highest ranking in the AP poll since 1980, when the Bears won the old Southwest Conference with a record of 10-1 and climbed up to number 6 in the rankings. (That team lost the Cotton Bowl to Alabama by a score of 30-2). The Bears have also won 10 games in a row -- which ties them for the longest winning streak in Baylor history. To recap, here's what Baylor has done so far this season (home team listed first):
Baylor 69 - 3 Wofford
Baylor 70 - 13 Buffalo
Baylor 70 - 7 La-Monroe
Baylor 73 - 42 W. Virginia
Kansas St. 25 - 35 Baylor
Baylor 71 - 7 Iowa St.
It is striking that Baylor scored so many fewer points in their only road game than in their home victories, but Kansas State was probably the best team the Bears have played all year.
Baylor is not expected to have much trouble today, road game or no. They are 35-point favorites in a game where the oddsmakers expect 65 points to be scored. That would work out to a 50-15 victory for the Bears, which would give them the all-time Baylor winning streak. It would also let them keep the UCFC until their next game, against a team somewhat better-known than their other opponents this season -- Oklahoma.
Kansas
The four teams with the most wins in the history of college basketball are Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina, and Duke. Here's where they rank in college football:
All-time wins:
29. N. Carolina (655-508-54)
48. Kentucky (580-587-44)
55. Kansas (573-586-58)
96. Duke (468-494-31)
In terms of winning percentage, North Carolina is 53d, Kentucky is 89th, Kansas is 90th, and Duke is 94th. So most years, these teams are simply waiting for basketball season to arrive.
The Golden Age of Kansas football lasted from 1891 until about 1920. During this period, the Jayhawks only had four losing seasons, and they had some really great years. In 1908, for example, they went 9-0, with big wins over Oklahoma (11-0), Nebraska (20-5), and Missouri (10-4).
Since 1920, however, football season has rarely been all that exciting in Lawrence. The Jayhawks have all-time records of 23-43-3 against Colorado, 27-71-6 against Oklahoma, and 23-91-3 against Nebraska. So they were a second-tier team in the old Big Eight, with their primary focus on the rivalry games against Kansas St. and Missouri. Kansas was much more competitive there, with a record of 65-40-5 against K-State and a record of 54-57-9 against Missouri. Their best team in the modern era may have been the 1968 squad, coached by Pepper Rodgers and led by quarterback Bobby Douglass. That team went 9-1 in the regular season, winning the Big Eight title, and losing to Penn State by 15-14 in the Orange Bowl. They finished seventh in the AP Poll. In 2007, they won their first 11 games and got all the way to number 2 in the country, before losing to Missouri 36-28 in the last game of the regular season. But they rallied to beat Virginia Tech 24-21 in the Orange Bowl, and they also finished seventh in the AP Poll. That remains Kansas's only major bowl victory.
This year, the Jayhawks are having a typical Kansas-like season. They are 2-4, with wins over South Dakota and Louisiana Tech. They are 0-3 in the Big XII. Because Missouri left the Big XII, they don't have that rivalry game to look forward to any more; these days they have to end the season with K-State.
Kansas won the UCFC the first time they ever played for it, beating Oklahoma 10-9 on November 11, 1926. But the next week they lost to Missouri and they have never won the UCFC again. Their all-time record in UCFC play is 1-5. Their last appearance in a UCFC game was on October 25, 1997, when Nebraska beat them 35-0.
All-time wins:
29. N. Carolina (655-508-54)
48. Kentucky (580-587-44)
55. Kansas (573-586-58)
96. Duke (468-494-31)
In terms of winning percentage, North Carolina is 53d, Kentucky is 89th, Kansas is 90th, and Duke is 94th. So most years, these teams are simply waiting for basketball season to arrive.
The Golden Age of Kansas football lasted from 1891 until about 1920. During this period, the Jayhawks only had four losing seasons, and they had some really great years. In 1908, for example, they went 9-0, with big wins over Oklahoma (11-0), Nebraska (20-5), and Missouri (10-4).
Since 1920, however, football season has rarely been all that exciting in Lawrence. The Jayhawks have all-time records of 23-43-3 against Colorado, 27-71-6 against Oklahoma, and 23-91-3 against Nebraska. So they were a second-tier team in the old Big Eight, with their primary focus on the rivalry games against Kansas St. and Missouri. Kansas was much more competitive there, with a record of 65-40-5 against K-State and a record of 54-57-9 against Missouri. Their best team in the modern era may have been the 1968 squad, coached by Pepper Rodgers and led by quarterback Bobby Douglass. That team went 9-1 in the regular season, winning the Big Eight title, and losing to Penn State by 15-14 in the Orange Bowl. They finished seventh in the AP Poll. In 2007, they won their first 11 games and got all the way to number 2 in the country, before losing to Missouri 36-28 in the last game of the regular season. But they rallied to beat Virginia Tech 24-21 in the Orange Bowl, and they also finished seventh in the AP Poll. That remains Kansas's only major bowl victory.
This year, the Jayhawks are having a typical Kansas-like season. They are 2-4, with wins over South Dakota and Louisiana Tech. They are 0-3 in the Big XII. Because Missouri left the Big XII, they don't have that rivalry game to look forward to any more; these days they have to end the season with K-State.
Kansas won the UCFC the first time they ever played for it, beating Oklahoma 10-9 on November 11, 1926. But the next week they lost to Missouri and they have never won the UCFC again. Their all-time record in UCFC play is 1-5. Their last appearance in a UCFC game was on October 25, 1997, when Nebraska beat them 35-0.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Baylor 71 - 7 Iowa St. (Final)
The most dramatic issue in this game was whether the teams would score the 77 points predicted in the over/under line. With less than a minute to go, the folks who bet the under had to be feeling good -- the score was 64-0 in favor of Baylor. But with only 47 seconds left, Iowa State scored to make it 64-7. And then Corey Coleman of Baylor ran the ensuing kickoff back 97 yards for a final touchdown -- Baylor's ninth of the day. So the teams combined for 78 points. As usual, therefore, Baylor covered both the point spread (33 points) and the over-under line. In five games played in Waco this year, the Bears have averaged 70.6 points per game.
Iowa State is not as bad as they looked last night (the Cyclones only lost to Texas by one point a few weeks ago), but the Cyclones were simply overwhelmed from the opening kick. They fall to 0-6 in all-time UCFC games.
As for Baylor, they have now won 10 games in a row -- and 10 UCFC games in a row. Their all-time record in UCFC play is now 24-18-3. At no point in its long history has Baylor won more than 10 consecutive football games. Next week, they will go for the record in Lawrence, Kan., where they will face the Kansas Jayhawks.
Iowa State is not as bad as they looked last night (the Cyclones only lost to Texas by one point a few weeks ago), but the Cyclones were simply overwhelmed from the opening kick. They fall to 0-6 in all-time UCFC games.
As for Baylor, they have now won 10 games in a row -- and 10 UCFC games in a row. Their all-time record in UCFC play is now 24-18-3. At no point in its long history has Baylor won more than 10 consecutive football games. Next week, they will go for the record in Lawrence, Kan., where they will face the Kansas Jayhawks.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Baylor 27 - 0 Iowa St. (2:36 left in 2d Quarter)
OK, well this is going about as we expected. Bryce Petty has already thrown for 201 yards, and the Bears are cruising toward their tenth UCFC victory in a row.
Baylor v. Iowa St.
This is not one of the great fixtures on the football calendar. For most of their histories, Baylor and Iowa State were each near the bottom of their respective conferences. Only after the Southwest Conference collapsed, and Baylor joined the new Big XII Conference, did the two start playing each other on a regular basis. Iowa State leads the all-time series 6-5, and the Cyclones won last year's game, a 35-21 game played in Ames, Iowa. The Cyclones and the Bears have never met for the UCFC.
Of course, today's game is all about Baylor, which is going for its 10th win in a row -- and its 10th UCFC victory in a row. It's homecoming in Waco, and the Bear faithful will be celebrating their place as the number-12 team in the nation, and their tie for first in the Big XII standings. They will also be expecting a big win -- and the oddsmakers agree. Baylor is a 33-point favorite in a game where 77 points are supposed to be scored. That would translate to a 55-22 Baylor victory -- which sounds about right to me.
Of course, today's game is all about Baylor, which is going for its 10th win in a row -- and its 10th UCFC victory in a row. It's homecoming in Waco, and the Bear faithful will be celebrating their place as the number-12 team in the nation, and their tie for first in the Big XII standings. They will also be expecting a big win -- and the oddsmakers agree. Baylor is a 33-point favorite in a game where 77 points are supposed to be scored. That would translate to a 55-22 Baylor victory -- which sounds about right to me.
Iowa State
There are a number of schools that have been playing big-time, major conference football for most of the last 100 years, and yet have almost never had a good team. Iowa State is one of these programs. The Cyclones have an all-time record of 506-605-46, which means that their winning percentage ranks 103d out of 125 schools in Division I-A. I watch dozens of college football games every year, and I've been watching college football since 1971, and I don't think I've ever watched an Iowa State game from beginning to end.
A study of Wikipedia reveals that Iowa State's best-ever team was in 1976. That team, coached by Earle Bruce (who later went on to great success at Ohio State) went 8-3 and beat Nebraska for the first time since 1960. That year, the Cyclones finished 19th in the AP Poll -- their all-time highest ranking -- but were not invited to a bowl game. Iowa State's only other appearance in the final AP poll was in the 2000 season, when they went 9-3 and were ranked 25th. Since World War II, Iowa State has had two coaches that went on to win AP National Championships -- Johnny Majors (1968-72), who won the title at Pittsburgh in 1976, and Gene Chizik (2007-08), who won the 2010 title with Auburn. But neither Majors (24-30-1) nor Chizik (5-19) had a winning record at Iowa State. In fact, since World War II Earle Bruce is the only coach to leave Ames with a winning record -- he went 36-32 from 1973-78, which may be one of the best coaching jobs of all time.
Iowa State has won three bowl games. In 2000, the Cyclones beat Pittsburgh 37-29 in the Insight.com Bowl. In 2004, they beat Miami (Ohio) in the Independence Bowl, 17-13. In 2009, they won the Insight Bowl with a 14-13 win over Minnesota. They've also lost nine bowl games. They have never played a game in January.
Given this dismal history, it is not surprising that the Cyclones have never come close to winning the UCFC. They've played for the title on five occasions. Here were the scores:
11/17/23: Nebraska 26, Iowa St. 14
11/10/56: Oklahoma 44, Iowa St. 0
10/05/57: Oklahoma 40, Iowa St. 14
09/14/96: Iowa 38, Iowa St. 13
11/15/97: Nebraska 77, Iowa St. 14
We will see if they can do better today.
A study of Wikipedia reveals that Iowa State's best-ever team was in 1976. That team, coached by Earle Bruce (who later went on to great success at Ohio State) went 8-3 and beat Nebraska for the first time since 1960. That year, the Cyclones finished 19th in the AP Poll -- their all-time highest ranking -- but were not invited to a bowl game. Iowa State's only other appearance in the final AP poll was in the 2000 season, when they went 9-3 and were ranked 25th. Since World War II, Iowa State has had two coaches that went on to win AP National Championships -- Johnny Majors (1968-72), who won the title at Pittsburgh in 1976, and Gene Chizik (2007-08), who won the 2010 title with Auburn. But neither Majors (24-30-1) nor Chizik (5-19) had a winning record at Iowa State. In fact, since World War II Earle Bruce is the only coach to leave Ames with a winning record -- he went 36-32 from 1973-78, which may be one of the best coaching jobs of all time.
Iowa State has won three bowl games. In 2000, the Cyclones beat Pittsburgh 37-29 in the Insight.com Bowl. In 2004, they beat Miami (Ohio) in the Independence Bowl, 17-13. In 2009, they won the Insight Bowl with a 14-13 win over Minnesota. They've also lost nine bowl games. They have never played a game in January.
Given this dismal history, it is not surprising that the Cyclones have never come close to winning the UCFC. They've played for the title on five occasions. Here were the scores:
11/17/23: Nebraska 26, Iowa St. 14
11/10/56: Oklahoma 44, Iowa St. 0
10/05/57: Oklahoma 40, Iowa St. 14
09/14/96: Iowa 38, Iowa St. 13
11/15/97: Nebraska 77, Iowa St. 14
We will see if they can do better today.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Kansas St. 25 - 35 Baylor (Final)
The Bears defense holds one more time, and Baylor wins its ninth consecutive UCFC game. This was an excellent game, well-played by both sides, that finally turned on a missed field goal and an interception by Kansas State. It was Baylor's first ever win in Manhattan, Kan., and it means that their all-time record in UCFC play goes to 23-18-3.
Kansas St. made a valiant effort to regain the UCFC that they lost to Baylor last year, but came up just short. Their record in UCFC play falls to 3-8, and they will have to hope that the Big Gold Trophy stays in the Big XII long enough for them to get another crack at it.
Baylor returns home, and they will defend the UCFC next week against Iowa State.
Kansas St. made a valiant effort to regain the UCFC that they lost to Baylor last year, but came up just short. Their record in UCFC play falls to 3-8, and they will have to hope that the Big Gold Trophy stays in the Big XII long enough for them to get another crack at it.
Baylor returns home, and they will defend the UCFC next week against Iowa State.
Kansas St. 25 - 35 Baylor (1:16 left in 4th Quarter)
On third and five from the K-State 21, Glasco Martin of Stony Point H.S. in Round Rock, Tex. bursts through the lines and dashes untouched into the end zone. Baylor has a 10 point lead, and it looks as though the Bears will take the Big Gold Trophy back to Waco.
Kansas St. 25 - 28 (3:48 left in 4th Quarter)
For reasons I don't understand, K-State decided to have Sams throw the ball. He was chased into his own background, go away, hurled a pass toward the sidelines, WHERE IT WAS INTERCEPTED BY Ahmad Dixon of Midway H.S. in Waco, Tex. Dixon made a spectacular play, catching the ball and getting down one foot just as he was going out of bounds. Baylor takes over at the K-State 40 -- and remember, the Wildcats have no timeouts left.
Sams had 30 carries for 202 yards, and was 4-7 for 40 yards. I think K-State might have been better off sticking with the running game.
Sams had 30 carries for 202 yards, and was 4-7 for 40 yards. I think K-State might have been better off sticking with the running game.
Kansas St. 25 - 28 Baylor (4:35 left in 4th Quarter)
Once again, the K-State defense holds. Once again, Baylor punts. This time, K-State will take over on its own 20. My guess is that the Wildcats will give the ball to Daniel Sams.
Kansas St. 25 - 28 Baylor (6:49 left in the 4th Quarter)
Once again, Daniel Sams leads a great drive for K-State. He now has 29 carries for 194 yards. Finally, the drive stops with a 4th and 2 at the Baylor 24. K-State goes for the game-tying field goal -- but Cantele's kick GOES WIDE TO THE LEFT. Baylor takes over the ball after dodging a huge, huge, bullet.
Kansas St. 25 - 28 Baylor (11:22 left in 4th Quarter)
But Baylor also goes three-and-out -- Ryan Mueller sacks Petty on third down -- and the Bears are forced to punt. K-State will start from its own 32.
Kansas St. 25 - 28 Baylor (12:49 left in 4th Quarter)
Baylor's defense HOLDS. K-State is forced to punt, and Baylor will take over on its own 18.
Kansas St. 25 - 28 Baylor (14:33 left in 4th Quarter)
Once again, Tevin Reese gets behind the entire Kansas State defense. Petty finds him, and he strolls into the end zone to complete a 54-yard touchdown pass. Baylor has retaken the lead on its third long touchdown pass of the day. Here is Bryce Petty's line so far: 10-17 for 318 yards and three touchdowns. That's right; he is averaging almost 32 yards per completion.
Kansas St. 25 - 21 Baylor (end of 3d Quarter)
Baylor has driven out to its own 44, but that third quarter was a total disaster. They were outscored 15-0 in the third quarter, due in large part to a blocked punt and a fumble by their star quarterback. Baylor hasn't been in this much trouble in a long time; it will be interesting to see how they respond.
Kansas St. 25 - 21 Baylor (45 seconds left in 3d Quarter)
Daniel Sams does it again -- he drives the Wildcats down the field and plunges in from two yards out for his third rushing touchdown of the game. K-State tries another two-point conversion, which fails. That's two points that the Wildcats have left on the table, and you have to wonder if they will regret those lost points. But for now, Manhattan, Kan. is ecstatic -- the Wildcats have scored 15 points in a row, and they now lead in the battle for the Big Gold Trophy.
Kansas St. 19 - 21 Baylor (6:22 left in 3d Quarter)
Utter disaster for the Bears. After a quick first down, Bryce Petty was rolling to his left, looking for a receiver. Just as Petty was about to run out of bounds, junior defensive end Ryan Mueller, from St. Thomas Aquinas H.S. in Leawood, Kan., made an unbelievable play. Mueller leaped at Petty, stripped the ball from his hand, and fell on it. Suddenly, Kansas State has the ball at Baylor's 44, with a great chance to take the lead.
Kansas St. 19 - 21 Baylor (6:54 left in 3d Quarter)
After the timeout, Sams tries to throw for two points, but his pass is broken up by K.J. Morton of Northside H.S. in Warner-Robins, Ga. K-State still trails by two. But they have scored 9 points so far in the second half, to none for Baylor. The Big Gold Trophy is very much up for grabs.
Kansas St. 19 - 21 Baylor (6:54 left in 3d Quarter)
It only takes a few plays for K-State to score a touchdown, as Daniel Sams dashes in from two yards out for his second rushing touchdown of the game. K-State tries to go for two, but something goes from and Sams calls time-out. That is K-State's last time-out of the game. That could be a big deal.
Kansas St. 13 - 21 Baylor (7:28 left in 3d Quarter)
Baylor goes three and out and is forced to punt. BUT THE PUNT IS BLOCKED by Weston Hiebert of Goessel H.S. in Goessel, Kan. The Wildcats take over at the Baylor 21.
Kansas St. 13 - 21 Baylor (8:44 left in 3d Quarter)
Baylor couldn't do anything with its opening possession of the second half, and then Kansas State launched a drive that ended with its second field goal of the game -- a 32-yarder by Jack Cantele. The Wildcats are back within one possession. Daniel Sams now has 17 carries for 137 yards.
Kansas St. 10 - 21 Baylor (Halftime)
And so ends a relatively entertaining first half -- at least compared to other recent UCFC games.
Kansas St. 10 - 21 Baylor (1:51 left in 2d Quarter)
But Baylor seems to have its groove back. Almost as soon as Baylor gets the ball, Bryce Petty hits Antwan Goodley of Midland H.S. in Midland, Tex. Goodley breaks into the clear and outruns the K-State secondary to complete a 72-yard touchdown pass. This is the Baylor we're used to seeing.
Kansas St. 10 - 14 Baylor (3:05 left in 2d Quarter)
Deep in their own territory, the Bears' defense holds firm, and K-State is forced to settle for a 24-yard Jack Cantele field goal.
Kansas St. 7 - 14 Baylor (4 minutes left in 2d Quarter)
But here come the Wildcats again, led by Daniel Sams. For the game, Sams now has 123 yards on 12 carries, and K-State has a first and goal at the Baylor 8. K-State calls time.
Kansas St. 7 - 14 Baylor (8:55 left in 2d Quarter)
For most of this game, Baylor has looked pretty normal. But after an exchange of punts left the Bears with the ball, deep in their own territory, they broke out the magic. From his own 7, Bryce Petty hurled a long pass to Tevin Reese of Temple H.S. in Temple, Tex., who somehow had gotten behind the entire K-State defense. Reese was untouched as he raced the rest of the way to complete a 93-yard score. That was the first time today where Baylor looked like itself.
Kansas St. 7 - 7 Baylor (14:57 left in 2d Quarter)
Kansas St. changed quarterbacks for this drive, bringing in Daniel Sams -- a sophomore from Salmen H.S. in Slidell, La. All he did was carry the ball eight times for 63 yards -- and the last of those yards was a one-yard plunge for a touchdown. Jack Cantele of Kapaun Mt. Carmel H.S. in Wichita, Kan. tacked on the extra point, and we are all tied up.
The UCFC is in doubt for the first time all season!
The UCFC is in doubt for the first time all season!
Kansas St. 0 - 7 Baylor (end of 1st Quarter)
The Wildcats have taken the ball and driven all the way down to the Baylor 1-yard line. This is the first time all year that Baylor hasn't put the game away in the first quarter. It will be interesting to see how the Bears respond.
Kansas St. 0 - 7 Baylor (4:08 left in 1st Quarter)
Baylor moves the ball out to its own 39, but is forced to punt for only the 8th time this season. Spencer Roth of Catholic H.S. in Knoxville, Tenn. boots the ball to the K-State 22, and the Wildcats will start from there.
Kansas St. 0 - 7 Baylor (5:33 left in 1st Quarter)
After a very impressive drive, the K-State Wildcats had a 4th and 1 at the Baylor 9. Heeding the pleas of the big crowd, the Wildcats went for the first down -- but they did not make it. The Baylor defense stuffed K-State's running play at the line. Given how many points the Bears are likely to score, that was a big missed opportunity for K-State.
Kansas St. 0 - 7 Baylor (10:33 left in 1st Quarter)
Well, it took a little longer than usual, but the result was the same. Baylor takes the opening kick and drives 58 yards for a touchdown. On fourth and inches from the goal line, Baylor QB Bryce Petty of Midlothian H.S. in Midlothian, Tex. sneaked into the end zone to give the Bears their usual early lead. Aaron Jones of Crowley H.S. in Crowley, Tex. tacked on the extra point.
Kansas St. 0 - 0 Baylor (15 minutes left in 1st Quarter)
For the first time this year, we have broken out the audio feed for a UCFC game. We have the Baylor announcers ("From the banks of the Brazos, and all across the State of Texas."
Uniform watch: Baylor has the traditional gold helmets with green BU logo, white jerseys with gold sleeves and green futuristic numerals, and gold pants. Kansas State looks very traditional with their silver helmets (with Wildcat logo), purple jerseys and traditional white numerals, and silver pants with purple stripes.
It is a lovely day in Manhattan, Kan., and the Wildcats have a huge and very purple crowd in attendance.
Uniform watch: Baylor has the traditional gold helmets with green BU logo, white jerseys with gold sleeves and green futuristic numerals, and gold pants. Kansas State looks very traditional with their silver helmets (with Wildcat logo), purple jerseys and traditional white numerals, and silver pants with purple stripes.
It is a lovely day in Manhattan, Kan., and the Wildcats have a huge and very purple crowd in attendance.
Kansas St. v. Baylor
Last November 17, Kansas State was on top of the world -- the Wildcats were undefeated, they were ranked number 1 in the Bowl Championship Series, and they had the Unofficial College Football Championship. When the Wildcats rolled into Waco, Tex., they were heavily favored to hold all those titles. But instead, they were destroyed by Baylor, 52-24. The Bears have not lost since -- they have successfully defended the UCFC seven times in a row. Baylor's eight consecutive wins represents the fourth-longest winning streak in Baylor history.
Baylor is now ranked 15th in the country, while K-State is off to a 2-3 start. Now the oddsmakers expect Baylor to roll on -- the Bears are 17 1/2 point favorites in a game where the over/under line is 74. That would work out to something like a 46-28 victory for Baylor. That sounds about right. But as we saw last year, you never know what will happen when the Big Gold Trophy goes on the road.
Baylor is now ranked 15th in the country, while K-State is off to a 2-3 start. Now the oddsmakers expect Baylor to roll on -- the Bears are 17 1/2 point favorites in a game where the over/under line is 74. That would work out to something like a 46-28 victory for Baylor. That sounds about right. But as we saw last year, you never know what will happen when the Big Gold Trophy goes on the road.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Baylor 73 - 42 W. Virginia (Final)
Once again, Baylor's offensive performance has exceeded expectations. In their first conference game of the year, the Bears had 864 total yards as they absolutely humiliated the West Virginia defense. Remarkably, the game was not as close as the final score indicated -- Baylor was up 56-14 at the half. But the pollsters still aren't convinced -- Baylor is ranked number 15 in the country, four spots below a UCLA team that the Bears destroyed in last season's Holiday Bowl.
The Bears have now won eight consecutive UCFC games -- the longest streak since a Florida team led by Tim Tebow won 13 in a row from January 8, 2009 to December 5, 2009. The Bears' all-time UCFC record is now 22-18-3.
West Virginia loses its second consecutive UCFC game, and the Mountaineers fall to 16-9 in UCFC match-ups.
Next week Baylor takes the Big Gold Trophy on the road for the first time, traveling to Manhattan, Kan. for a game against Kansas State.
The Bears have now won eight consecutive UCFC games -- the longest streak since a Florida team led by Tim Tebow won 13 in a row from January 8, 2009 to December 5, 2009. The Bears' all-time UCFC record is now 22-18-3.
West Virginia loses its second consecutive UCFC game, and the Mountaineers fall to 16-9 in UCFC match-ups.
Next week Baylor takes the Big Gold Trophy on the road for the first time, traveling to Manhattan, Kan. for a game against Kansas State.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Baylor 28 - 7 W. Virginia (4:56 left in 1st Quarter)
OK, we're done here. West Virginia got to midfield, and then punted into the end zone. On first and 10 from their own 20, the Baylor Bears went for what appeared to be a simple handoff, giving the ball to Lache Seastrunk of Temple H.S. in Temple, Tex. He broke a tackle and the line -- and then went 80 yards for Baylor's fourth touchdown of the quarter.
Baylor scores so quickly and has been so dominant that I probably haven't given them enough credit so far this season. It's possible, of course, that Baylor is actually the greatest football team of all time. Certainly, that's what their play so far would indicate. But I really want to see how they do against tougher competition. Next week, they will take the Big Gold Trophy on the road for the first time this year, as they will head up to Manhattan, Kan. for a battle with the Kansas State Wildcats -- the same team Baylor took the trophy from last season.
Baylor scores so quickly and has been so dominant that I probably haven't given them enough credit so far this season. It's possible, of course, that Baylor is actually the greatest football team of all time. Certainly, that's what their play so far would indicate. But I really want to see how they do against tougher competition. Next week, they will take the Big Gold Trophy on the road for the first time this year, as they will head up to Manhattan, Kan. for a battle with the Kansas State Wildcats -- the same team Baylor took the trophy from last season.
Baylor 21 - 7 W. Virginia (6:25 left in 1st Quarter)
Watching Baylor play football is like watching someone play Tecmo Bowl against the computer. West Virginia goes for it on fourth and 2 from its own 47; doesn't make it. Baylor takes over, and on the first play Bryce Petty hurls a 47-yd touchdown pass to Tevin Reese of Temple H.S. in Temple, Tex.
At this point I'm putting West Virginia on the clock. Once the Mountaineers fall 21 points behind, I'm going to stop posting all the scores, and I'm going to switch this game from the HD television to the one with standard definition.
At this point I'm putting West Virginia on the clock. Once the Mountaineers fall 21 points behind, I'm going to stop posting all the scores, and I'm going to switch this game from the HD television to the one with standard definition.
Baylor 14 - 7 W. Virginia (8:59 left in the 1st Quarter)
See? Baylor charges straight back and scores on a four-yard run by Bryce Petty. So far Petty is 5-5 for 104 yards, and it looks like he's running a scrimmage.
By the way, Baylor is the first team since 1930 to start the season by scoring 60 or more points in each of their first three games. At this rate, they are going to make it four in a row.
By the way, Baylor is the first team since 1930 to start the season by scoring 60 or more points in each of their first three games. At this rate, they are going to make it four in a row.
Baylor 7 - 7 W. Virginia (12:32 left in 1st Quarter)
Ah, life in the Big XII. Well, the Baylor defense actually held, so Nick O'Toole (from Fullerton College in Corona, Calif.) punted the ball almost to the goal line, where it was fumbled by Levi Norwood of State College, Pa. The ball bounced into the end zone, where it was recovered by a Mountaineer: Karl Joseph of Edgewater H.S. in Orlando, Fla. Josh Lambert of Garland H.S. in Garland, Tex. added the extra point -- and we're all tied.
I would say that this could be a big play in the game -- but I think Baylor is going to score pretty much every time they get the ball, so it won't make that much of a difference.
I would say that this could be a big play in the game -- but I think Baylor is going to score pretty much every time they get the ball, so it won't make that much of a difference.
Baylor 7 - 0 W. Virginia (14:20 left in 1st Quarter)
And here we go again. After just a few plays, Bryce Petty of Midlothian H.S. in Midlothian, Tex. hurled a 61-yard touchdown pass to Antwan Goodley of Midland H.S. in Midland, Tex. Aaron Jones of Crowley H.S. in Crowley, Tex. kicked the extra point, and the Bears have their usual early lead.
Google reports that it's 326 miles from Midlothian, Tex. to Midland, Tex. Midlothian is in the Dallas Metroplex; Midland is out in West Texas, close to Odessa.
Google reports that it's 326 miles from Midlothian, Tex. to Midland, Tex. Midlothian is in the Dallas Metroplex; Midland is out in West Texas, close to Odessa.
Baylor 0 - 0 W. Virginia (15 minutes left in 1st quarter)
Uniform watch: Baylor is wearing shiny gold helmets with the BU logo, black shirts with futuristic gold numerals, and black pants. They look like a rollerball team. West Virginia is wearing its usual blue helmet with WV logo, white shirts with blue numerals, and white pants -- but the font on their numerals look like something from a NASCAR race in 1967.
Baylor v. W. Virginia
When we started this blog several years ago, I had no idea that we would end up paying so much attention to Baylor and West Virginia. Until last year, these schools had never played each other -- and, in fact, had little in common other than having lots of Baptists on campus. But then West Virginia crushed Clemson in the 2012 Sugar Bowl to take the Unofficial College Football Championship back to Morgantown. The Mountaineers then took their program to the Big XII -- and that explains how their first ever game against Baylor turned into a battle for the UCFC. The Eers won that game by the ludicrous score of 70-63, and I thought we'd heard the last of Baylor for awhile. But the Bears rallied toward the end of season, and won the UCFC themselves. In fact, Baylor has won seven UCFC games in a row -- including all three of their games this season, laughers against Wofford, Buffalo, and Louisiana-Monroe.
Now Baylor is playing its first major conference opponent of the year -- and sure enough, that team is West Virginia. The Mountaineers no longer have Geno Smith, their great quarterback from last year, and their play so far in 2013 has been downright eccentric. They are 3-2. Their losses include a disastrous 37-0 defeat against Maryland in Baltimore, and a hard-fought 16-7 loss at Oklahoma. Their wins include an impressive 30-21 home victory over Oklahoma State. Traditionally, West Virginia plays to the level of their competition, and I think we can assume they will go all out in tonight's game.
Baylor, on the other hand, hasn't had a competitive game since last December. But they are at home, and teams rarely lose UCFC games at home. The Bears are up to number 17 in the country on the basis of their three blowout wins, and the folks in Vegas have made them 30-point favorites in a game where the over-under is 72. That would translate into a 51-21 victory for Baylor, which is the sort of score that could put them into the top 10.
Now Baylor is playing its first major conference opponent of the year -- and sure enough, that team is West Virginia. The Mountaineers no longer have Geno Smith, their great quarterback from last year, and their play so far in 2013 has been downright eccentric. They are 3-2. Their losses include a disastrous 37-0 defeat against Maryland in Baltimore, and a hard-fought 16-7 loss at Oklahoma. Their wins include an impressive 30-21 home victory over Oklahoma State. Traditionally, West Virginia plays to the level of their competition, and I think we can assume they will go all out in tonight's game.
Baylor, on the other hand, hasn't had a competitive game since last December. But they are at home, and teams rarely lose UCFC games at home. The Bears are up to number 17 in the country on the basis of their three blowout wins, and the folks in Vegas have made them 30-point favorites in a game where the over-under is 72. That would translate into a 51-21 victory for Baylor, which is the sort of score that could put them into the top 10.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Baylor 70 - 7 Louisiana-Monroe (Final)
Wow, this is really something. Look at how Baylor has done in the last seven UCFC games:
Baylor 54, Kansas St. 24
Baylor 52, Texas Tech 45
Baylor 41, Oklahoma St. 34
Baylor 49, UCLA 26 (Holiday Bowl)
Baylor 69, Wofford 3
Baylor 70, Buffalo 13
Baylor 70, Louisiana-Monroe 7
Their offense has just pummeled folks for seven games in a row. Baylor is also the first team to win seven consecutive UCFC games since Alabama did it from Demceber 5, 2009 to October 9, 2010.
Now the Bears have two more weeks to enjoy the Big Gold Trophy before they hose West Virginia on October 5. But the Mountaineers were blown out today by Maryland, losing 37-0 in Baltimore, so they may not be much of a threat.
Baylor runs its record in UCFC play to 21-18-3. Louisiana-Monroe falls to 0-1.
Baylor 54, Kansas St. 24
Baylor 52, Texas Tech 45
Baylor 41, Oklahoma St. 34
Baylor 49, UCLA 26 (Holiday Bowl)
Baylor 69, Wofford 3
Baylor 70, Buffalo 13
Baylor 70, Louisiana-Monroe 7
Their offense has just pummeled folks for seven games in a row. Baylor is also the first team to win seven consecutive UCFC games since Alabama did it from Demceber 5, 2009 to October 9, 2010.
Now the Bears have two more weeks to enjoy the Big Gold Trophy before they hose West Virginia on October 5. But the Mountaineers were blown out today by Maryland, losing 37-0 in Baltimore, so they may not be much of a threat.
Baylor runs its record in UCFC play to 21-18-3. Louisiana-Monroe falls to 0-1.
Baylor 35 - 0 Louisiana-Monroe (end of 1st Quarter)
OK, I've seen enough of this game. Baylor had a 41-yard interception return, a 63-yard interception return, and a drive that ended with a two-yard run. So the game is effectively over. Here are the stats for Bryce Petty, the Baylor quarterback, after one quarter:
6-9, 163 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT's, QB rating of 292.1
I'm really anxious to see Baylor play better competition. Couldn't they at least have scheduled SMU?
6-9, 163 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT's, QB rating of 292.1
I'm really anxious to see Baylor play better competition. Couldn't they at least have scheduled SMU?
Baylor 14 - 0 Louisiana-Monroe (8:53 left in 1st Quarter)
I wish I knew more about football, so I could understand why this is so easy for Baylor. It seems like almost all of their possessions end with someone running free about 15 yards behind the defense. This time it was Tevin Reese, who caught Bryce Petty's second TD pass of the game for a 47-yard gain.
Baylor 7 - 0 Louisiana-Monroe (10:17 left in 1st Quarter)
Baylor's first possession doesn't take too long, as Bryce Petty throws a 64-yard pass to Antwan Goodley to open the scoring. Watching Baylor play these games is more like watching a video game than like watching real football.
Baylor v. Louisiana-Monroe
Today the Baylor Bears go for their seventh consecutive win in the Unofficial College Football Championship, as they wrap up one of the worst non-conference schedules I've ever seen. To recap what has happened so far, Baylor opened the season with a 69-3 over Wofford. They then beat Buffalo 70-13. Then they took a week off. Now they take on Louisiana-Monroe, which is 2-1 (they lost to Oklahoma, and beat Grambling and Wake Forest).
Baylor is ranked 19th in the country, and they shouldn't have too much trouble with the Warhawks. It is true that last year, in the only match-up between these two schools, the Bears had a real challenge before pulling out a 47-42 win. But that game was in Monroe, and Baylor has gotten much better since then. Baylor is a 30-point favorite in a game where the over-under line is 74. That would translate into a 52-22 victory for the Bears, which sounds about right. Since Baylor has (another) bye week next week, it appears that the Big Gold Trophy will stay in Waco for at least two more weeks.
Baylor is ranked 19th in the country, and they shouldn't have too much trouble with the Warhawks. It is true that last year, in the only match-up between these two schools, the Bears had a real challenge before pulling out a 47-42 win. But that game was in Monroe, and Baylor has gotten much better since then. Baylor is a 30-point favorite in a game where the over-under line is 74. That would translate into a 52-22 victory for the Bears, which sounds about right. Since Baylor has (another) bye week next week, it appears that the Big Gold Trophy will stay in Waco for at least two more weeks.
Louisiana-Monroe
Monroe, Louisiana is a town of almost 50,000 people up in the northern part of the state. In 1931, a school opened there under the name Ouachita Parish Junior College. Three years later, it became the Northeast Center of Louisiana State University, and by 1969 it was known as Northeast Louisiana University. That's how I still think of it, but in the late 1990's, for reasons I've never understood, they renamed the regional universities in Louisiana, and NE Louisiana became Louisiana-Monroe. Then, in 2006 the NCAA forced Louisiana-Monroe to stop using the "Indians" nickname it had used for 75 years, and they became the Warhawks.
So the team that I remember as the NE Louisiana Indians is now the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. (They encourage folks to refer to them as ULM.)
For most of their history, the Indians/Warhawks -- well, back then they were just the Indians -- bounced in various lower divisions. They spent 20 years in the National Junior College Athletic Association, then 24 years in NAIA, and then 20 years in I-AA. In 1987, the Northeast Louisiana Indians won the I-AA National Championship, beating Marshall 43-42 in one of the most thrilling title games in I-AA history.
In 1994, they moved up to Division I-A, and they moved into the Sun Belt Conference in 2001. That's where they remain to this day. They have struggled for most of their time in Division I-A, but last year they went 8-4 and went to the Independence Bowl (where they were pasted by Ohio 45-14).
This will be their first chance to play for the Unofficial College Football Championship.
So the team that I remember as the NE Louisiana Indians is now the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks. (They encourage folks to refer to them as ULM.)
For most of their history, the Indians/Warhawks -- well, back then they were just the Indians -- bounced in various lower divisions. They spent 20 years in the National Junior College Athletic Association, then 24 years in NAIA, and then 20 years in I-AA. In 1987, the Northeast Louisiana Indians won the I-AA National Championship, beating Marshall 43-42 in one of the most thrilling title games in I-AA history.
In 1994, they moved up to Division I-A, and they moved into the Sun Belt Conference in 2001. That's where they remain to this day. They have struggled for most of their time in Division I-A, but last year they went 8-4 and went to the Independence Bowl (where they were pasted by Ohio 45-14).
This will be their first chance to play for the Unofficial College Football Championship.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Baylor 70 - 13 Buffalo (Final)
So that turned out to be another easy win for the Bears, who have outscored their opponents 139-16 so far this year.
Next week, the Bears are taking a week off (presumably to watch Alabama play Texas A & M). And then they will defend the UCFC on September 21 at home against Louisiana-Monroe.
Baylor's all-time UCFC record is now 20-18-3. Buffalo falls to 0-2 in UCFC games.
Next week, the Bears are taking a week off (presumably to watch Alabama play Texas A & M). And then they will defend the UCFC on September 21 at home against Louisiana-Monroe.
Baylor's all-time UCFC record is now 20-18-3. Buffalo falls to 0-2 in UCFC games.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Baylor 49 - 13 Buffalo (5:10 left in 2d Quarter)
And while I was typing the last entry, Baylor had an 88-yard punt return for their seventh touchdown of the first half. So I'm calling this game for the Bears. We'll do a wrap-up, but don't expect a lot more coverage of this game.
Baylor 42 - 13 Buffalo (6:47 left in 2d Quarter)
While I was typing the last entry, Baylor scored their sixth touchdown of the first half. I'm really looking forward to watching them play a big-time opponent.
Baylor 35 - 13 Buffalo (7:47 left in 2d Quarter)
OK, so I went to Dairy Queen to get a grape Mr. Misty -- although they don't call them that any more -- and by the time I got back, this game was basically over. I don't know whether Baylor's offense is unstoppable, but I know that if it's going to be stopped, it will be stopped by a team with a lot more athleticism than Buffalo.
Uniform watch: This week, Baylor is going with white helmets (with a green BU logo), dark green jerseys with gold numerals, and white pants. I like this look better than the all-green look that Baylor was rocking last week, but I still prefer the gold helmets.
Buffalo has Kentucky-blue helmets, white shirts with blue numerals, and white pants with blue stripes. They look good, except the font on the jerseys is one of those "modern" fonts that, to me, always looks like something you'd see on a car in one of the Herbie movies.
Uniform watch: This week, Baylor is going with white helmets (with a green BU logo), dark green jerseys with gold numerals, and white pants. I like this look better than the all-green look that Baylor was rocking last week, but I still prefer the gold helmets.
Buffalo has Kentucky-blue helmets, white shirts with blue numerals, and white pants with blue stripes. They look good, except the font on the jerseys is one of those "modern" fonts that, to me, always looks like something you'd see on a car in one of the Herbie movies.
Baylor v. Buffalo
Last week, Baylor beat Wofford 69-3 for its fifth consecutive UCFC victory. In each of those games, the Bears have scored at least 41 points. With the big win, Baylor moved up to 23 in the AP's ranking. This week the Bears take on the Buffalo Bulls. The Bulls opened their season last week with a 40-20 loss at Ohio State, and they are basically given no chance in this game. Vegas likes Baylor to win by 28 points, and they expect 70 points to be scored. That would work out to a 49-21 win for the Bears. My guess is that Baylor will go over 50 points, and that they will keep the Big Golden Trophy.
This is the second meeting between Baylor and Buffalo. On September 11, 2010, in Waco, Tex., the Bears pounded Buffalo 34-6, thanks to 297 passing yards from Robert Griffin III.
This is the second meeting between Baylor and Buffalo. On September 11, 2010, in Waco, Tex., the Bears pounded Buffalo 34-6, thanks to 297 passing yards from Robert Griffin III.
Buffalo
According to Wikipedia, the City of Buffalo, N.Y., was named after Buffalo Creek, which runs through it. But no one knows where the creek's name game from. Wikipedia gives various theories, of which my favorite is that the local Native Americans actually called the creek "Beaver Creek," but that this term was mistranslated in a 1784 treaty.
Anyway, Buffalo's fortune was made in 1825, when the Erie Canal was opened. This canal, one of the most important developments in American history, allowed goods to be shipped from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, and vice versa. Buffalo, on Lake Erie, was the western terminus of the Canal, and it boomed. In 1825, there were only 2,400 people in Buffalo. By 1860, there were 81,000. After that, Buffalo boomed, its population growing by leaps and bounds. By 1900, it had a population of 352,000, and was the 8th-largest city in America. Thanks to hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls, Buffalo was the first American city to have widespread electric lighting. In 1901, Buffalo hosted the Pan-American Exposition, an enormous World's Fair. Unfortunately, this turned out to be the most notorious event in Buffalo history, as President McKinley was shot and killed while visiting the fair. Nevertheless, Buffalo continued to thrive in the early years of the 20th century. In the Census of 1930, Buffalo had 580,000 people, and was still the 14th-largest city in the United States.
But the Great Depression, the rise of the Sun Belt, and the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1957 all took a major toll on Buffalo. The city now has a population of only 261,000, making it one of the few American cities to have a lower population now than it did 100 years ago. The Buffalo metropolitan area now ranks 49th in American cities in population, putting it between Birmingham, Ala. and Salt Lake City, Utah.
The University of Buffalo was founded in 1846 as a private medical school. The first chancellor of the school was Millard Fillmore, who became President of the United States a few years later. In 1891, the University of Buffalo added a law school, and it created an undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences in 1915. In the early 1960's, the University was taken over by the State University of New York, and became known as SUNY Buffalo or the University at Buffalo. In 2013, U.S. News and World Report ranked UB at 106th on their list of "Best National Universities," and 51st among public universities.
UB played small-college football for most of its history, mostly to little effect. Its high moment game in 1958, when the Bulls went 8-1 and were invited to the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Fla. -- if they would leave their two African-American players at home. The Bulls turned down the invitation.
In 1970, UB dropped football altogether. But in 1977, the Bulls revived as a D-3 program. They stayed at that level until moving to I-AA in 1993, and to I-A in 1999. They haven't done all that well -- their only win over a school from a BCS conference came in 2002, when they upset Rutgers. They did play for the UCFC on September 20, 2008, but they lost to Missouri 42-21.
Anyway, Buffalo's fortune was made in 1825, when the Erie Canal was opened. This canal, one of the most important developments in American history, allowed goods to be shipped from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, and vice versa. Buffalo, on Lake Erie, was the western terminus of the Canal, and it boomed. In 1825, there were only 2,400 people in Buffalo. By 1860, there were 81,000. After that, Buffalo boomed, its population growing by leaps and bounds. By 1900, it had a population of 352,000, and was the 8th-largest city in America. Thanks to hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls, Buffalo was the first American city to have widespread electric lighting. In 1901, Buffalo hosted the Pan-American Exposition, an enormous World's Fair. Unfortunately, this turned out to be the most notorious event in Buffalo history, as President McKinley was shot and killed while visiting the fair. Nevertheless, Buffalo continued to thrive in the early years of the 20th century. In the Census of 1930, Buffalo had 580,000 people, and was still the 14th-largest city in the United States.
But the Great Depression, the rise of the Sun Belt, and the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1957 all took a major toll on Buffalo. The city now has a population of only 261,000, making it one of the few American cities to have a lower population now than it did 100 years ago. The Buffalo metropolitan area now ranks 49th in American cities in population, putting it between Birmingham, Ala. and Salt Lake City, Utah.
The University of Buffalo was founded in 1846 as a private medical school. The first chancellor of the school was Millard Fillmore, who became President of the United States a few years later. In 1891, the University of Buffalo added a law school, and it created an undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences in 1915. In the early 1960's, the University was taken over by the State University of New York, and became known as SUNY Buffalo or the University at Buffalo. In 2013, U.S. News and World Report ranked UB at 106th on their list of "Best National Universities," and 51st among public universities.
UB played small-college football for most of its history, mostly to little effect. Its high moment game in 1958, when the Bulls went 8-1 and were invited to the Tangerine Bowl in Orlando, Fla. -- if they would leave their two African-American players at home. The Bulls turned down the invitation.
In 1970, UB dropped football altogether. But in 1977, the Bulls revived as a D-3 program. They stayed at that level until moving to I-AA in 1993, and to I-A in 1999. They haven't done all that well -- their only win over a school from a BCS conference came in 2002, when they upset Rutgers. They did play for the UCFC on September 20, 2008, but they lost to Missouri 42-21.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Baylor 69 - 3 Wofford (Final)
I have nothing to say about this game, which was a blowout from the beginning. Baylor's record in UCFC games is now 19-18-3, and they will defend the Big Golden Trophy next week at home against Buffalo. Wofford's UCFC record is now 0-1, and it will probably be awhile before they get another chance.
Baylor 21 - 0 Wofford (2:49 left in 1st Quarter)
OK, unless the Terriers make it close, I'm done with this game.
Baylor 14 - 0 Wofford (7:01 left in 1st Quarter)
Two possessions, two touchdowns. I don't think we need to spend a lot more time on this game.
Baylor 7 - 0 Wofford (13:32 left in 1st Quarter)
Baylor normally scores about 50 points in UCFC games, and sure enough they have already turned the opening kickoff into a touchdown. For the record, I am not planning to track all of the many touchdowns Baylor is likely to score in this game.
Baylor 0 - 0 Wofford (14:55 left in 1st Quarter)
Uniform check:
Baylor is wearing dark green helmets with gold BU logo, dark green shirts with gold numerals, and dark green pants.
Wofford has solid gold helmets with no logo, white shirts with black numerals, and gold pants. It is a very sharp look.
Baylor is wearing dark green helmets with gold BU logo, dark green shirts with gold numerals, and dark green pants.
Wofford has solid gold helmets with no logo, white shirts with black numerals, and gold pants. It is a very sharp look.
Baylor v. Wofford
Baylor came out of nowhere last year to upset Kansas State, seize the UCFC, and hold it through the end of the season, capping off their year with a thumping victory over UCLA in the Holiday Bowl. Now, for the first time in about nine months, the Bears will defend the Big Golden Trophy. Their opponents, the Wofford Terriers, are ranked number 5 in the country in Division I-AA. Baylor is unranked in Division I-A. Wofford will be very much aware that another I-AA team -- North Dakota State -- upset Big XII power Kansas State 24-21 just last night. Can Wofford shock the world and take the Big Golden Trophy back to Spartanburg, South Carolina? That would be huge for The Citadel, which will host Wofford next Saturday.
Vegas is not expecting an upset -- Baylor is favored by 30 points. And based on how well Baylor played last year, that would not be a surprising result.
This is the first-ever meeting between Baylor and Wofford.
Vegas is not expecting an upset -- Baylor is favored by 30 points. And based on how well Baylor played last year, that would not be a surprising result.
This is the first-ever meeting between Baylor and Wofford.
Wofford
Benjamin Wofford was a Methodist minister who lived from 1780 to 1850 and who spent much of his life in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He was married twice (his first wife died in 1835), and each of his wives was quite wealthy. He also seems to have been quite careful in terms of managing his money. And, as far as I could tell, he had no children. As a result, he was left with a pretty nice fortune and no one to leave it to. When he died, his will stated that he had left $100,000 ($2.7 million today) to start a school of "literary, classical, and scientific education in my native district of Spartanburg." Four years later, Wofford College began. It remains on the same campus (which was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974) to this day. According to U.S. News, Wofford ranks 64th on the list of National Liberal Arts Colleges.
Wofford is a very small school, with only 1,588 undergraduates. Although Wofford has fielded football teams since 1889, they spent most of that time playing other small colleges. They were an NAIA school until 1988-89, and then they played in Division II of the NCAA until the 1997-98 school year. Since then, they have been in Division I-AA as a member of the Southern Conference. The rise of Wofford football coincides with the coaching career of Mike Ayers, who took over the Wofford program in 1988 (its first year in D-II), and who has gone 171-115-1 since then. The Terriers have finished in the Top 25 of I-AA in nine of the last 13 seasons. Last year they went 9-4, finished 9th in the country, and lost to eventual national champion North Dakota State in a heartbreaker -- 14-7 on the road -- in the I-AA quarterfinals. So they were pretty good.
This will be the Terriers' first attempt to win the Unofficial College Football Championship.
Wofford is a very small school, with only 1,588 undergraduates. Although Wofford has fielded football teams since 1889, they spent most of that time playing other small colleges. They were an NAIA school until 1988-89, and then they played in Division II of the NCAA until the 1997-98 school year. Since then, they have been in Division I-AA as a member of the Southern Conference. The rise of Wofford football coincides with the coaching career of Mike Ayers, who took over the Wofford program in 1988 (its first year in D-II), and who has gone 171-115-1 since then. The Terriers have finished in the Top 25 of I-AA in nine of the last 13 seasons. Last year they went 9-4, finished 9th in the country, and lost to eventual national champion North Dakota State in a heartbreaker -- 14-7 on the road -- in the I-AA quarterfinals. So they were pretty good.
This will be the Terriers' first attempt to win the Unofficial College Football Championship.
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