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GAME 7
BAYLOR (3-3, 1-1)
at
KANSAS (4-2, 1-1)
Oct. 18, 2003 * 1:00 p.m. CDT
Memorial Stadium (50,250)
Lawrence, Kan.
Baylor stays on the road this weekend, traveling to Lawrence, Kan., for a showdown with Big 12 foe Kansas. Saturday's kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CDT at Memorial Stadium. Both teams look to return to winning ways. The Bears (3-3, 1-1) dropped a 73-10 decision last week at Texas A&M, snapping a three-game winning streak. The Jayhawks (4-2, 1-1) were edged 50-47 in overtime last week at Colorado, snapping a four-game winning streak. Baylor and Kansas have played one common opponent this season: Colorado. The Bears defeated the Buffaloes 42-30 two weeks ago in Waco.
SERIES
Baylor and Kansas meet on the gridiron for the seventh time Saturday, the fourth as members of the Big 12 Conference. The Bears hold a 4-2 advantage in the all-time series, 2-1 as Conference foes. The series dates back to a 22-0 Kansas victory at Lawrence in 1971. The teams did not meet again until Baylor won both ends of a home-and-home series in 1988 and 1989. The Bears won the first Big 12 meeting 31-24 in Waco (1998) but lost the next season 45-10 at Lawrence. Last year, Baylor edged the Jayhawks 35-32 at Floyd Casey Stadium, snapping a 29-game conference losing streak.
COACHES
Guy Morriss (TCU, 1973) is 3-3 in his initial season at Baylor. In his third year as a collegiate head coach, Morriss has a 12-17 career record. This is his first meeting with Kansas. Mark Mangino (Youngstown State, 1987) is in his second season as head coach at Kansas with a 6-12 record. The former Oklahoma and Kansas State assistant is 0-1 against Baylor as a head coach.
CONNECTIONS
* Baylor WR J.T. Thompson began his collegiate career at Kansas in 2000 before transferring to Kilgore Junior College and then to Baylor. Thompson caught eight passes for 130 yards in seven games for the Jayhawks.
* Kansas carries 17 former Texas prepsters on its roster. Two have ties with Baylor players ...
Killeen HS: Maurice Lane, Marcus Venus (BU) and David McMillan (KU)
Kingwood: Mark Murphy, Franklin Patterson (BU) and Zach Mims (KU)
BAYLOR vs. BIG 12 NORTH
Nearly all of Baylor's success in the Big 12 Conference has come against teams from the North Division. The Bears are 4-17 against teams from the North with only one victory (Texas, 1997) against teams from the South.
BEARS LOOK TO OVERCOME ROAD WOES
Baylor seeks to end a 16-game road losing streak Saturday at Kansas. Baylor's last victory away from Floyd Casey Stadium was a 20-7 triumph Aug. 31, 2000 at North Texas. That victory ended another 16-game road losing streak, dating back to a 37-35 win Sept. 6, 1997 at Fresno State. The Bears also hope to end a 30-game conference road losing streak. Baylor's last conference victory on the road was as a member of the Southwest Conference when the Bears posted a 48-7 victory Oct. 11, 1995 at SMU.
YOUNGER SEPULVEDA KEEPS BOOMING 'EM
P/LB Daniel Sepulveda leads the Big 12 Conference and ranks fourth nationally, averaging 46.38 yards per punt. In 41 punts, Sepulveda has tallied 1,902 yards with 12 punts going 50-plus yards. If the season ended today, Sepulveda would break Ty Atteberry's school mark of 46.35 established in 1996. Sepulveda has also placed 12 punts inside the 20 and three punts inside the five with two coffins. Against Texas A&M, Sepulveda punted nine times for an average of 47.8 yards per punt. He posted a net average of 47.1 yards per punt with four inside the 20 and three of 50-plus yards, including a game-high 55-yarder. Sepulveda's punting has made Baylor the Big 12's top-ranked punting team in terms of net yards per punt. The Bears average 41.19 net yards per punt, ninth nationally.
ARMSTRONG AMONG NATIONAL RUSH LEADERS
RB Rashad Armstrong ranks third in the Big 12 Conference and 23rd nationally with 101.8 yards rushing per game. He also leads the conference with 145 carries, and he is ninth in the Big 12 with five rushing touchdowns. Here are some other key notes on Armstrong:
* Rushed for 100-plus yards in five of last eight games ...
* Rushed for 100-plus yards in three of last four Big 12 games ...
* 166 yards vs. Colorado ranks 13th all-time at Baylor, most since 1995 ...
* 37 carries vs. Colorado ties for second all-time at Baylor, most since 1975 ...
* Tied for eighth all-time at Baylor with five career 100-yard rushing games ...
HOME-AWAY COMPARISON
Category Home AwayRecord 3-1 0-2Turnover Margin + 1.3 - 3.0Points Off Turnovers 30 10Opp. Points Off Turnovers 0 38Scoring Offense 24.5 12.0Scoring Defense 16.8 62.5Rushing Yards 148.5 58.5Rushing TDs 5 1Rushing TDs Allowed 3 11Interceptions Thrown 2 5Total Offense 330.0 226.0Total Defense 337.5 585.0
WIN-LOSS COMPARISON
Category Win LossTurnover Margin + 1.7 - 2.0Points Off Turnovers 23 17Opp. Points Off Turnovers 0 38Rushing Attempts 48.0 37.0Rushing Yards 142.7 94.3Rushing TDs 5 1Rushing TDs Allowed 2 12Total Offense 309.0 281.7Total Defense 315.7 524.3
YOUNG BEARS GAIN EXPERIENCE
Baylor's depth chart features nine true freshmen for the Kansas game, including starters RT Nick Pace and DT Quincy Jenkins. No team in the Big 12 has more true freshmen on its depth chart than Baylor. Including redshirts, Baylor's depth chart features 22 freshmen. In all, the Bears have 35 freshmen and sophomores on the depth chart. Here's a look at true freshmen around the Big 12:
SpecialTeam Starters Teams TotalBaylor 2 1 9Colorado 2 2 7Oklahoma St. 2 1 6Texas 1 0 5Texas A&M 1 0 5Texas Tech 2 1 5Iowa State 2 0 4Nebraska 0 2 4Kansas 0 0 2Missouri 0 0 2Kansas State 1 0 1Oklahoma 0 0 1
(ARM)STRONG IN SECOND HALF
If RB Rashad Armstrong is to rush for 100 yards, he is likely to gain momentum as the game progresses. Armstrong has been dominant in the second half of his century-mark games this season. Here is a look at what he's done in the second half of those games:
Opponent ATT YDS TDS YPCUAB 12 87 0 7.3SHSU 11 74 2 6.7Colorado 19 121 2 6.4
KARAS FOURTH AMONG ACTIVE BIG 12 PASSERS
QB Aaron Karas ranks fourth among active Big 12 signal callers in career passing yardage with 3,298 yards. Oklahoma State's Josh Fields (4,684 yards) is the active leader and ranks 10th all-time in the Big 12. Fields is followed by Texas Tech's B.J. Symons (3,499), Kansas State's Ell Roberson (3,457), Karas and Kansas' Bill Whittemore (3,297). Former Texas Tech QB Kliff Kingsbury holds the Big 12 record with 12,429 career passing yards.
QUIROGA ALSO AMONG ACTIVE LEADERS
WR Robert Quiroga is seventh among active Big 12 receivers with 111 career receptions. Oklahoma State's Rashaun Woods is the active and overall leader with 248 snags, an all-time Big 12 record.
TOUGH ROAD AHEAD FOR BEARS
Baylor's future opposition winning percentage of .757 (28-9) is third nationally. Texas A&M (29-7) ranks first nationally, followed by Wisconsin (25-8), Baylor, Colorado (27-10) and Texas Tech (26-10). Four of the top five, five of the top seven, seven of the top 11 and nine of the top 21 future opponent schedules are Big 12 teams.
OTHER SCHEDULE FACTS
Seven of Baylor's 12 2003 opponents (North Texas, Colorado, Texas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State) participated in bowl games last season. Eight of the Bears' 2003 opponents (including Texas A&M) finished at or above .500. Baylor's 2003 opponents went a combined 88-53 (.624) in 2002. Five of the Bears' 12 opponents are currently ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. Furthermore, the Big 12 boasted three teams in the top five spots of the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Preseason Poll. Baylor and Iowa State both have all three - Kansas State, Oklahoma and Texas - on their respective schedules. The Bears and the Cyclones are the only teams in the nation to have three preseason top-five teams on their schedules.
STREAKS...
* Aaron Karas has completed at least 10 passes in 10 consecutive games.
* Aaron Karas has thrown at least one TD pass in three consecutive games.
* Robert Quiroga has caught at least one pass in 20 consecutive games.
* John Martin has caught at least one pass in six consecutive games played.
* Marques Roberts has caught at least one pass in eight consecutive games.
RECORDS & MILESTONES WATCH
* Willie Andrews established Baylor single-game records for kickoff returns (eight) and kickoff return yardage (196) against Texas A&M.
* Rashad Armstrong is tied for eighth all-time at Baylor with five 100-yard rushing games.
* Rashad Armstrong needs 56 yards to move into 20th place all-time at Baylor in single-season rushing yardage.
* Rashad Armstrong needs 67 yards to move into 19th place all-time at Baylor in career rushing yardage.
* Aaron Karas owns a career completion percentage of .600 (277-of-462), which tops Baylor's career chart (ahead of second-place Don Trull, .557).
* Aaron Karas is 10th on Baylor's career passing yardage list (3,298). He needs 390 yards to catch ninth-place Tom Muecke (3,688).
* Aaron Karas ranks ninth on Baylor's career completions list (277). Here is what Karas needs to move into:
8th - 23 completions (Don Trull, 299)
7th - 45 completions (Neal Jeffrey, 321)
* Robert Quiroga is fourth on Baylor's career receptions list (111). Here is what Quiroga needs to move into:
3rd - 33 catches (Lawrence Elkins, 144)
2nd - 52 catches (Gerald McNeil, 163)
* Robert Quiroga ranks ninth all-time at Baylor in career receiving yards (1,273). Here is what Quiroga needs to move into:
8th - 28 yards (Kalief Muhammad, 1,300)
7th - 118 yards (Charles Dancer, 1,390)
6th - 121 yards (Bruce Davis, 1,393)
* Derrick Cash is fifth on Baylor's career interception return yardage list with 189 yards, 5 yards shy of fourth-place Thomas Everett (194) and 28 yards back of third-place Del Shofner (217).
* Derrick Cash has a career yards-per-interception-return average of 25.8, ranking seventh in school history.
BEARS CLAIM WIN NO. 500
Baylor captured win No. 500 in the program's 101-season history with its 27-6 victory over Sam Houston State. The Bears began playing football in 1899; Baylor is 501-475-43 all-time. Through games of Sept. 20, 2003, 56 Division I-A teams have reached 500 victories. TCU and Wyoming reached the plateau earlier this year. Miami, Fla., and Baylor reached the plateau Sept. 27. North Carolina State (497), Fresno State (494) and South Carolina (493) all have a chance at win No. 500 this season. Baylor is the eighth Big 12 school to reach 500 wins. Iowa State (459), Oklahoma State (459), Texas Tech (453) and Kansas State (419) trail the Bears in all-time victories.
FIELDS, JOHNSON SELECTED AS CAPTAINS
Senior C Cedric Fields and senior CB Matt Johnson were selected as team captains for the season. Fields is a three-year letterman from Corsicana, Texas. Johnson hails from Pearland, Texas, and has earned three letters.
FAMILY TIES
* The father of FB Jonathan Evans, Dr. Tony Evans, is the host of a nationally syndicated daily radio program which can be heard on 250 stations in the U.S. and in 40 countries. He is founder and president of The Urban Alternative, a national organization seeking spiritual renewal in urban America through the church. He also serves as chaplain for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.
* WR John Martin is the son of Dave Martin, current associate AD at Oklahoma State and one-time interim commissioner of the Big 12.
* CB Michael Boyd is the cousin of former Baylor standout Thomas Everett, a two-time All-SWC performer and winner of the inaugural Thorpe Award in 1986.
* DL Lorenzo Davis is the cousin of 14-year NBA veteran Derrick McKey.
* LB Jamaal Harper is a cousin of Kenyon Martin, who plays for the NBA's New Jersey Nets.
* TE Iris Williams has a pair of notable family members. Uncle Elvis Patterson won a pair of Super Bowl rings with the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys, while cousin and former Baylor standout Fred Miller is a starting offensive lineman for the Tennessee Titans.
* WR Trent Shelton is the nephew of the Atlanta Falcons' receivers coach George Stewart.
* CB Jason Reaux is the son of Tommy Reaux, who lettered for Baylor's football team from 1967 to 1969.
BU LEADS BIG 12 IN GRADUATION RATES
According to the June 2003 NCAA graduation rates, Baylor's football team has posted a 77 percent success rate in this category, the best figure in the Big 12 and far above the NCAA division I average (52 percent). Texas Tech was second among Big 12 football programs with a 73 percent graduation rate, followed by Nebraska (67), Texas A&M (59), Iowa State (50), Missouri (50), Texas (50), Oklahoma State (48), Kansas State (44), Kansas (43), Colorado (38) and Oklahoma (6).
OVER THE AIR
Bear football games can be heard live on the Baylor Radio Network. The network includes 18 affiliates across Texas, including flagship stations KRZI-AM (1660/1580) and KLRK-FM (92.9) in Waco. All Baylor games are broadcast by the "Voice of the Bears" John Morris, a veteran broadcaster in his ninth season. Former Baylor football standouts Walter Abercrombie and Ricky Thompson are in their fourth season providing analysis.
BAYLOR GAMES ON THE INTERNET
The radio call from all of Baylor's games can be heard live on the internet on Baylor's official online website, www.BaylorBears.com, or at www.yahoo.broadcast.com.
BAYLORBEARS.COM
Baylor's official athletic web site can be found at www.BaylorBears.com. The comprehensive site, which includes releases, photos, biographical sketches and audio broadcasts, is part of the Official College Sports Network. OCSN currently hosts sites for more than 100 universities, including four Big 12 schools.
INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS TV SHOW
Inside Baylor Sports, a half-hour look at the world of Baylor athletics, will air weekly throughout Central Texas and other outlets. The program, co-hosted by John Morris and Lori Scott Fogleman, airs on KCEN-TV Channel 6, Fox Sports Southwest and the College Channel (Waco cable 18). IBS also airs Wednesdays on College Sports TV; check local listings for time.
NEXT UP...
Baylor returns home Saturday, Oct. 25, for a 6 p.m. CDT game against Texas at Floyd Casey Stadium. This will be the 93rd meeting between the two programs. Texas leads the all-time series 66-22-4, and the Longhorns have won five straight since a 23-21 Baylor victory in 1997.
