Nov. 14, 2005

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OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS (4-5, 1-5) at BAYLOR BEARS (4-6, 1-6)

NOV. 19, 2005 • FLOYD CASEY STADIUM • WACO, TEXAS • 1:00 P.M. CST

BAYLOR CONCLUDES SEASON AGAINST OKLAHOMA STATE

Baylor concludes its 2005 season Saturday, Nov. 19, hosting Oklahoma State for a Big 12 Conference South Division game. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CST at Floyd Casey Stadium. The game is not televised.

The Bears (4-6, 1-6) suffered a 31-16 loss at Missouri last Saturday; it was Baylor's fifth consecutive defeat. The Cowboys (4-5, 1-5) upset 13th-ranked Texas Tech 24-17 at home last Saturday, scoring the winning touchdown in the game's final seconds.

While the loss eliminated Baylor from bowl contention, the Bears still have a lot to play for against Oklahoma State. A win would give Baylor its first two-win Big 12 season and its first season with at least five wins since 1995. Furthermore, a win would eliminate Oklahoma State from bowl contention, and a win over OSU would give the Bears' their first non-sixth-place finish in the Big 12 South.

BAYLOR-OKLAHOMA STATE SERIES

This is the 24th meeting between Baylor and Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have won nine straight since the inception of the Big 12 Conference to take a 12-11 lead in the all-time series. Baylor's last victory over Oklahoma State was a 14-10 decision in Waco during the 1994 season. Baylor is 4-4 against Oklahoma State in Waco, 2-4 at Floyd Casey Stadium.

The Bears and Cowboys first met Oct. 25, 1914, with Oklahoma State blanking Baylor 60-0. After that, though, the Bears won nine consecutive meetings before a 20-7 OSU victory in 1972. The teams have met once in the postseason, a 24-14 OSU victory in the 1983 Bluebonnet Bowl at the Astrodome in Houston.

SERIES NOTES: Oklahoma State's current nine-game winning streak matches Baylor's nine-game streak from 1915 to 1942 as the longest in the series. ... Baylor and Oklahoma State have met either on the third or fourth Saturday in November each year since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1996. ... The average score in Baylor's nine meetings with Oklahoma State as Big 12 foes has been 40-19 in favor of the Cowboys. The closest game was a 24-17 OSU victory at Floyd Casey Stadium in 1997, the only margin less than two TDs. ... In 1974, an 0-2 Baylor knocked off 12th-ranked Oklahoma State at Floyd Casey Stadium. That win started an 8-1 stretch to close the regular season for the Bears in a season that culminated with a Southwest Conference championship. ... In that 1974 meeting, Neal Jeffrey connected with Steve Beaird for an 84-yard pass that still is tied for the seventh-longest pass in Baylor history. ... 20 years later, in 1994, Jeff Watson connected with John Stanley for an 80-yard pass against OSU, a pass that still ranks as the 10th-longest ever at Baylor. ... In the 1983 Bluebonnett Bowl, Gerald McNeil caught 10 passes for 163 yards against the Cowboys; one of 15 double-digit reception games in Baylor history, McNeil's total is tied for sixth in school history. His total of 163 yards receiving is tied for ninth all-time at Baylor. ... Rashad Armstrong rushed 33 times against OSU in 2002, the fifth-highest single-game total in Baylor history. Armstrong had 112 yards that day, the second of his three consecutive 100-yard games.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR ...

• Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy was an assistant coach at Baylor during the 1996 season; he served as passing game coordinator under former Baylor head coach Chuck Reedy.

• Baylor has not won its final conference game since 1992 when the Bears defeated Texas 21-20 in Grant Teaff's final home game.

• Baylor looks to post two conference wins in a season for the first time since 1995 when the Bears were 5-2 in the final season of the Southwest Conference.

• The Bears look for their first five-win season since going 7-4 in 1995.

• 2005 Thorpe Award candidate FS Maurice Lane has 365 career tackles (248 solos and 117 assists), third all-time at Baylor. He needs 16 tackles to match Ray Berry, who tallied 381 tackles from 1983 to 1986, for second on Baylor's all-time list.

• Lane should make his 45th career start against Oklahoma State; he has started every game of his collegiate career in which he has played, a streak that is tied for the 12th-longest in Division I-A.

• Senior RT Lequalan McDonald should draw his 34th straight start along the offensive line against Oklahoma State, while senior OS Willie Andrews should make his 34th straight start in the secondary.

• WR Trent Shelton has at least one reception in 32 consecutive games, tied for the 13th-longest active streak in Division I-A and the longest at Baylor since Reggie Newhouse's school-record 34-game streak.

• Shelton is sixth all-time at Baylor with 100 career receptions.

• Shelton is 12th all-time at Baylor with 1,165 career receiving yards.

• Junior WR Dominique Zeigler is fifth on Baylor's career receptions list with 108.

• Zeigler is 13th all-time at Baylor with 1,123 career receiving yards.

• Zeigler has 10 career TD receptions, tied for ninth all-time at Baylor. He needs one TD reception to move into a four-way tie for sixth.

• Zeigler has caught at least two passes in each of his last 20 appearances.

• Shelton and WR Shaun Rochon need three receptions each to give Baylor three receivers with at least 40 receptions each for the first time in school history.

• Rochon needs 12 yards to reach the 1,000-yard plateau for all-purpose yardage this season.

• Junior QB Shawn Bell ranks 11th all-time at Baylor with 2,812 career passing yards.

• Bell's 59.68 career completion percentage ranks 20th among active Division I-A quarterbacks, first all-time at Baylor.

• Bell is third all-time at Baylor with 168 completions this season. He needs seven completions to break the longest-standing single-season record in Baylor history: Don Trull's 1963 record of 174 completions.

• Andrews needs one yard to move into Baylor's career all-purpose yardage top 10 list.

• CB C.J. Wilson needs one interception to move into Baylor's single-season interceptions top 10 list.

• Junior RB Paul Mosley and sophomore RB Brandon Whitaker have combined for 291 touches this season without a fumble.

• PK Ryan Havens enters the Oklahoma State game in a three-way tie for fourth on Baylor's single-season field goals made list with 13.

• Baylor's average starting field position has been its own 29 or better in eight of 10 games this season, including a season-best of its own 43 against Iowa State.

• Baylor is 7-3 under Morriss when scoring at least 24 points and 7-1 when holding the opponent under 20 points.

• Baylor's defense has allowed 23 or fewer points in six of 10 games this season and fewer than 20 points in four of 10 games this season.

• Baylor has held seven of 10 opponents this season to 10 or fewer second-half points.

• The Bears have forced 14 fumbles this season, the most by a Baylor team since the 2001 squad forced 22 fumbles.

• Baylor's defense has 12 interceptions this season, the most by a Baylor team since the 1995 Bears had 13 picks.

BAYLOR BIDS FAREWELL TO 19 SENIORS

Saturday's game against Oklahoma State will be the final collegiate game for 19 Baylor seniors: LB Colin Allred, OS/KR Willie Andrews, WR Lee Chandler, P Josh DeSisto, WR J Fields, DT Michael Gary, LB Jamaal Harper, OT Hunter Herring, WR Ryan Jeffrey, FS Maurice Lane, OS Tyler Lindstrom, OL Lequalan McDonald, QB Mark Murphy, DE Montez Murphy, OL Glen Oskin, WR/KR Shaun Rochon, OG Chris Rogers, OT Evan Stone and RB Phil Tran.

BEARS AIM FOR FIRST FIVE-WIN SEASON IN A DECADE

Baylor enters Saturday's game at 4-6 on the season, the first four-win season at Baylor since the 1996 team finished 4-7. A win against Oklahoma State would give the Bears their first five-win season since going 7-4 in 1995. Since 1996, Baylor has finished with three wins four times, two wins three times and one win once.

BELL, SEPULVEDA EARN ACADEMIC-ALL DISTRICT HONORS

Baylor junior QB Shawn Bell and junior P Daniel Sepulveda were named first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI, the publication announced Thursday in conjunction with the College Sports Information Directors of America. Sepulveda, the 2004 Ray Guy Award winner, is honored for the second consecutive season after earning second-team all-district honors as a sophomore.

Student-athletes are nominated for Academic All-America by their respective athletic media relations and sports information departments and must maintain a cumulative 3.2 GPA to be eligible. All-district teams are then chosen by a vote of CoSIDA members within each district. First-team all-district honorees become eligible for Academic All-America honors, handed out Dec. 1.

Bell, an education major from China Spring, Texas, has a passing efficiency rating of 117.34 this season. He has completed 168 of 285 passes with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. Bell currently is third on Baylor's single-season completions list, just six shy of Don Trull's 42-year-old mark of 174. His career completion percentage (.596) and his career touchdown-to-interception ratio (18-to-7) are both bests in school history.

Sepulveda, an accounting major from Dallas, Texas, ranks fourth nationally and second in the Big 12 with 45.5 yards-per-punt average. His career average of 44.65 yards per punt would be a Baylor record and rank eighth in NCAA Division I history for punters with a minimum of 150 punts. Sepulveda already owns school records for punts of 50-plus yards (66) and punts of 60-plus yards (13).

Baylor was the only Big 12 Conference member with two First-Team Academic All-District VI honorees; Oklahoma had one selection. Nebraska had two first-team selections in District VII, while Iowa State had one.

FROM THE MISSOURI GAME ...

• When Baylor scored a touchdown and a field goal in the fourth quarter, it marked the first time the Bears scored twice in one quarter since a 10-point fourth-quarter Oct. 8 at Iowa State (19 quarters).

• Baylor's third-quarter TD was the Bears' first points since the first overtime period against Oklahoma. The scoreless span lasted 164 minutes, five seconds.

• Baylor quarterbacks completed at least one pass to nine different receivers for the first time since the season opener against SMU.

• Baylor held Missouri to 72 yards passing, the first time the Bears have held an opponent under 100 yards passing since holding Kansas to 93 yards in 1999.

• FB/TE Keegan Vann made his first career start.

• CB C.J. Wilson's first-quarter interception was his conference-leading fifth of the season, the most in one season at Baylor since Derrick Cash had five in 2001.

• P Daniel Sepulveda's second-quarter, 78-yard punt was the longest of his career and the eighth-longest in Baylor history. Sepulveda's previous long was 69 against Missouri in 2004. ... It was the longest punt at Baylor since Pete Rutter's 81-yarder at Oklahoma in 1989.

• Sepulveda matched his career high with nine punts.

• TB Brandon Whitaker's third-quarter, 44-yard rush was the longest of his career.

• Whitaker tied his career high with five receptions for a career-best 31 yards.

• WR Trent Shelton has caught at least one pass in 32 consecutive games.

• Shelton's fifth and final reception on the day was the 100th of his career.

• WR Carl Sims' fourth-quarter, 17-yard reception was the longest of his career.

• Sims' fourth-quarter TD reception was the first of his career.

• Sims established career highs for receptions (3) and receiving yards (52).

• WR/KR Shaun Rochon tallied 159 all-purpose yards, a career high. It was Rochon's sixth 100-yard all-purpose game of the season.

• DE Marcus Foreman had a career-high nine tackles.

• DE Montez Murphy established a career high with three tackles for loss.

HOME, HOME ON THE ... ROAD?

Baylor entered the 2005 season with a 24-game losing streak in games away from Floyd Casey Stadium, a streak that dated back to the 2000 season opener. However, the Bears won their first three road games this season and then lost at Texas A&M and at Oklahoma, both in overtime, and at Missouri. 2005 is Baylor's first season with at least a .500 record on the road since 1995 when the Bears were 4-2 (.667).

After years of playing significantly better at home, that trend has reversed for the Bears in 2005. Baylor is better in nearly every statistical category on the road this season, including scoring offense (21.7 road/15.5 home), scoring defense (21.7 road/31.8 home) and, most importantly, record (3-3 road/1-3 home).

CATEGORY ROAD HOME

Scoring Offense 21.7 15.5

Total Offense 337.5 288.5

Passing Offense 213.8 183.2

Rushing Offense 123.7 105.2

Pass Efficiency Offense 109.43 104.76

Scoring Defense 21.7 31.8

Total Defense 335.2 418.5

Passing Defense 169.5 244.8

Rushing Defense 165.7 173.8

Pass Efficiency Defense 90.17 115.07

Turnover Margin +0.3 +0.3

HOME ATTENDANCE CLIMBS

Through four home games, Baylor's season home attendance total stands at 165,758 for an average of 41,440. That would be the largest per-game average in the stadium's 56-year history, breaking the previous record of 41,180 in 1975. Baylor has averaged 40,000-plus only four times -- 1974 (40,560; five games), 1975 (41,180; five games), 1991 (40,061; six games) and 1995 (40,456; four games).

In order to break the 1975 per-game average, Baylor must draw at least 40,142 for Saturday's season finale against Oklahoma State. That game must draw at least 34,242 for Baylor's fifth season with a 40,000 per-game average.

A total of 481,788 fans have seen the Bears play (home and away) this season, already the sixth-largest season total in school history. A total of 55,045 fans would need to attend Baylor's final game in order to match the school record of 536,833 established in 1997. Baylor's Oct. 22 game at Oklahoma drew a crowd of 83,456, the fifth-largest crowd ever to watch a Baylor game. The four larger crowds were two games at Michigan and two games at Ohio State.

EVIDENCE OF IMPROVEMENT

In Baylor's three seasons under head coach Guy Morriss, the Bears have improved in 10 of the 14 major team statistical categories tracked by the NCAA. The lone categories in which Baylor ranks lower this season than it did in 2002 are total offense, passing offense and pass efficiency offense. The Bears rank higher in the Big 12 this season in total offense than they did in 2002. Baylor also ranks lower nationally and in the league this season in rushing defense, but the Bears have allowed nearly 10 fewer yards rushing per game.

CATEGORY 2002 NCAA BIG 12 2005 NCAA BIG 12

Scoring Offense 16.8 115 12 19.2 98 12

Total Offense 334.9 95 11 317.9 98 10

Passing Offense 231.5 47 6 201.6 83 9

Rushing Offense 103.4 105 11 116.3 94 10

Pass Efficiency Offense 111.6 85 10 107.8 92 9

Scoring Defense 41.3 114 11 25.7 63 8

Total Defense 405.2 89 10 368.5 58 10

Passing Defense 251.6 93 10 199.6 37 3

Rushing Defense 163.6 69 7 168.9 84 11

Pass Efficiency Defense 147.0 107 11 102.3 9 2

Turnover Margin -1.42 115 12 -0.20 t-62 6

Kickoff Returns 16.3 115 12 25.2 10 2

Punt Returns 8.0 91 11 11.1 32 4

Net Punting 26.6 117 12 36.6 23 4

ANDREWS ESTABLISHES ANOTHER RETURNS MARK

With 23 punt return yards last Saturday at Missouri, senior OS/KR Willie Andrews established a Baylor record with 901 career punt return yards. Andrews also owns Baylor's career records for total kick returns (161), total kick return yards (2,548), kickoff returns (67) and kickoff return yards (1,647). He also ranks third in punt returns (94), needing eight to break that mark and three to move into second place.

With 51 return yards on three career interception and seven yards on one rushing attempt in 2003, Andrews also enters Saturday's game with 2,606 career all-purpose yards. He needs one yard to crack Baylor's career top 10 list. Andrews would have the fewest rushing and receiving yards of any player in Baylor's career top 10 (seven). Of the others in Baylor's top 10, Del Shofner (1954-56) had the next fewest rushing and receiving yards with 1,954.

THIRD-AND-LONG TOUGH SPOT FOR BEARS

While Baylor's defense has been one of the league's toughest this season, third-and-long has been a tough spot for the unit. Through 10 games, Baylor opponents have faced 87 third-down situations of seven yards or more to convert; they have converted 20 times (23.0 percent). Another seven times, the opponent converted a first down on the subsequent fourth-down play, meaning that opponents have sustained drives 26 of 87 times when facing third-and-long against the Bears (29.9 percent).

Baylor's opponents have scored 13 times on the 29 drives in which they have gained a first down after facing a third-and-long situation -- nine touchdowns and four field goals. The Bears have surrendered two touchdowns this season on third-and-long.

Opponents are 49-of-68 (72.1 percent) on third-down conversions when faced with fewer than six yards to move the chains.

LANE CLIMBS CAREER TACKLES CHART

Senior FS Maurice Lane enters Saturday's game against Oklahoma State with 365 career tackles, third all-time at Baylor. He needs 15 tackles to match Ray Berry (1983-86) for second on Baylor's all-time list; he would trail only Mike Singletary on the school's all-time list. Lane has 19 career double-digit tackle outings.

Here is a look at Baylor's career tackles chart:

Player Seasons Solo Asst TT

1. Mike Singletary 1977-80 351 311 662

2. Ray Berry 1983-86 231 149 380

3. Maurice Lane 2002-05 248 117 365

4. Kris Micheaux 1997-00 214 137 351

5. James Francis 1986-89 198 136 334

6. Doak Field 1977-80 164 166 330

7. Thomas Everett 1983-86 204 121 325

8. Gary Joe Kinne 1986-89 179 144 323

9. Mike Welch 1986-90 190 129 319

10. Joe Campbell 1977-80 170 146 316

AS FIRST DOWN GOES, SO GO THE BEARS

Much of Baylor's success this year can be directly connected to the team's success on first down. The Bears enter Saturday's game against Oklahoma State averaging 4.4 yards per first down play with a completion percentage of 55.2 on such downs. QB Shawn Bell is 59-of-96 (61.5 percent) on first down for 490 yards and six touchdowns with one interception (122.89 efficiency rating).

However, the telling numbers are the vast differences between Baylor's first-down statistics in its four wins and its six losses. In the four wins, the Bears averaged 5.5 yards per first-down play, including 4.5 yards per first-down rush and a 76.6 completion percentage (32-of-42) with four touchdown passes and only one interception. In the six losses, the Bears averaged 3.6 yards per first-down play, including 3.4 yards per first-down rush and a 44.4 completion percentage (36-of-81) with two touchdowns and four interceptions.

ROCHON FINDS WAYS TO SCORE

With his 98-yard kickoff return for a TD Oct. 22 at Oklahoma, WR/KR Shaun Rochon became the first player in Baylor history to score on a punt return and a kickoff return in the same season. He also is the first player in Big 12 and Baylor history to score on a punt return, a kickoff return, a rush and a reception in the same season.

THREE AMIGOS: PART SIX

WRs Dominique Zeigler (44), Shaun Rochon (37) and Trent Shelton (37) give Baylor three receivers with at least 30 receptions each this season, just the sixth Baylor trio to do so. Last season, Zeigler (55) and Shelton (38) joined Marques Roberts (40) to accomplish the feat. It also marks the ninth time in Baylor history that the Bears' top three receivers combined for at least 100 yards.

If Rochon and Shelton both get three receptions against Oklahoma State, it would mark the first time in school history Baylor had three receivers with at least 40 catches each.

Here is a look at the nine seasons in which Baylor's top three receivers have combined for 100 or more receptions along with the six seasons in which those three receivers had at least 30 receptions each:

• 1963 -- 129 receptions

• 1964 -- 127 receptions (Lawrence Elkins - 50, Ken Hodge - 35, Harlan Lane - 32)

• 1966 -- 109 receptions (Tommy Smith - 41, Paul Becton - 38, Jack Eisenhart - 30)

• 1983 -- 113 receptions

• 1998 -- 107 receptions (Morris Anderson - 37, Derek Lagway - 37, Derrius Thompson - 33)

• 2001 -- 129 receptions (Reggie Newhouse - 61, Andra Fuller - 36, John Martin - 32)

• 2002 -- 140 receptions

• 2004 -- 127 receptions (Dominique Zeigler - 55, Trent Shelton - 37, Marques Roberts - 35)

• 2005 -- 118 receptions (Dominique Zeigler - 44, Shaun Rochon - 37, Trent Shelton - 37)

BEARS SPREAD THE WEALTH IN PASSING GAME

Baylor quarterbacks connected with nine different receivers in the Missouri game. It marked the 10th time in Guy Morriss' tenure -- and third time this season -- that Baylor quarterbacks completed passes to at least nine different receivers.

YEAR OPPONENT COMP. RECEIVERS

2003 UAB 20 9

2003 North Texas 19 10

2003 Texas Tech 18 11

2003 Oklahoma State 21 9

2004 at UAB 28 13

2004 at Nebraska 25 9

2004 Texas A&M 32 10

2005 at SMU 23 9

2005 Samford 19 9

2005 at Missouri 27 9

BELL CLIMBS SEVERAL CAREER CHARTS

QB Shawn Bell ranks high in several of Baylor's career passing lists. He ranks 11th in passing yardage (2,812), 10th in attempts (496), 10th in completions (296), first in completion percentage (.596) and first in touchdown-to-interception ratio (18-7, 2.571).

SHELTON KEEPS STREAK ALIVE

WR Trent Shelton enters the Oklahoma State game having caught at least one pass in 32 consecutive games, the longest such string for a Bear since Reggie Newhouse ended his career with a 34-game streak (2000-2002). Shelton's streak is the 13th-longest active streak nationally and the second-longest in the Big 12. Here is a look at the longest active streaks nationally:

49 - Taurean Henderson, RB, Texas Tech

46 - Jovon Bouknight, WR, Wyoming

46 - Charles Sharon, WR, Bowling Green State

40 - Chris Francies, WR, UTEP

39 - Derek Hagan, WR, Arizona State

38 - Mark Philmore, WR, Northwestern

38 - Bill Sampy, WR, Louisiana-Lafayette

37 - Garrett Mills, TE, Tulsa

36 - Nichiren Flowers, WR, Nevada

34 - Steve Odom, WR, Toledo

34 - Johnny Quinn, WR, North Texas

33 - Vincent Marshall, WR, Houston

32 - Trent Shelton, WR, BAYLOR

32 - Brian Leonard, FB, Rutgers

31 - Jeff Webb, WR, San Diego State

ZEIGLER, SHELTON CLIMB BAYLOR CAREER RECEPTIONS LIST

Junior WRs Trent Shelton and Dominique Zeigler enter Saturday's game against Oklahoma State steadily climbing Baylor's career receptions chart. Zeigler is fifth with 108 receptions, while Shelton is sixth with 100. Shelton is 12th all-time at Baylor with 1,165 career receiving yards, while Zeigler is 13th with 1,123.

Here is a look at Baylor's career receptions and receiving yards lists:

BAYLOR SECONDARY AMONG NATION'S BEST

Through games of Nov. 12, Baylor ranks second in the Big 12 Conference and ninth nationally with a pass efficiency defense rating of 102.26. The Bears have allowed only 10 passing touchdowns with 12 interceptions, the most by a Baylor team since the 1995 squad had 13 picks. Baylor has allowed a minimum of 13 TD passes in nine straight seasons and yielded 28 last season. Opposing quarterbacks have completed just 50.3 percent of their passes for 199.6 yards per game.

Baylor intercepted only four passes in 11 games last season; the Bears have tripled that total through 10 games this fall. Six different players have interceptions this season, including five different defensive backs. CBs C.J. Wilson has five picks, best in the Big 12 and sixth nationally, and CB Anthony Arline has three picks, seventh in the Big 12. DT M.T. Robinson has the 12th interception.

BAYLOR IN BIG 12 CONFERENCE STATISTICAL RANKINGS

Through games of Nov. 12, Baylor ranks 10th (98th nationally) in total offense (317.9 ypg), 10th (94th) in rushing offense (116.3 ypg), ninth (83rd) in passing offense (201.6 ypg), ninth (92nd) in passing efficiency (107.8) and 12th (98th) in scoring offense (19.2 ppg).

In special teams, the Bears are fourth (23rd) in net punting (36.6 ypp), fourth (32nd) in punt returns (11.1 ypr) and second (10th) in kickoff returns (25.3 ypr). Baylor ranks sixth (t-62nd) in turnover margin (minus-0.20 per game).

Individually, several Bears appear in this week's rankings. RB Paul Mosley is 12th in rushing (61.3 ypg), while RB Brandon Whitaker is 17th (47.6 ypg). QB Shawn Bell is sixth in passing efficiency (117.34), seventh in passing yardage (188.0 ypg) and ninth in total offense (185.4 ypg). WR Dominique Zeigler ranks ninth in receptions per game (4.3), while WRs Shaun Rochon (3.7) and Trent Shelton (3.7) are tied for 14th. In receiving yards per game, Zeigler (50.4) ranks 13th and Shelton (44.0) ranks 18th.

Defensively, CB C.J. Wilson leads the Big 12 (sixth nationally) with 0.50 interceptions per game, while CB Anthony Arline (0.30) is seventh (t-70th). FS Maurice Lane is tied for sixth with 8.4 tackles per game, second in the conference among defensive backs. Elsewhere in tackles per game, LB Jamaal Harper (6.8) is 21st, LB Colin Allred (6.4) is tied for 26th, OS Willie Andrews (5.5) is tied for 38th and DE Marcus Foreman (5.1) is tied for 45th. Foreman is third among defensive linemen; DE Montez Murphy (4.2) is 10th among defensive linemen. CB James Todd and Wilson are is tied for fourth with 1.0 passes defended per game each.

P Daniel Sepulveda leads the conference (third nationally) with 45.6 yards per punt. Rochon leads the Big 12 (16th nationally) with 27.5 yards per kickoff return. Andrews ranks eighth (45th) in punt returns (9.4 ypr). PK Ryan Havens is sixth (t-33rd) with 1.3 field goals made per game. In all-purpose yardage, Rochon (98.8) ranks sixth, while Mosley (70.3) ranks 25th.

ANDREWS, BELL, SEPULVEDA AMONG CAREER ACTIVE LEADERS

OS Willie Andrews, QB Shawn Bell and P Daniel Sepulveda all rank among the NCAA's top career active leaders in sundry statistical categories.

Andrews is tied for second in career punt returns (94), fifth in punt return yardage (901), 13th in punt returns per game (2.1), ninth in kickoff returns (67), 10th in kickoff return yardage (1,647) and 14th in yards per kickoff return (24.6).

Bell ranks 20th in career completion percentage (59.68). Sepulveda is eighth in total punts (205), seventh in punt yardage (9,153), fourth in punts per game (6.2) and fourth in yards per punt (44.65).

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

Shaun Rochon's 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown Oct. 22 at Oklahoma was Baylor's 12th non-offensive score in 32 games under head coach Guy Morriss. It also was Rochon's second non-offensive score this season; he also had an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown against Samford, Baylor's first punt return (non-block) for a touchdown in 20 years. Here is a look at the 12 non-offensive scores under Morriss:

• 2003 vs. UAB -- James Todd blocked punt for safety

• 2003 vs. Colorado -- Jamaal Harper 7-yard fumble return (forced by Derrick Cash)

• 2003 at Kansas -- James Todd blocked punt recovery in end zone (blocked by Michael Boyd)

• 2003 at Kansas State -- Robert Quiroga 98-yard kickoff return

• 2003 vs. Texas Tech -- Robert Quiroga 100-yard kickoff return

• 2003 vs. Oklahoma State -- Willie Andrews 30-yard fumble return (forced by John Garrett)

• 2004 vs. Texas State -- Justin Crooks 9-yard fumble return (forced by Montez Murphy)

• 2004 vs. North Texas -- Braelon Davis blocked punt recovery in end zone (blocked by Davis)

• 2004 vs. Iowa State -- Braelon Davis defensive PAT (interception return)

• 2005 vs. Samford -- Jamaal Harper 29-yard fumble return (forced by Colin Allred)

• 2005 vs. Samford -- Shaun Rochon 85-yard punt return

• 2005 at Oklahoma -- Shaun Rochon 98-yard kickoff return

BELL NAMED TO AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM

Junior QB Shawn Bell was among 12 student-athletes named to the American Football Coaches Association's 2005 Good Works Team, the AFCA announced recently. Bell, the first Baylor student-athlete ever so honored, is one of three signal-callers on the team, joining D.J. Shockley of Georgia and Vince Young of Texas. Four Big 12 Conference student-athletes were so honored as Nebraska WR Mark LeFlore and Kansas State FB Victor Mann also were honored.

The two teams, a Division I-A team and a combined team from Divisions I-AA, II, III and the NAIA, honor players for their dedication and commitment to community service. From 1992-1996, the Good Works Team was selected by the College Football Association. When the CFA disbanded in 1997, the AFCA began selecting the teams.

SPECIAL SPECIAL TEAMS

The strongest facet of Baylor's squad in Guy Morriss' two seasons on the sideline has arguably been its special teams play. After recording four scores in 2003, the Bears' 2004 special team units tallied two more scores and featured the 2004 Ray Guy Award winner in Daniel Sepulveda and consensus first-team All-Big 12 return specialist Willie Andrews.

The 2004 Bears, who ranked No. 5 nationally in net punting (40.6 ypp), No. 35 in kickoff returns (21.7 ypr) and No. 36 in punt returns (11.1 ypr), were the only Big 12 team to rank among the nation's top 36 in all three of those statistical categories a year ago. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that in the year prior to Mark Nelson's arrival as Baylor's special teams coordinator the program ranked 91st nationally in punt returns, 115th in kickoff returns and 117th in net punting.

Sepulveda captured the Ray Guy Award as the nation's top collegiate punter after ranking No. 3 nationally with his 46.0 yard average and Andrews led the league and ranked 24th nationally in kickoff returns with his 24.7 yard mark.

A senior outside safety who will again contend for All-Big 12 and All-America honors, Andrews ranked No. 6 in the Big 12 and No. 65 nationally in 2004 with 107.6 all-purpose yards per game despite not taking a snap on the offensive side of the ball. He also led the Big 12 and ranked 24th nationally in kickoff returns (24.7 ypr) while standing No. 3 in the league and No. 43 nationally in punt returns (10.8 ypr).

BEARS GROWING UP

After fielding the nation's second-youngest team a year ago (only SMU at 76.1 percent had a higher percentage of underclassmen on its 2004 roster than Baylor, whose roster was 71.1 percent underclassmen) third-year coach Guy Morriss' 2005 Baylor squad will arguably be the most-seasoned of his tenure in Waco.

Baylor's 132-man 2005 roster includes 19 seniors, 34 juniors, 25 sophomores and 54 freshmen. The Bears' 2004 roster, by comparison, included some 96 underclassmen among the 135 players listed.

2005 BEARS FACE SIX 2004 BOWL TEAMS

After playing eight of 11 games a year ago against teams that went on to earn bowl invitations, Baylor will tackle six 2004 bowl squads in 2005. However, that's really nothing new for coach Guy Morriss' program: 15 times in Morriss' first two seasons (including 13 of 16 Big 12 contests), Baylor faced an opponent which wound up with a bowl bid at season's end.

The Bears' 2005 opponents combined for a 70-58 (.545) record a year ago and six earned bowl invites -- Texas A&M, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma State.

All-told, six of BU's eight 2005 Big 12 games will be against teams that earned bowl bids last year. The Bears' eight Big 12 foes went 61-34 (.642) last year and accounted for six of the league's seven 2004 bowl bids.

Two of Baylor's three wins a year ago and six of its eight losses were at the hands of eventual bowl-bound teams. The Bears knocked off Cotton Bowl participant Texas A&M (35-34 in overtime) and New Orleans Bowl entrant North Texas (37-14) but dropped games to bowl-bound programs Texas (Rose champion), Iowa State (Independence champion), Texas Tech (Holiday champ), Oklahoma State (Alamo), Oklahoma (Orange) and UAB (Hawai'i).

Baylor and Syracuse were the only programs to play eight eventual bowl teams in 2004 and the Bears' slate ranked as the nation's sixth-toughest according to the NCAA's annual strength of schedule survey.

BAND OF BROTHERS

Baylor's 2005 roster features three sets of brothers: the Boatners (junior Yancy and true freshman Thad), Jenkins (junior Quincy and redshirt freshman Desmond) and McDonalds (senior Lequalan and true freshman LeQuantum).

COACHING STAFF BOASTS 198 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

The 2005 Baylor football coaching staff boasts a combined 198 years of sideline experience in the professional, collegiate and high school ranks. Six members of this year's staff -- Larry Hoefer (safeties), Harold Jackson (wide receivers), Chris Lancaster (offensive line), Wesley McGriff (cornerbacks/recruiting coordinator), Mark Nelson (linebackers/special teams coordinator and Brent Pease (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks) -- have been with Guy Morriss since he first became a Division I-A head coach in 2001 at Kentucky. Entering his fifth season as a head coach, Morriss was recently rated as one of the nation's eight most underrated coaches by SportsIllustrated.com.

The newest member of the Baylor staff is 26-year coaching veteran Don Wnek who replaced Tom Adams as the Bears' defensive line coach on Aug. 7, 2005. Wnek, a specialist in pass rush and defensive line techniques, spent the 2004 season as the director of football operations at the University of Indiana and worked as a federal law officer for the Department of Homeland Security in 2003. Prior to his stint with the U.S. Government, he worked in the CFL, XFL and in the college ranks at his alma mater, Northern Illinois, and Nevada.

Not only is the Baylor staff steeped in sideline experience, but it features three men, Morriss (one), defensive coordinator Bill Bradley (three) and Jackson (five), who combined to earn nine NFL All-Pro awards between them. Two others, Nelson and Pease, also enjoyed successful professional football playing careers.

TRANSFERS FIND HOME AT BAYLOR

Baylor's 2005 depth chart features seven players who began their collegiate careers at other Division I-A programs but have since found their way to Waco. All seven are former Texas high school preps.

Tulane transfer Will Blaylock missed nearly all of Baylor's spring drills with an ankle injury, but the junior is listed as the Bears' top center. Sophomore Jordan Adams stands No. 3 at tight end after joining the program from New Mexico. Junior RB Mario Price, who lettered as a true freshman at Army in 2002 before sitting out the 2003 season in Waco, is No. 4 on the depth chart at running back.

On the defensive side of the ball, sophomore Nick Moore, who lettered at Georgia Tech as a true freshman in 2003, is No. 2 at linebacker behind senior Jamaal Harper and another Tulane transfer, sophomore Alton Widemon, is No. 2 at cornerback.

Junior Paul Howard, the Bears' No. 2 defensive end, began his collegiate career at Texas Tech and played there as a redshirt freshman, and DT Klayton Shoals redshirted as a true freshman at Iowa State before joining the Baylor program.

Howard, Price and Shoals both lettered for the Bears in 2004 while the other four were in the program but sat out due to NCAA transfer rules.

BAYLOR AGAIN LEADS BIG 12 IN GRADUATION RATES

For the fifth time in the Big 12 Conference's nine-year history, Baylor University posted the highest student-athlete graduation rate of any league institution, according to figures released by the NCAA last fall.

The Bears' most-recent graduation rates, for the freshman class of 1997-98, is 78 percent, a school record by four points over the previous high of 74 percent in 2000. That figure is also 8 points higher than Baylor's general student population and 16 points better than the NCAA Division I national average of 62 percent.

Baylor also graduated a Big 12-best 76 percent of its male student-athletes and a league-high 82 percent of its female student-athletes. The Baylor football program produced a Big 12-leading 88 percent graduation rate, marking the fifth time in the league's history it set the standard for classroom excellence.

Among Division I-A institutions, Baylor's overall student-athlete graduation rate ranked as the nation's 10th-highest mark according to the most-recent NCAA figures.

In addition to leading the Big 12 in graduation rates five times, Baylor ranked second on three other occasions. All-told, 88 percent of Baylor student-athletes who exhausted their eligibility and entered school from 1988-89 through 1997-98 left with degree in hand according to the NCAA study.

LONE STAR TIES

The Bears' 132-man roster features 120 players who played their high school football in the Lone Star state. The other 12 players on Baylor's roster hail from Louisiana (2), Oklahoma (2), California (2), Arizona (1), Nebraska (1), Missouri (1), Mississippi (1), Illinois (1) and Virginia (1).

OVER THE AIR

Bear football games can be heard live on the Baylor/ISP Sports Radio Network. The network includes 11 affiliates across Texas, including flagship stations ESPN KRZI-AM (1660) in Waco. All Baylor games are broadcast by the "Voice of the Bears" John Morris, a veteran broadcaster in his 11th season as the signature voice of Baylor Athletics. Former Baylor football standouts J.J. Joe (color analyst) and Ricky Thompson (sideline reporter) complete the broadcast team.

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 College Sports TV network. CSTV currently hosts sites for more than 100 universities, including four Big 12 schools and the conference office.

BAYLOR GAMES ON THE INTERNET

The radio call from all of Baylor's games can be heard free of charge live on the Internet at www.BaylorBears.com.

INSIDE BAYLOR SPORTS TV SHOW

Inside Baylor Sports, 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 (Sunday, 10:30 p.m. CT), Fox Sports Southwest (Wednesday, 1 p.m. CT), College Sports Television (Friday, 3:30 p.m. CT) and the College Channel (Waco cable 18).