Bears Conclude 2007 Season Against Oklahoma State

11/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football

Nov. 12, 2007

Complete Release in PDF Format

GAME TWELVE

BAYLOR (3-8, 0-7) vs. OKLAHOMA STATE (5-5, 3-3)

SATURDAY, NOV. 17, 2007 • 6:00 P.M. CST

FLOYD CASEY STADIUM (50,000)

WACO, TEXAS

SERIES RECORD

Oklahoma State leads 13-12-0

COACHES

BAYLOR: Guy Morriss (TCU, 1973)

Record at Baylor: 18-39 (5th season)

Career Record: 27-53 (7th season)

Record vs. Oklahoma State: 1-3

OKLAHOMA STATE: Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State, 1990)

Record at Oklahoma State: 16-18 (3rd season)

Career Record: 16-18 (3rd season)

Record vs. Baylor: 1-1

BAYLOR/ISP RADIO NETWORK

John Morris, play-by-play

J.J. Joe, color analyst

Ricky Thompson, sideline

Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 161

FSN TELEVISION

Bill Land, play-by-play

Gary Reasons, color analyst

Emily Jones, sideline reporter

INTERNET FEEDS

www.BaylorBears.com

BAYLOR HOSTS OKLAHOMA STATE

Baylor concludes its 2007 season Saturday, Nov. 17, hosting Oklahoma State for a Big 12 Conference South Division matchup. Kickoff between the Bears and the Cowboys is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST at Floyd Casey Stadium.

The Bears (3-8, 0-7) have dropped seven straight following a 52-21 loss at fourth-ranked Oklahoma last Saturday. Baylor is 2-3 at home this season, defeating Rice and Texas State and losing to Colorado, Texas and Texas Tech.

The Cowboys (5-5, 3-3) have lost two straight and three of their last five after a 43-28 loss to fifth-ranked Kansas at home last Saturday night. The Cowboys are 1-3 on the road this season, winning at Nebraska and losing at Georgia, at Troy and at Texas A&M. Oklahoma State has played four games this season that were decided by four points or less; two of these ended on game-deciding field goals -- a 41-39 win over Kansas State at home and a 38-35 loss to Texas at home.

Saturday's game will be televised nationally on FSN. This is Baylor's sixth televised game this season; the Bears are 0-5 on television in 2007.

BAYLOR-OKLAHOMA STATE SERIES

This is the 26th meeting between Baylor and Oklahoma State. The Cowboys lead the all-time series 13-12 after Oklahoma State's 66-21 victory last season at Stillwater. Baylor is 8-5 against Oklahoma State in games played in Waco, including a 44-34 victory at Floyd Casey Stadium in the 2005 season finale. Prior to that game, Oklahoma State had won nine consecutive meetings regardless of location.

The Bears and Cowboys first met Oct. 25, 1914, with OSU blanking Baylor 60-0. The Bears won the next nine meetings before a 20-7 Cowboy 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: Each Baylor-Oklahoma State meeting since the inception of the Big 12 has been in November. ... In 1974, an 0-2 Baylor team 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 Bluebonnet 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. ... Baylor's 38-point first half in the 2005 game was the highest-scoring half in Baylor history against a Big 12 opponent. The Bears scored 24 points in the second quarter, tying for the eighth highest-scoring quarter in school history. ... Baylor forced eight turnovers in the 2005 game. ... Oklahoma State's 66-point total in last year's game tied for the sixth-most points ever scored against Baylor and the second-most points scored against the Bears in a conference game.

Overall: Oklahoma State leads 13-12

Waco: Baylor leads 5-4

Stillwater: Oklahoma State leads 8-5

Neutral Site: Baylor leads 2-1

Since Start of Big 12: Oklahoma State leads 10-1

SERIES SUPERLATIVES

Most Points Scored, Baylor: 44 (2005)

Most Points Scored, Oklahoma State: 66 (2006)

Most Points Scored, both teams: 91 (2002, OSU 63-28)

Largest Margin of Victory, Baylor: 17-0 (1917); 31-14 (1974)

Largest Margin of Victory, Oklahoma State: 60-0 (1914)

LAST MEETING

OKLAHOMA STATE 66, BAYLOR 21

NOV. 11, 2006 • BOONE PICKENS STADIUM • STILLWATER, OKLA.

Keith Toston rushed for 92 yards and two touchdowns and Oklahoma State capitalized on six Baylor turnovers for a 66-24 win.

Bobby Reid hit tight end Brandon Pettigrew for two first-half touchdowns as the Cowboys built a 38-3 halftime lead on the strength of 28 second-quarter points.

Blake Szymanski passed for 262 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears, but he was intercepted three times and lost a fumble. The loss eliminated Baylor from bowl consideration.

The Cowboys took control early, scoring 49 unanswered points to take a 52-3 lead early in the third quarter. Five Oklahoma State touchdowns came after Baylor turnovers.

Oklahoma State led 38-3 at halftime. On the second play of the second half, defensive tackle Darnell Smith returned an interception 28 yards for a touchdown. Five plays later, free safety Donovan Woods returned Dominique Zeigler's fumble 57 yards for another touchdown for the Cowboys.

Reid started the rout, hitting Pettigrew over the middle on a 9-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter that put the Cowboys ahead 10-3. The play came after Oklahoma State's Paschal Smith recovered Trent Shelton's fumbled punt return.

Toston's touchdown runs of 27 and 8 yards put the Cowboys ahead 31-3 in the second quarter. After Martel Van Zant intercepted Szymanski at the Baylor 42, Reid again hit Pettigrew, this time for a 13-yard score.

Dantrell Savage rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries for the Cowboys -- all in the first half. Reid finished 9-of-10 passing for 88 yards before being replaced by Zac Robinson in the second half.

Szymanski led Baylor on three second-half scoring drives, connecting for touchdowns with Trey Payne from 8 yards and David Gettis from 11 yards.

Paul Mosley finished with 62 yards on eight carries and a touchdown to lead the Baylor rushing attack.

BEARS SAY FAREWELL TO 18 SENIORS

Saturday's game is the final collegiate contest for 18 Baylor seniors: CB Josh Bell, OG Ricky Hasoon, ROV Desmond Jenkins, FS Zack Jones, LB Ralph Lopez, QB Michael Machen, C Mike Miller, LB Nick Moore, DE Geoff Nelson, NT Connor Redfearn, CB Ralph Rodriguez, OG Chad Smith, SS Brandon Stiggers, OT Ted Tanner, FB Keegan Vann, DS Jonathan Weeks, RB Brandon Whitaker and CB Alton Widemon.

QUICK NOTES

• Baylor concludes its season at home for the fifth consecutive season and for the eighth time in 12 seasons as a Big 12 member.

• Baylor is 0-2 all-time when 3-8. In both occasions (2002 and 2003), Baylor lost to Oklahoma State; the Bears entered each game with a five-game losing streak.

• Baylor has lost 11 straight Big 12 games since its 36-35 comeback victory over Kansas (Oct. 22, 2006).

• Baylor is 161-224-20 all-time in November, including a 1-14 mark under head coach Guy Morriss and a 3-37 record since the inception of the Big 12 Conference (1996).

• Baylor is 41-47-5 all-time on the second Saturday of November, including a 7-5-1 mark on Nov. 17.

• Baylor is 3-1 this season when scoring first and 3-0 when leading at halftime

• Baylor has lost 12 straight games when trailing at halftime, dating back to last season's victory over Kansas.

• Baylor has been out-scored 67-10 in the first quarter and 93-21 in the third quarter in Big 12 play this season.

• Baylor has received the kickoff to open the second half in six of seven Big 12 games this season; those six drives have produced two first downs (one rushing at Kansas and one by penalty against Texas Tech).

• Baylor has forced at least one turnover in 30 of the last 34 games, including 19 games with at least two.

• Baylor's defense has held the opposing offense without a first-quarter touchdown in 20 of the last 33 games, including 14 first-quarter shutouts in that time.

• Baylor's defense has 21 sacks this season after only 11 sacks last year.

• WR Thomas White has six touchdown receptions this season, tied for the ninth-best, single-season total in Baylor history.

• RB Brandon Whitaker needs three receptions to crack Baylor's single-season top 10 list for receptions. He needs one reception to become the first Baylor running back with at least 50 receptions in a season.

• QB Blake Szymanksi needs seven pass completions to break Shawn Bell's 2006 single-season school record. He also needs one touchdown (passing or rushing) to tie Don Trull's 1963 single-season school record for touchdown responsibility.

• LB Joe Pawelek needs seven tackles to become the first Baylor linebacker with at least 100 tackles in a season since Dean Jackson in 1996.

• One year after losing 32 seniors, including 24 fifth-year players, Baylor's 2007 roster features 71 underclassmen -- 45 of whom are either true (25) or redshirt (20) freshmen -- and just 17 seniors.

• Baylor is one of nine Division I-A schools with at least 40 underclassmen on roster.

BAYLOR IN REGULAR-SEASON FINALES

Baylor is 49-52-4 all-time in regular-season finales; however, the Bears are just 2-12 in such games since defeating Texas 21-20 in the final game of the 1992 regular season. The Bears two victories in that span were against Southern Illinois in 2001 and against Oklahoma State in 2005. Baylor faced Texas in its regular season finale every year from 1978 to 1995, the final season of the Southwest Conference; the Bears were 8-10 in those games.

This marks the fifth consecutive season and the eighth time in 12 seasons as a Big 12 member that Baylor has concluded its regular season at home. That streak will end next season when the Bears play at Texas Tech the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 22).

BEARS IN TELEVISED GAMES

Saturday's game is the 112th televised game in Baylor football history; the Bears are 37-72-2 all-time in televised games. Baylor is 2-19 in televised games under head coach Guy Morriss, including an 0-5 mark this season. Baylor has lost 14 consecutive televised games; the Bears last victory in a televised game was their 20-10 triumph at Army on ESPN Classic in 2005. Baylor is 2-25 all-time on FSN, including its subsidiaries Fox College Sports and FSN-PayPerView.

LAKE, PAWELEK TACKLE ISSUES

FS Jordan Lake eclipsed the 100-tackle plateau for the season during the Texas Tech game. He enters the Oklahoma State game with 108 stops on the season, becoming the first Bear with at least 100 tackles in a season since Maurice Lane had 104 tackles in 2004. Lake averages 9.8 tackles per game this season, third in the Big 12 and tied for 35th nationally. He ranks first in the Big 12 and fourth nationally among defensive backs; he is second in the Big 12 with 11.1 tackles per game in league action. Lake needs 17 tackles in the Oklahoma State game to crack Baylor's all-time single-season top 10 list.

Meanwhile, LB Joe Pawelek has tallied 93 tackles on the season. His 8.5 tackles-per-game average ranks seventh in the Big 12 and tied for 79th nationally. His total is the most by a Baylor linebacker since Chris Micheaux had 96 stops in the 11-game 2000 season. Pawelek needs seven tackles to become the first Baylor linebacker to record at least 100 tackles in a season since Dean Jackson had 114 tackles in the 11-game 1996 season.

Furthermore, Lake and Pawelek would be the first Baylor duo with at least 100 tackles each since Samir AL-AMIN (109) and Derrick Cash (106) in 2001 and the eighth Baylor duo to accomplish the feat since 1980. It would be the first time Baylor has accomplished the feat with at least one of the two players being a linebacker since 1991 when Le'Shai Maston (110) and Curtis Hafford (102), both linebackers, accomplished the feat. It would be the first time Baylor has accomplished the feat with one linebacker and one defensive back since FS Mike Welch (131) and LB James Francis (102) did so in 1987.

SEASON PLAYER, POS. TACKLES PLAYER, POS. TACKLES PLAYER, POS. TACKLES

2001 Samir AL-AMIN, SS 109 Derrick Cash, FS 106

1991 Le'Shai Maston, LB 110 Curtis Hafford, LB 102

1989 James Francis, LB 129 Gary Kinne, LB 125

1987 Mike Welch, FS 131 James Francis, LB 102

1985 Ray Berry, LB 113 Thomas Everett, FS 110 Alan Jamison, LB 103

1984 Ray Berry, LB 107 Kevin Hancock, LB 104

1981 Geff Gandy, LB 115 Tommy Tabor, DT 107

THREE AMIGOS: PART EIGHT

For just the second time in school history, four Baylor players have recorded at least 30 receptions each on the season. Baylor also accomplished the feat in 2005. Furthermore, this is the eighth time in school history and the fourth consecutive season in which three players have tallied at least 30 receptions each.

RB Brandon Whitaker (49), IR Justin Akers (42), WR David Gettis (30) and IR Brad Taylor (30) have accounted for 53.9 percent of Baylor's receptions this season. WR/IR Thomas White is five catches from joining the 30-catch group, which would give Baylor five players with at least 30 receptions for the first time ever.

Akers, Whitaker and Gettis have combined for 109 receptions this season, marking the 11th time in school history that Baylor's top three receivers have combined for at least 100 catches.

Here is a look at the 11 seasons in which Baylor's top three receivers have combined for 100 or more receptions along with the seven 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, 48; Shaun Rochon, 44; Trent Shelton, 39; Brandon Whitaker, 30)

• 2006 -- 133 receptions (Dominique Zeigler, 52; Trent Shelton, 51; Brandon Whitaker, 30)

• 2007 -- 109 receptions (Brandon Whitaker, 49; Justin Akers, 42; David Gettis, 30; Brad Taylor, 30)

WHITAKER RUNS WILD AGAINST OKLAHOMA

RB Brandon Whitaker rushed 15 times for 149 yards at fourth-ranked Oklahoma last Saturday. That was the first 100-yard rushing game for a Baylor player since Paul Mosley's 133-yard performance at Texas A&M in 2005. It was Whitaker's second career 100-yard game; he tallied 110 yards rushing at SMU in the 2005 season opener.

The 149 yards rushing Whitaker produced against Oklahoma tied for the 23rd-best, single-game total in school history. It was Baylor's best rushing effort since Rashad Armstrong had 166 yards against Colorado in 2003. Whitaker joined Jerod Douglas (135 in 1996) and Armstrong (103 in 2002) as the only Bears to rush for 100 yards against Oklahoma in 17 all-time meetings.

Whitaker joined Colorado's Hugh Charles (110 yards) as the only players to rush for at least 100 yards against Oklahoma this season. In fact, Whitaker's 149 yards rushing were the most against Oklahoma since Kansas State's Darren Sproles tallied 235 yards rushing against the Sooners in the 2003 Big 12 Championship game. Whitaker joined Louisiana State's Justin Vincent (117 in 2003), Texas' Jamaal Charles (116 in 2005), Texas A&M's Courtney Lewis (146 in 2005), Oregon's Jonathan Stewart (144 in 2006) and Colorado's Charles as the only players to rush for at least 100 yards against Oklahoma since Sproles' 235-yard performance.

After a 1-yard run on his first carry of the night, Whitaker raced 57 yards on his second rush against Oklahoma. That was the longest run of his career and pushed him past the 1,000-yard plateau for his career. Whitaker is the 27th player in Baylor history to rush for at least 1,000 yards.

Whitaker finished the night with 219 all-purpose yards, the ninth-best, single-game total in Baylor history.

TURNOVERS COSTLY FOR BEARS

Baylor has committed 35 turnovers through 11 games (3.2 per game), and the Bears' opponents have turned those into 116 points for an average of 3.3 points per turnover. Meanwhile, Baylor has forced 19 turnovers (1.7 per game) and turned those into 58 points for an average of 3.1 points per turnover.

In Big 12 Conference play, Baylor has committed 26 turnovers in seven games (3.7 per game); the Bears' opponents have scored 99 points off those turnovers for an average of 3.8 points per turnover. Baylor has forced 10 turnovers in seven league games (1.4 per game) and scored 31 points off those turnovers for an average of 3.1 points per turnover.

Baylor ranks 118th out of 119 Division I-A teams with a turnover margin of minus-1.45 per game.

SZYMANSKI BREAKS SEVERAL SEASON RECORDS

QB Blake Szymanski broke four Baylor single-season records during the Bears' game at Oklahoma last Saturday. Szymanski has tallied 2,618 yards passing, 20 touchdowns passing, 421 pass attempts and 2,739 total yards this season, all of which are Baylor records. He enters Saturday's game against Oklahoma State seven completions shy of breaking Baylor's single-season mark in that category, as well.

All of those previous records were established by Shawn Bell last season save the total yards mark, which previously was held by Cody Carlson from the 1986 season. Szymanski has played in 10 of Baylor's 11 games this season, while Bell played in nine games last season before a career-ending knee injury. Carlson played 11 games in 1986.

A sophomore from Rider High School in Wichita Falls, Texas, Szymanski has been responsible for 21 touchdowns this season (20 passing, one rushing); he needs two more touchdowns to break Don Trull's 1963 Baylor single-season record.

Szymanski also is climbing Baylor's all-time career leaders lists in several of those categories. He enters the Oklahoma State game ranked 12th in passing yards (3,307), 10th in pass attempts (542), tied for 10th in pass completions (299), 11th in passing touchdowns (24) and 11th in touchdowns responsible for (27).

OFFENSIVE LINE PLAY VASTLY IMPROVED

After giving up 36 sacks in 12 games last season, Baylor's offensive line has shown vast improvement in 2007. The Bears' quarterbacks have been sacked only 16 times in 11 games. In fact, Baylor did not allow a sack in the Oklahoma game, the third time this season the Bears have accomplished that feat. Baylor allowed five sacks in the Kansas State game. The Bears have not allowed more than two sacks in any other game this season.

Baylor did not allow a sack against Texas A&M nor against Colorado, marking the first time the Bears' did not allow a sack in consecutive games since a three-game run late in the 1995 season (at Miami, at SMU, Rice). The Texas A&M game was the first time a Baylor quarterback was not sacked since the 2004 North Texas game, snapping 35-game streak. Kansas recorded a sack of Baylor's Ryan Roberts midway through the third quarter, snapping a streak of 114 consecutive pass plays without allowing a sack for Baylor's offensive line.

From 1998 through 2006, Baylor quarterbacks were sacked 328 times in 113 games (2.9 per game), allowing at least 25 sacks each season and a high of 52 sacks in a 12-game 2002 schedule. This season, the Bears are allowing only 1.5 sacks per game. More impressively, the Bears' quarterbacks were sacked once every 11.3 pass attempts from 1998 through 2006; this season, they have been sacked once every 32.6 pass attempts.

Baylor has not allowed fewer than 24 sacks in a season since allowing only 12 in 1995.

BAYLOR SPREADS THE WEALTH IN PASSING GAME

Through 11 games, 16 different players have recorded at least one reception this season. That total is tied for sixth nationally and tied for third among Big 12 Conference schools. Nebraska leads nationally with 20 different receivers, followed by Troy (19), TCU (18), Colorado (18) and Southern California (17); Baylor is tied for sixth along with Boise State, Georgia, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana State, Rice and Texas Tech.

Baylor's 16 players with at least one reception this season are: Brandon Whitaker (49), Justin Akers (42 receptions), David Gettis (30), Brad Taylor (30), Thomas White (25), Krys Buerck (23), Ernest Smith (20), Justin Fenty (17), Jay Finley (17), Jacoby Jones (11), Mikail Baker (six), Kyle Mitchell (three), Eddy Newton (three), Luke La Mar (two), Joe Bennett (one) and Keegan Vann (one).

Furthermore, nine different Baylor players have at least one touchdown reception this season: White (six), Akers (four), Whitaker (three), Buerck (two), Taylor (two), Finley (one), Jones (one), Smith (one) and Vann (one). That total is tied for fourth nationally and is tied for first in the Big 12 along with Colorado. Troy (13 players) leads the nation, followed by Hawai'i (10) and Southern California (10).

WHITAKER RECEIVES ATTENTION FROM BACKFIELD

RB Brandon Whitaker leads Baylor with 49 receptions this season, already eclipsing his career high for catches in a season (30, established in each of the past two seasons). Whitaker ranks 10th in the Big 12 in total receptions and leads all Big 12 running backs in receptions. With 111 career receptions entering the Oklahoma State game, he is one of only seven players in Baylor history with at least 100 career catches and the only running back to reach that total in school history.

Whitaker established career highs in receptions (11) and yards receivng (166) against Colorado, both Baylor single-game records for a running back. He previously held the single-game receptions record for a running back with nine catches at Washington State last season. Whitaker's receptions total tied for fifth in school history and was one shy of the overall school record. Meanwhile, his yardage total tied for eighth all-time at Baylor.

With 10 receptions at fourth-ranked Oklahoma last Saturday, Whitaker joined Lawrence Elkins and Gerald McNeil as the only players in Baylor history with at least two career games with 10-plus receptions. Elkins (1963), McNeil (1983) and Whitaker all had two such games in the same season, while McNeil also had a 10-reception game in 1981. Whitaker's 10-reception game at Oklahoma tied for the seventh-best performance in Baylor history.

BAYLOR TURNS OVER A NEW LEAF

Baylor ranked 113th nationally in turnover margin and forced just nine opponent miscues over the 11-game 2004 campaign, but the last three seasons it has reversed that trend. The Bears' defense has forced 75 turnovers (42 interceptions, 33 fumble recoveries) since the start of the 2005 season to tie for third in the Big 12 and 17th nationally among Division I-A teams in that span. Baylor has come up with at least one turnover in 30 of 34 games since the start of the 2005 season, including 19 games with two or more.

Baylor forced 34 turnovers over 23 games (1.5 per game) in Guy Morriss' first two seasons, compared to the 75 it has totaled over the last 34 outings (2.2 per game). Here's a look at the teams with most turnovers forced over the last three seasons:

TURNOVERS GAINED 2005 2006 2007 TOTAL

1. South Florida 30 25 31 86

2. TCU 40 26 19 85

3. Louisiana Tech 31 29 23 83

4. West Virginia 31 24 26 81

5. Purdue 27 32 20 79

Southern California 38 22 19 79

Southern Mississippi 34 25 20 79

Texas 27 32 20 79

Western Michigan 25 34 20 79

10. Boston College 18 37 23 78

Oklahoma 23 32 23 78

Oregon State 26 28 24 78

13. Michigan 23 26 28 77

14. Georgia 29 30 16 76

Louisville 28 25 23 76

Miami (Ohio) 35 22 19 76

17. BAYLOR 29 27 19 75

Boise State 26 31 18 75

Florida 31 29 15 75

Louisiana-Monroe 26 34 15 75

Missouri 24 28 23 75

Oregon 32 22 21 75

UTEP 24 25 26 75

24. Hawai'i 21 29 22 72

Idaho 22 25 25 72

26. Nevada 23 37 11 71

BEARS HAVE 20/20 VISION

In five seasons under head coach Guy Morriss, Baylor has established a bit of a vicenary rule on the scoreboard. The Bears are 16-13 when scoring at least 20 points and 2-26 when scoring less than 20 points since the start of the 2003 season. Likewise, the Bears are 10-3 when holding the opponent to fewer than 20 points and 8-36 when allowing 20 or more points in that time.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

Baylor has recorded 15 non-offensive scores in 57 games under head coach Guy Morriss, notching at least one such score in each of Morriss' five seasons.

• 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

• 2005 vs. Oklahoma State -- Colin Allred 25-yard interception return

• 2006 vs. Oklahoma -- Braelon Davis 56-yard fumble return (forced by Davis)

• 2007 at Kansas -- David Gettis 97-yard kickoff return

GETTIS NEARS ALL-PURPOSE YARDAGE LIST

WR David Gettis enters the Oklahoma State game with 1,128 all-purpose yards this season, gaining 395 yards on 30 receptions and 733 yards on 32 kickoff returns. Gettis had a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown Oct. 13 at Kansas, the eighth-longest in school history and Baylor's first since the 2005 season.

Over the last six games, Gettis has averaged 142.2 all-purpose yards per game. Against Colorado, Gettis established a career high with 225 all-purpose yards. That was the best single-game total by a Baylor player in the Guy Morriss era and the best by any Bear since Jerod Douglas' school-record, 257-yard performance at Oklahoma in 1997.

Gettis needs 56 all-purpose yards in the Oklahoma State game to crack the Bears' all-time top-10 list. Currently, Reggie Newhouse (2002) and Willie Andrews (2004) are tied for 10th with 1,184 yards.

NOTES FROM THE OKLAHOMA GAME

• Baylor snapped a streak of seven consecutive games without a first-quarter touchdown.

• Baylor scored first in a Big 12 game for the first time since last season's game against Kansas, snapping a 10-game streak.

• Most total points scored (73) in a Baylor-Oklahoma game.

• QB Blake Szymanski's 75-yard, second-quarter touchdown pass to WR Thomas White was the longest pass of Szymanski's career and the longest reception of White's career.

• The 75-yard Szymanski-to-White pass tied for the 21st-longest pass play in Baylor history. It was Baylor's longest pass play since Bell's 79-yard pass to Dominique Zeigler against Texas A&M last season.

• White recorded the second 100-yard receiving game of his career; he was one yard shy of his career high (118 yards at Kansas State earlier this season).

• Baylor enjoyed its first game with a 100-yard rusher and a 100-yard receiver since the 2004 Iowa State game.

• LB Chris Francis' fourth-quarter interception was the first of his career.

• SS Jeremy Williams established a career high with eight tackles.

• LB Joe Pawelek failed to tally at least six tackles for the first time since last season's Oklahoma game, snapping a 10-game streak. He finished with three tackles, tying his career low established in last season's Oklahoma game.

PAWELEK NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT

Sophomore LB Joe Pawelek was named first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced earlier this month. Pawelek, a product of Smithson Valley High School in Spring Branch, Texas, earned academic all-district in his first season of eligibility. He is now eligible for Academic All-America honors; that team is announced in late December.

This is the fifth consecutive season in which Baylor has produced an academic all-district honoree and the fourth time in the last five years that the Bears have produced a first-team selection. Daniel Sepulveda was a second-team selection as a sophomore in 2004 and earned first-team honors during his junior (2005) and senior (2006) seasons. In 2003, John Martin was a first-team pick, while Stephen Sepulveda was named second team.

A 2006 Freshman All-American, Pawelek is second on Baylor's squad with 91 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss this season. He also has 2.0 sacks, one interception, two pass breakups, three fumbles forced and two fumbles recovered. Pawelek ranks sixth in the Big 12 Conference and tied for 56th nationally with 9.1 tackles per game.

Pawelek was one of only four sophomores on the 24-member team; he joined Jordan Peterson (Texas A&M), James Truxillo (Louisiana-Lafayette) and Andrew Sendejo (Rice), all of whom are defensive players.

PAWELEK NAMED TO GOOD WORKS TEAM

LB Joe Pawelek was named to the Big 12 Conference Fall Sports Good Works Team in recognition of community service efforts, the league office announced earlier this month. Each member institution selected a student-athlete for recognition based upon significant community service, good academic standing and participation in a Big 12-sponsored sport.

The Big 12 names a 12-person Good Works Team for the fall (cross country, football, soccer, volleyball), winter (basketball, gymnastics, swimming and diving, wrestling) and spring (baseball, golf, softball, tennis, track and field).

BAYLOR AMONG NATION'S BEST COLLEGES

Baylor University ranks as the nation's 75th-best institute for higher learning, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2008 "America's Best Colleges" edition. Baylor is ranked third among Big 12 Conference schools, trailing only Texas (44th) and Texas A&M (62nd). Last year, Baylor was the fourth-ranked Big 12 school but leap-frogged Colorado (79th) in this year's rankings.

Other Big 12 schools ranked were: Iowa State (t-85th), Kansas (t-85th), Missouri (t-91st), Nebraska (t-91st), Oklahoma (108th) and Kansas State (124th). Oklahoma State and Texas Tech were considered "third tier" schools and were, therefore, not ranked numerically.

FORMER WALK-ONS EARN SCHOLARSHIPS

Six senior walk-on members of the Baylor football team were awarded scholarships for the 2007-08 academic year: OG Ricky Hasoon, LB Daniel Lopez, CB Ralph Rodriguez, OL Ted Tanner, SS Zach Jones and FB Keegan Vann.

At the end of spring practice, the Baylor staff also placed junior WR Thomas White on scholarship. Including the seniors receiving scholarships prior to the start of the season, Baylor's 2007 roster features eight walk-ons who have earned scholarships.

Since Morriss' arrival in 2003, 30 Bears have gone from walk-on to scholarship status.

2007 SCHEDULE FEATURES EIGHT 2006 BOWL TEAMS

After playing seven of 12 games a year ago against teams that went on to earn bowl invitations, Baylor will face eight 2006 bowl teams this season, including six of its eight Big 12 opponents. But, that's nothing new for coach Guy Morriss' program, as 28 times in his first 46 games (including 25 of 32 Big 12 contests) along the Baylor sideline he's faced an opponent who ended the season in a bowl game.

The Bears' 2007 opponents combined for an 85-67 (.559) record a year ago and eight earned bowl bids -- TCU (Poinsettia champion), Rice (New Orleans), Texas (Alamo champion), Kansas State (Texas), Texas A&M (Holiday), Texas Tech (Insight champion), Oklahoma (Fiesta) and Oklahoma State (Independence champion). Baylor's eight 2007 Big 12 foes went 60-43 (.583) a year ago and recorded all three of the league's bowl wins.

Six of Baylor's eight losses in 2006 came at the hands of eventual bowl-bound teams while it knocked off Texas Bowl participant Kansas State, 17-3, and bowl-eligible Kansas, 36-35.

Over Morriss' four seasons in Waco, his teams have tackled the nation's 55th- (2003), sixth- (2004), 28th- (2005) and 49th- (2006) most-difficult schedules according to the NCAA.

AFCA SALUTES BAYLOR FOR GRADUATION RATE

Baylor was one of 34 NCAA Division I-A schools to have its football program honored with the 2007 Academic Achievement Award by the American Football Coaches Association.

In the most-recent AFCA survey, four institutions registered graduation rates of 90 percent or more for their 2001-02 freshman football class, including Northwestern and Notre Dame, which earned top honors from the Touchdown Club of Memphis with their 95 percent marks.

Baylor joined Big 12 schools Nebraska, Texas and Texas Tech among the 32 institutions who received honorable mention recognition with a graduation rate of 70 to 90 percent. Baylor also was recognized in the AFCA's 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2006 surveys.

FOOTBALL OPERATIONS HEADED TO CAMPUS IN 2008

Ground was broken May 10, 2007, on the Alwin O. and Dorothy Highers Athletics Complex and the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center, a $34 million complex that will integrate the Baylor athletics department and football program into the campus environment for the first time since the late 1950s.

The lead gift for the privately funded project and the largest single gift in school history is from the estate of Alwin O. Highers Jr. of Alexandria, La. A native Texan and a 1939 Baylor business graduate, Mr. Highers was well known as the owner of Alexandria's Dr Pepper Bottling Co. He also was a dedicated supporter of Baylor athletics and in particular its football program, until his death in 2003. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, who still resides in Alexandria.

The focal point of the Highers Athletics Complex will be the 96,300-square-foot Simpson Athletics and Academic Center, which will be built on University Parks Drive adjacent to Baylor's Mayborn Museum Complex and the university's other athletic facilities that are part of the Julie and Jim Turner Riverfront Athletic Complex on the Brazos River.

A Baylor University graduate and generous Baylor supporter, Bob R. Simpson is a co-founder, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of XTO Energy Inc. of Fort Worth. His leadership at XTO has been recognized by numerous publications, including Barron's ("30 most respected CEO's in the world," March 27, 2006), Oil & Gas Explorer ("Executive of the Year," March 2006), Institutional Investor ("Best CEOs," January 2006), BusinessWeek ("The BusinessWeek Top 50 Performers," April 2006) and Forbes ("2,000 Leading Companies in the World," April 17, 2006).

Simpson earned a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance, with magna cum laude honors, in 1970 and his MBA in 1971.

The first floor of the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center will include functions that are currently housed at Floyd Casey Stadium, such as a main athletics training room, equipment room, football team locker room, coaches' locker room and weight room. Floor two will hold administrative offices, the football office and meeting rooms, as well as an academic center which will benefit all Baylor student-athletes.

The Highers Athletics Complex will include three football practice fields, two with a natural surface and the other with artificial turf. Construction will take approximately 18 months and is expected to be completed by July 2008.

FAMILY AFFAIR

The Bears' 2007 roster includes the sons of six former Baylor football standouts, three of whom were All-Americans during their Baylor careers. True freshmen Matt Singletary, V.J. McElroy and Chris Francis join three other sons of Baylor legacies already in the program--sophomore offensive guard Sam Sledge, redshirt freshman receiver Ben Randle and sophomore running back Tony Anderson, who must sit out the season as a transfer from I-AA Southeast Missouri State.

Singletary's father, Mike, was a three-time All-American and two-time Davey O'Brien Award winner who is enshrined in both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame after standout playing careers at Baylor and with the NFL's Chicago Bears. McElroy's father, Vann, was a two-time All-America defensive back at Baylor who went on to play in two Pro Bowls with the NFL's Los Angeles Raiders. The younger Francis' father, James, earned 1989 All-America and Southwest Conference Player of the Year honors and was a first-round NFL Draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals.

David Sledge was an All-Southwest Conference performer for the Bears in 1978. Alfred Anderson, the third-leading rusher in school history, and Ervin Randle, an eight-year NFL veteran with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs, were Baylor teammates in the early 1980s.

COACHING STAFF FEATURES FOUR NEW FACES

In the off-season, Baylor's coaching staff underwent a makeover as four new faces were added, and the dean of the Bears' staff, Larry Hoefer, was promoted to defensive coordinator.

After spending the past three seasons as running backs coach at the University of Arizona, Kasey Dunn is Baylor's new assistant head coach, special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach. Former University of Houston All-America wide receiver Jason Phillips will coach the Bears' inside receivers and serve as recruiting coordinator after helping his alma mater to three bowl games in four seasons. Morriss also hired former University of Houston safeties coach Clay Jennings, a graduate of Waco's La Vega High School, as Baylor's cornerbacks coach.

Cornell Jackson, who coached running backs at the University of New Mexico the past two years and has 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, is the Bears' new running backs coach.

Hoefer, the only remaining member of Morriss' original staff, was named the Bears' defensive coordinator in late February when Bill Bradley was hired as secondary coach of the NFL's San Diego Chargers.

Lee Hays returns for his second season as Baylor's offensive coordinator and will also tutor the Baylor signal callers in 2007, while Gary Kinne (linebackers) and Don Wnek (defensive line) are back for their second and third seasons, respectively, in the Baylor program.

The 2007 Baylor coaching staff boasts more than 160 years of experience at the professional, collegiate and high school levels. Six members of Baylor's staff played NCAA Division I football and four played professional football.

BAYLOR CONTINUES TO IMPROVE UNDER MORRISS

Introduced as Baylor's 24th head football coach on Dec. 11, 2002, Guy Morriss inherited a proud program that had fallen on hard times and produced just 13 victories in the six seasons (1997-2002) prior to his arrival. He and his staff have already posted more wins both overall (18) and in Big 12 play (seven) in five years than the Bears registered in the seven previous years (17 overall/four Big 12) before Morriss' Central Texas arrival.

Morriss has directed Baylor to seven of its 11 all-time Big 12 Conference victories and its only two conference road wins, while improving the Bears' league win total in each of the last three seasons. He owns a 18-37 record in five seasons at Baylor and is 27-51 in seven seasons as a head coach overall.

OVER THE AIR

Bear football games can be heard live on the Baylor/ISP Sports Radio Network. The network includes nine 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 with 21 years' experience in the Baylor broadcast booth and in his 13th 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.

BAYLOR/ISP SPORTS FOOTBALL RADIO NETWORK

Abilene KYYW-AM 1470

Amarillo KIXZ-AM 940

Big Spring KBST-AM 1490

Houston KKHT-FM 100.7

Dallas/Fort Worth WBAP-AM 820

Jacksonville KXAL-FM 100.3

Lubbock KJAK-FM 92.7

Lufkin KYBI-FM 101.9

Waco (Flagship) KRZI-AM 1660 espn

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, 11 p.m. CT), Fox Sports Southwest (Wednesday, 1 p.m. CT), College Sports Television (Friday, 4 p.m. CT) and the College Channel (Waco cable 18).