Points will be scored.
Lots of points.
The questions are how many, and by whom?
Unfortunately for OSU, we don't have our favorite target Bob to abuse this year.
Baylor has a team full of seniors that not only have never beaten the Cowboys, but have never posted a competittive game against them. The last time Baylor was victorious was Gundy's first year as HC...2005. Since then the average margin of victory has been 31.6 pts, and the average score has been 48.8 - 17.2. OSU has scored 50+ 3 times. Baylor hasn't scored more than 28 pts, and has been held to 14 or less 3 times.
In fact, if you go all the way back to 1990 (refuse to go farther), outside of the 2005 win (44 pts), the Bears haven't scored more than 28 pts in a game against OSU.
The Cowboys have not posted less than 34 points against Baylor since 1998.
Lest we get cocky, may I remind you of what actually happened last year...this excerpt from an article I posted earlier in the season...
"There was no better example of this in 2011 than the game against Bob's Bears (Baylor). Little Bob moved the Baylor offense almost at will, EXCEPT when they reached the red zone. Turnovers and failed 4th down conversions doomed Bob and his minions. But Bob did move the ball...Baylor's drives totaled 474 yards by the end of the 3rd quarter. If you subtract yards gained by defensive penalty...30...then total yardage was 444. That's not shabby, but only resulted in 3 points. The big difference maker was 5 TO's. In fact, Baylor outgained OSU for the game, 622-601."
Oh, and they never punted.
This year's Baylor, while not piling up the wins, has never the less made their presence felt. In the past 3 weeks they've taken OU to limit in Norman and drubbed Kansas State.
Courtesy of the Big 12...
#1 rushing offense
#2 scoring offense
#3 passing offense
#1 pass efficiency offense
#1 in yards per completion
#2 in 3rd down conversion %. OSU has already lost to #1, #3, & #4 (OU, KState, Texas)
But only #6 in red zone offense.
If the Cowboys don't show up with their wits about them, they could very easily get shellacked just like Kansas State.
The saving grace might be Baylor's collective mouths. if you recall, Joseph Randle pegged the Bears as the team with the most trash talk during the game. A little in game chatter is all OSU will need to be focused. If the offense is focused, then they shouldn't have any trouble with the following:
#9 scoring defense
#7 rushing defense
#9 passing defense
#9 total defense
#8 pass efficiency defense
#10 opponent's 3rd down conversion %
They are, however, #5 in red zone defense.
As usual, turnovers, penalties, and special teams will likely turn the tide one way or the other for OSU. I pointed to this game way back in the spring as potential trouble. Any game after an exhausting and emotionally draining Bedlam would have been trouble, but this one especially, now that we've seen Baylor's act over the course of the past few weeks. They're hot.
Still, I'll go with an OSU win, but it won't be easy.
48-44 Cowboys.
GO POKES!!!