There was a time when taking Texas A&M to overtime would have been cause for celebration around Baylor. Just getting close to the Aggies would have been considered progress.
That time wasn’t Saturday. Or the day after, when Bears coach Guy Morriss was still muttering about missed opportunities in a 16-13 overtime loss at A&M.
After beating the Aggies in overtime last season, losing to them is almost a step backwards. But it’s all about context.
This was a road game at tradition-rich Kyle Field.
And this year, the Aggies had to know Baylor was coming. In fact, A&M probably looks forward to it after the stinging loss of a year ago.
A&M came away victorious in this one, but more than one observer has said that Baylor looked like the better team. That in itself is a victory for a Baylor program that’s been a Big 12 Conference punching bag for so long.
Coming into the season, Oklahoma State and Baylor were considered the fifth- and sixth-best teams in the Big 12 South, and there was a big dropoff after fifth.
That’s no longer the case. Not after Oklahoma State has shown no signs of offense in four games, including a 34-0 loss to Colorado on Saturday. Meanwhile, Baylor has won two road games and taken one of the league’s more talented teams to overtime. This wasn’t just an A&M thing. Sure, some teams have the number of certain opponents. There are teams that are perpetual thorns in the sides of much stronger opponents.
That was the case in 2001, when Baylor nearly upset an undefeated, Top 25 Texas A&M team. The Bears were throwing Hail Marys into the end zone in the final seconds before falling, 16-10.
That game was an anomaly during the Kevin Steele era. Under Morriss the last two seasons, Baylor’s improvement has shown up in more than just the Texas A&M games. The Baylor defense is fast and feisty. Most of all, it has to be respected. The offense isn’t flashy, but the Bears can take what a defense gives them.
This week’s rankings:
1. Texas 4-0 (1-0): 100th meeting with OU is all about five years of frustration.
2. Texas Tech 4-0 (1-0): Red Raiders survive KU slugfest; now here comes Nebraska.
3. Nebraska 4-0 (1-0): Offense finally gained some ground; next step is scoring TDs.
4. Iowa St. 3-1 (0-1): Another loss in Lincoln, but North title possible.
5. Colorado 3-1 (1-0): Shutout in Stillwater makes Miami journey just a memory.
6. Texas A&M 3-1 (1-0): Petitioning for Baylor to be moved to the North division.
7. Oklahoma 2-2 (1-0): Sooners come alive vs. KSU ? Just in time for Texas.
8. Kansas 3-1 (0-1): Rock-chalked Texas Tech, but offense was just waving wheat.
9. Missouri 2-2 (0-1): We’ll ask one more time: Can Brad Smith play defense?
10. Kansas St. 3-1 (0-1): Innovative no-punter formation backfires at OU.
11. Baylor 3-1 (0-1): Does loss at A&M count toward bowl eligibility?
12. Oklahoma St. 3-1 (0-1): Cowboys still searching for the “O” in OSU.
