UBBY said:

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Aberzombie1892 said:

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UBBY said:

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Aberzombie1892 said:

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historian said:

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I think it's fair to say that there were times under Briles in which our defense was great, namely 2013-2015. However, it was t always consistent & even in those years they made costly mistakes. And I don't think they ever reached the elite level that might have led to a victory over Bama, Georgia, Clemson or Ohio State.

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I disagree that those Baylor defenses were great (i.e. top 20), but I agree that they weren't good enough to beat the top tier teams. That's my primary point - there is a ceiling here without a great defense, and it's as clear as day based on all of the elite offenses that have taken FBS by storm that haven't come close to winning a national title over the last 10+ years.

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Oregon played in the national championship game with a great offense. Alabama and LSU won their most recent championships with high powered offenses and defenses not as good as they normally have. Those are the only 2 I can think of that have done it in recent years with great offenses.

The only main difference from the 2015 team and those Alabama and LSU teams was probably talent. They had 4 and 5 star talent out the caboose. Baylor just had a sprinkling of that upper level talent here and there.

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Did Oregon win that national title game? It may surprise some in this thread, but the team that won the national title after the 2014 season had a top 20 defense.

Separately, 2019 LSU and 2020 Alabama both had top 20 defenses (there is a theme here).

Finally, and again, no one is saying that a good offense is not needed to win a national title. It's just not enough if it's coupled with a non-elite P5 defense.

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I'm a little surprised those 2 had top 20 defenses. From what I remembered those 2 teams weren't as good defensively when I watched them. Of course that was just my eye test.

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The key is both those teams are in the SEC. Their defenses look good because they don't play any good QB's but maybe once or twice a year. A team with a solid QB (Georgia) and a good defense can mow through the SEC.

hodedofome said:

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UBBY said:

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Aberzombie1892 said:

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UBBY said:

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Aberzombie1892 said:

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historian said:

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I think it's fair to say that there were times under Briles in which our defense was great, namely 2013-2015. However, it was t always consistent & even in those years they made costly mistakes. And I don't think they ever reached the elite level that might have led to a victory over Bama, Georgia, Clemson or Ohio State.

---

I disagree that those Baylor defenses were great (i.e. top 20), but I agree that they weren't good enough to beat the top tier teams. That's my primary point - there is a ceiling here without a great defense, and it's as clear as day based on all of the elite offenses that have taken FBS by storm that haven't come close to winning a national title over the last 10+ years.

---

Oregon played in the national championship game with a great offense. Alabama and LSU won their most recent championships with high powered offenses and defenses not as good as they normally have. Those are the only 2 I can think of that have done it in recent years with great offenses.

The only main difference from the 2015 team and those Alabama and LSU teams was probably talent. They had 4 and 5 star talent out the caboose. Baylor just had a sprinkling of that upper level talent here and there.

---

Did Oregon win that national title game? It may surprise some in this thread, but the team that won the national title after the 2014 season had a top 20 defense.

Separately, 2019 LSU and 2020 Alabama both had top 20 defenses (there is a theme here).

Finally, and again, no one is saying that a good offense is not needed to win a national title. It's just not enough if it's coupled with a non-elite P5 defense.

---

I'm a little surprised those 2 had top 20 defenses. From what I remembered those 2 teams weren't as good defensively when I watched them. Of course that was just my eye test.

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The key is both those teams are in the SEC. Their defenses look good because they don't play any good QB's but maybe once or twice a year. A team with a solid QB (Georgia) and a good defense can mow through the SEC.

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Do you really believe that? If SEC defensive success was a by-product of weak offenses, they would get exposed at the national level (i.e. out of conference or CFP) - that doesn't happen.

Let's spot check 2020 based on the top 30 QBs ranked by QBR:

SEC
1. Alabama
3. Ole Miss
5. Florida
28. Texas A&M

Big 12
11. Oklahoma
15. ISU
22. Texas

What about 2019?

SEC
1. LSU
2. Alabama
10. Florida
18. Georgia
25. Ole Miss
26. Texas A&M
27. Miss State

Big 12
4. Oklahoma
15. Texas
28. Texas Tech

There does not appear to be evidence supporting the bolded.

fredbear said:

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KB has been somewhat disappointing as an Offensive coordinator. Yes, flashes of success, but nothing sustained. I truly thought he would be a P5 head coach by now.

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How old was Dave Aranda when he became a head coach at a p5? What about Matt Rhule? Saban?

bear2be2 said:

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Aliceinbubbleland said:

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I think I read this is their sixth appearance in the CWS. We have seriously fallen behind TCU in everything except possibly basketball.

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Or basketball program is much better. Putting the word "possibly" in there is a joke.

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We were 1 and 1 against them last year and that win was due to to a large comeback. We are better, but not much.

Ghostrider said:

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bear2be2 said:

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Aliceinbubbleland said:

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I think I read this is their sixth appearance in the CWS. We have seriously fallen behind TCU in everything except possibly basketball.

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Or basketball program is much better. Putting the word "possibly" in there is a joke.

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We were 1 and 1 against them last year and that win was due to to a large comeback. We are better, but not much.

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That was one particular team one particular season, not a program. Our program is vastly superior.

You have to be kidding. They own us of late and stop just playing the basketball card from three years ago.

Bear8084 said:

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montypython said:

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EvilTroyAndAbed said:

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ImwithBU said:

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We have been reeling since the day the BOR "cried out to God"

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Two Sugar Bowls, a Big 12 championship and a higher end of season ranking than Briles ever got. Yeah, we've been reeling.

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the disaster that was 2016 and 2017 certainly qualifies as reeling. Throw in the fact that Aranda doesn't appear to know what he is doing, not on the offensive side of things at least, doesn't help. The Fedora hire was a bad move. The Grimes hire is a bad move. Canning our defensive coordinator from our Big 12 title team was questionable at best. We can neither develop nor recruit top QBs. Our OL has been mediocre since 2017. Poor charlie got beat up something bad while he was here. Bohanon could at least run away from most of the pressure. The new guy just goes to the fetal position.
We are reeling, you just don't see it because the Big 12 title has fogged your vision.

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"Doesn't know what he is doing..." Yet led the best Baylor football season. After the hiring of Grimes. Also in 2021 the o-line was fairly decent. It was ranked the best o-line of the week for a few games.

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What happened in 2020? How does one take a 10-win team that goes to a CCG and then win 2 games with the same players, a year later?
Doesn't know what he is doing.
How does a guy hire an OC and fire him the next year?
Doesn't know what he is doing.
How does a guy let your veteran QB who led your team to a Big 12 title the year before, leave in the transfer portal and let a guy who barely played take over?
Doesn't know what he is doing.
How does a guy keep an OC that runs an offense ranked 51st in ppg?
Doesn't know what he is doing.
But sure, let's fire the DC because the defense isn't as good as the year before...

Now to be fair - Aranda had zero experience running a program when we hired him. So he is going through on the job training. Ideally he has picked up valuable experience the last 3 years and he'll get his footing. Will his recruits pan out? Will we continue to slide? The next 2 seasons will be quite telling.

Aliceinbubbleland said:

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You have to be kidding. They own us of late and stop just playing the basketball card from three years ago.

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Keep up. We were talking specifically about basketball.

No one is suggesting we have a better football program than TCU, which has owned us since the SWC breakup.

montypython said:

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Bear8084 said:

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montypython said:

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EvilTroyAndAbed said:

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ImwithBU said:

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We have been reeling since the day the BOR "cried out to God"

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Two Sugar Bowls, a Big 12 championship and a higher end of season ranking than Briles ever got. Yeah, we've been reeling.

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the disaster that was 2016 and 2017 certainly qualifies as reeling. Throw in the fact that Aranda doesn't appear to know what he is doing, not on the offensive side of things at least, doesn't help. The Fedora hire was a bad move. The Grimes hire is a bad move. Canning our defensive coordinator from our Big 12 title team was questionable at best. We can neither develop nor recruit top QBs. Our OL has been mediocre since 2017. Poor charlie got beat up something bad while he was here. Bohanon could at least run away from most of the pressure. The new guy just goes to the fetal position.
We are reeling, you just don't see it because the Big 12 title has fogged your vision.

---

"Doesn't know what he is doing..." Yet led the best Baylor football season. After the hiring of Grimes. Also in 2021 the o-line was fairly decent. It was ranked the best o-line of the week for a few games.

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What happened in 2020? How does one take a 10-win team that goes to a CCG and then win 2 games with the same players, a year later?
Doesn't know what he is doing.
How does a guy hire an OC and fire him the next year?
Doesn't know what he is doing.
How does a guy let your veteran QB who led your team to a Big 12 title the year before, leave in the transfer portal and let a guy who barely played take over?
Doesn't know what he is doing.
How does a guy keep an OC that runs an offense ranked 51st in ppg?
Doesn't know what he is doing.
But sure, let's fire the DC because the defense isn't as good as the year before...

---

Best season in Baylor football history. And in a P5 conference, in just his 2nd year after a messed up COVID year. Yeah, he does know what he is doing.

He's also got 2 losing seasons in 3 seasons. Forever grateful for the 21 season. But this team and Aranda severely underperformed last season. He's yet to win with his own players. If he has another sub .500 season his seat should be warm heading into 24. Love Aranda and I think he will right the ship. No reason this team shouldn't be winning 8 plus regularly in the new B12.

IowaBear said:

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He's also got 2 losing seasons in 3 seasons. Forever grateful for the 21 season. But this team and Aranda severely underperformed last season. He's yet to win with his own players. If he was another sub .500 season his seat should be warm heading into 24

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This is a big year for sure. This season will set the trajectory for the Dave Aranda era at Baylor IMO. We've had one terrible season, one magical season and one thoroughly mediocre season. This season will go a long way toward determining which of those was the "real" Dave Aranda team and what we should expect going forward. If we win fewer than eight games with the schedule we have, I'll be disappointed.

Bear8084 said:

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montypython said:

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Bear8084 said:

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montypython said:

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EvilTroyAndAbed said:

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ImwithBU said:

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We have been reeling since the day the BOR "cried out to God"

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Two Sugar Bowls, a Big 12 championship and a higher end of season ranking than Briles ever got. Yeah, we've been reeling.

---

the disaster that was 2016 and 2017 certainly qualifies as reeling. Throw in the fact that Aranda doesn't appear to know what he is doing, not on the offensive side of things at least, doesn't help. The Fedora hire was a bad move. The Grimes hire is a bad move. Canning our defensive coordinator from our Big 12 title team was questionable at best. We can neither develop nor recruit top QBs. Our OL has been mediocre since 2017. Poor charlie got beat up something bad while he was here. Bohanon could at least run away from most of the pressure. The new guy just goes to the fetal position.
We are reeling, you just don't see it because the Big 12 title has fogged your vision.

---

"Doesn't know what he is doing..." Yet led the best Baylor football season. After the hiring of Grimes. Also in 2021 the o-line was fairly decent. It was ranked the best o-line of the week for a few games.

---

What happened in 2020? How does one take a 10-win team that goes to a CCG and then win 2 games with the same players, a year later?
Doesn't know what he is doing.
How does a guy hire an OC and fire him the next year?
Doesn't know what he is doing.
How does a guy let your veteran QB who led your team to a Big 12 title the year before, leave in the transfer portal and let a guy who barely played take over?
Doesn't know what he is doing.
How does a guy keep an OC that runs an offense ranked 51st in ppg?
Doesn't know what he is doing.
But sure, let's fire the DC because the defense isn't as good as the year before...

---

Best season in Baylor football history. And in a P5 conference, in just his 2nd year after a messed up COVID year. Yeah, he does know what he is doing.

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He took a conference championship caliber team that another staff built up and won a conference title. I thought it was great but lets not lose sight of the current realities here..

Yup this is where I'm at. 8 wins should be the baseline. The 2 hardest opponents we play are weeks 2,4. Should be able to tell early how our squad looks.

Big year, yes absolutely. But claiming he doesn't know what he is doing is not looking at reality.

We have had a plethora of coaches who didn't know what they were doing, Aranda isn't it.

Bear8084 said:

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Big year, yes absolutely. But claiming he doesn't know what he is doing is not looking at reality.

We have had a plethora of coaches who didn't know what they were doing, Aranda isn't it.

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I think it's fair to say that it's been a learning experience, but that's part of the package when you hire a first-time head coach. I agree that "doesn't know what he is doing" is an extreme exaggeration.

bear2be2 said:

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Bear8084 said:

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Big year, yes absolutely. But claiming he doesn't know what he is doing is not looking at reality.

We have had a plethora of coaches who didn't know what they were doing, Aranda isn't it.

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I think it's fair to say that it's been a learning experience, but that's part of the package when you hire a first-time head coach. I agree that "doesn't know what he is doing" is an extreme exaggeration.

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Agree 100%. Didn't mean to come off as "Aranda can't do wrong!" I was as miffed last season as anyone, just ask my wife and siblings after a game. Haha. There are things that need work, and from what I have heard from interviews, at least Aranda recognizes what needs to be done. Now it just needs to transfer to results this upcoming season.

bear2be2 said:

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Aliceinbubbleland said:

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You have to be kidding. They own us of late and stop just playing the basketball card from three years ago.

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Keep up. We were talking specifically about basketball.

No one is suggesting we have a better football program than TCU, which has owned us since the SWC breakup.

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I am. This is the football board lol.

Aliceinbubbleland said:

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bear2be2 said:

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Aliceinbubbleland said:

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You have to be kidding. They own us of late and stop just playing the basketball card from three years ago.

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Keep up. We were talking specifically about basketball.

No one is suggesting we have a better football program than TCU, which has owned us since the SWC breakup.

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I am. This is the football board lol.

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Then stop saying stupid stuff about basketball on it. Because those of us that follow both sports will call you on it.

To suggest that TCU, which has never won more than one NCAA tournament game in a season, is even in the same orbit as Scott Drew's Baylor program, which has won a national title, reached two other Elite Eights and played in two other Sweet 16s, is laughable. Losing in the Round of 32, a disappointment for us, is quite literally the high water mark of the modern TCU men's basketball program.

Aberzombie1892 said:

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hodedofome said:

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UBBY said:

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Aberzombie1892 said:

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UBBY said:

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Aberzombie1892 said:

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historian said:

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I think it's fair to say that there were times under Briles in which our defense was great, namely 2013-2015. However, it was t always consistent & even in those years they made costly mistakes. And I don't think they ever reached the elite level that might have led to a victory over Bama, Georgia, Clemson or Ohio State.

---

I disagree that those Baylor defenses were great (i.e. top 20), but I agree that they weren't good enough to beat the top tier teams. That's my primary point - there is a ceiling here without a great defense, and it's as clear as day based on all of the elite offenses that have taken FBS by storm that haven't come close to winning a national title over the last 10+ years.

---

Oregon played in the national championship game with a great offense. Alabama and LSU won their most recent championships with high powered offenses and defenses not as good as they normally have. Those are the only 2 I can think of that have done it in recent years with great offenses.

The only main difference from the 2015 team and those Alabama and LSU teams was probably talent. They had 4 and 5 star talent out the caboose. Baylor just had a sprinkling of that upper level talent here and there.

---

Did Oregon win that national title game? It may surprise some in this thread, but the team that won the national title after the 2014 season had a top 20 defense.

Separately, 2019 LSU and 2020 Alabama both had top 20 defenses (there is a theme here).

Finally, and again, no one is saying that a good offense is not needed to win a national title. It's just not enough if it's coupled with a non-elite P5 defense.

---

I'm a little surprised those 2 had top 20 defenses. From what I remembered those 2 teams weren't as good defensively when I watched them. Of course that was just my eye test.

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The key is both those teams are in the SEC. Their defenses look good because they don't play any good QB's but maybe once or twice a year. A team with a solid QB (Georgia) and a good defense can mow through the SEC.

---

Do you really believe that? If SEC defensive success was a by-product of weak offenses, they would get exposed at the national level (i.e. out of conference or CFP) - that doesn't happen.

Let's spot check 2020 based on the top 30 QBs ranked by QBR:

SEC
1. Alabama
3. Ole Miss
5. Florida
28. Texas A&M

Big 12
11. Oklahoma
15. ISU
22. Texas

What about 2019?

SEC
1. LSU
2. Alabama
10. Florida
18. Georgia
25. Ole Miss
26. Texas A&M
27. Miss State

Big 12
4. Oklahoma
15. Texas
28. Texas Tech

There does not appear to be evidence supporting the bolded.

---

I am not saying that SEC defenses are terrible. They are good (athletes are all over the NFL on defense), but they are better on the stat line because they only play one or two good QB's a year. They can stack the box and know the QB can't beat them with his arm. If they played in a conference that stressed balanced offenses with a good QB, the defensive stats would be much less. Just look at the scores in the playoffs and national championship games over the past decade. SEC defenses are not holding their opponents to 20 points or less, the offense is winning the games just as much as the defense.

Saban used to win with a game manager QB, the best RB in the country, and the best defense in the country. Then Clemson exposed them with an NFL caliber QB along with a solid defense. So Saban went out and got NFL caliber QB's and won some more championships. The game is won by QB's these days. Defense is hugely important, there is no denying that. But only the teams with great QB's won it all over the past 9 years.

hodedofome said:

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Aberzombie1892 said:

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hodedofome said:

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UBBY said:

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Aberzombie1892 said:

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UBBY said:

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Aberzombie1892 said:

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historian said:

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I think it's fair to say that there were times under Briles in which our defense was great, namely 2013-2015. However, it was t always consistent & even in those years they made costly mistakes. And I don't think they ever reached the elite level that might have led to a victory over Bama, Georgia, Clemson or Ohio State.

---

I disagree that those Baylor defenses were great (i.e. top 20), but I agree that they weren't good enough to beat the top tier teams. That's my primary point - there is a ceiling here without a great defense, and it's as clear as day based on all of the elite offenses that have taken FBS by storm that haven't come close to winning a national title over the last 10+ years.

---

Oregon played in the national championship game with a great offense. Alabama and LSU won their most recent championships with high powered offenses and defenses not as good as they normally have. Those are the only 2 I can think of that have done it in recent years with great offenses.

The only main difference from the 2015 team and those Alabama and LSU teams was probably talent. They had 4 and 5 star talent out the caboose. Baylor just had a sprinkling of that upper level talent here and there.

---

Did Oregon win that national title game? It may surprise some in this thread, but the team that won the national title after the 2014 season had a top 20 defense.

Separately, 2019 LSU and 2020 Alabama both had top 20 defenses (there is a theme here).

Finally, and again, no one is saying that a good offense is not needed to win a national title. It's just not enough if it's coupled with a non-elite P5 defense.

---

I'm a little surprised those 2 had top 20 defenses. From what I remembered those 2 teams weren't as good defensively when I watched them. Of course that was just my eye test.

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The key is both those teams are in the SEC. Their defenses look good because they don't play any good QB's but maybe once or twice a year. A team with a solid QB (Georgia) and a good defense can mow through the SEC.

---

Do you really believe that? If SEC defensive success was a by-product of weak offenses, they would get exposed at the national level (i.e. out of conference or CFP) - that doesn't happen.

Let's spot check 2020 based on the top 30 QBs ranked by QBR:

SEC
1. Alabama
3. Ole Miss
5. Florida
28. Texas A&M

Big 12
11. Oklahoma
15. ISU
22. Texas

What about 2019?

SEC
1. LSU
2. Alabama
10. Florida
18. Georgia
25. Ole Miss
26. Texas A&M
27. Miss State

Big 12
4. Oklahoma
15. Texas
28. Texas Tech

There does not appear to be evidence supporting the bolded.

---

I am not saying that SEC defenses are terrible. They are good (athletes are all over the NFL on defense), but they are better on the stat line because they only play one or two good QB's a year. They can stack the box and know the QB can't beat them with his arm. If they played in a conference that stressed balanced offenses with a good QB, the defensive stats would be much less. Just look at the scores in the playoffs and national championship games over the past decade. SEC defenses are not holding their opponents to 20 points or less, the offense is winning the games just as much as the defense.

Saban used to win with a game manager QB, the best RB in the country, and the best defense in the country. Then Clemson exposed them with an NFL caliber QB along with a solid defense. So Saban went out and got NFL caliber QB's and won some more championships. The game is won by QB's these days. Defense is hugely important, there is no denying that. But only the teams with great QB's won it all over the past 9 years.

---

The bolded statement was that the SEC defenses look good because they don't play good QBs, and the context of that statement was a comment thread around the 2019 LSU and 2020 Alabama football teams. In response to that statement, I provided the national QBR rankings for the top 30 QBs for those seasons and that data showed that the SEC had more QBs in the top 30 than the Big 12 (a lot more in 2020). The conclusion is that if the SEC had more high QBR QBs - particularly more than the Big 12 - that any arguments about SEC QBs not being good vs. Big 12 QBs for those seasons wouldn't hold water.

Are we now shifting away from QBs (since it wasn't accurate) and moving to offenses in general, and, if so, are you asserting that you believe that the Big 12 had better nationally ranked offenses than the SEC in 2019 and 2020?

It is an interesting debate about what it takes to win college football championships these days. The 2019 LSU team was one of the best college football teams I've ever seen… particularly on offense. I don't care how good the defense was that they faced, I don't think they were going to be stopped. The old adage that defenses win championships doesn't ring quite as true with some of these modern offenses. Many of them are becoming up-tempo, and it is embarrassing good defenses routinely by eliminating strategic substitutions, etc.

Saban decried uptempo offenses. I don't think he liked what it was doing to the game. He has now joined them knowing that it is a key to success in today's game.

Briles was a pioneer in creating up tempo offense and has contributed greatly to today's game.

2019 LSU snd 2015 BU offense are the greatest I've ever seen. Keep in mind I'm a lot younger than most on here so I can't speak on offenses prior to like late 90's. But the 2019 LSU team is exactly why I'm so adamant 15 BU would have won it all

Chuckroast said:

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It is an interesting debate about what it takes to win college football championships these days. The 2019 LSU team was one of the best college football teams I've ever seen… particularly on offense. I don't care how good the defense was that they faced, I don't think they were going to be stopped. The old adage that defenses win championships doesn't ring quite as true with some of these modern offenses. Many of them are becoming up-tempo, and it is embarrassing good defenses routinely by eliminating strategic substitutions, etc.

Saban decried uptempo offenses. I don't think he liked what it was doing to the game. He has now joined them knowing that it is a key to success in today's game.

Briles was a pioneer in creating up tempo offense and has contributed greatly to today's game.

---

Agreed that LSU's offense was amazing, but 2019 LSU flat out loses 3 regular season games (Texas, Auburn, and Alabama) with a weaker defense. Essentially, offense wins national titles as long as the defense is fundamentally elite. Case in point - there is a reason why Ohio State has only won one title in the CFP era and it's not its offense.

LSU gave up 38 to Tx and 41 to Bama… I'd say their elite offense won them those games

IowaBear said:

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LSU gave up 38 to Tx and 41 to Bama… I'd say their elite offense won them those games

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Do you believe that teams play games on only one side of the ball? I ask because LSU's defense held to TX to 38 and Bama to 41, and, if the LSU defense was weaker, LSU would have certainly lost those games (plus the Auburn one) - which is my point. There is a difference between 12-0 regular season and a 9-3 regular season.

I believe that it's naive to say their defense won them those games. LSU went undefeated because they had the ability to outscore any team they matched up with them. We're never going to agree on this, you basically think 15 BU was average at best and I think they would have won a Natty. Will agree to disagree

IowaBear said:

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I believe that it's naive to say their defense won them those games. LSU went undefeated because they had the ability to outscore any team they matched up with them. We're never going to agree on this, you basically think 15 BU was average at best and I think they would have won a Natty. Will agree to disagree

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Could Baylor have won the 2015 National Championship if Russell hadn't gotten hurt? Possibly, but doubtful. Clemson and Alabama were pretty salty that year.

You earlier talked about Baylor being head and shoulders above everyone else before Russell's injury. What are you basing that on?

To refresh my memory, I went back and reviewed that season. Baylor's non-conference schedule was not very good. A bad SMU team, Lamar and Rice. The Big 12 wasn't very potent that year as well. That meant that Baylor would have had to go undefeated to make the play-offs. Probably.

Russell played against the bottom of the Big 12 before getting hurt. Sure, the Bears tore up these teams. So did the Run and Shoot days of Houston under John Jenkins. The Cougars rolled over weak teams.

The top three teams in the Big 12 that year ended up to be Oklahoma, TCU and Oklahoma State. Could the Bears have beaten all three? Possibly. But, we don't have anything to really base that opinion on, other than a gut feeling.

OK, let's say that the Bears would have made it to the playoffs? Oklahoma got hammered by Clemson. Michigan State was destroyed by Alabama. Would the Bears fared better? I don't think so. At least in winning the two games needed against Clemson and Alabama.

We beat Okie St in Stillwater with Chris freaking Johnson playing QB… that was a top 10 OSU team btw… yes a healthy Russell and the Bears roll through the B12. They were ranked #2 in the land prior to his injury. So I'm not the only one who thought BU was loaded

IowaBear said:

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We beat Okie St in Stillwater with Chris freaking Johnson playing QB… that was a top 10 OSU team btw… yes a healthy Russell and the Bears roll through the B12. They were ranked #2 in the land prior to his injury. So I'm not the only one who thought BU was loaded

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But got embarrassed at home by OU with our 5-star 2nd stringer the game before.

Bear8084 said:

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IowaBear said:

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We beat Okie St in Stillwater with Chris freaking Johnson playing QB… that was a top 10 OSU team btw… yes a healthy Russell and the Bears roll through the B12. They were ranked #2 in the land prior to his injury. So I'm not the only one who thought BU was loaded

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But got embarrassed at home by OU with our 5-star 2nd stringer the game before.

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Didn't he basically break his ankle or get body slammed and never the same after the first series driving to score? I recall a 15 yard penalty in a Jim McMahon type body slam by ou

Fre3dombear said:

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Bear8084 said:

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IowaBear said:

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We beat Okie St in Stillwater with Chris freaking Johnson playing QB… that was a top 10 OSU team btw… yes a healthy Russell and the Bears roll through the B12. They were ranked #2 in the land prior to his injury. So I'm not the only one who thought BU was loaded

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But got embarrassed at home by OU with our 5-star 2nd stringer the game before.

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Didn't he basically break his ankle or get body slammed and never the same after the first series driving to score? I recall a 15 yard penalty in a Jim McMahon type body slam by ou

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Yes, true. But Clemson and/or Alabama defenses were going to be less aggressive or nicer? That game showed there were some weaknesses. OU walked in and took our lunch in our house.

IowaBear said:

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We beat Okie St in Stillwater with Chris freaking Johnson playing QB… that was a top 10 OSU team btw… yes a healthy Russell and the Bears roll through the B12. They were ranked #2 in the land prior to his injury. So I'm not the only one who thought BU was loaded

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Baylor was ranked #2 in the nation for 3 weeks, if I recall. It's the highest we have ever been ranked & it was fun to watch. But it was mostly against subpar teams. By the time we played ranked teams, Russell was out & our ranking had fallen. Still, Stidham had an amazing debut in Manhattan & played quite well against OU despite being practically body slammed by an OU defender early in the game. Our offense was outstanding & our defense played very well, in spurts. But we lost. Chris Johnson had a great second half in Stillwater & led us to victory, our first there in almost 80 years, building upon what the rest of the team had done in the first half. It was a very impressive game. Mason Rudolph was sacked so many times!! The TCU & Texas games were miserable experiences, the first mainly for the weather & the second largely because of the burnt orange officials, or so it seemed.

Fre3dombear said:

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Bear8084 said:

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IowaBear said:

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We beat Okie St in Stillwater with Chris freaking Johnson playing QB… that was a top 10 OSU team btw… yes a healthy Russell and the Bears roll through the B12. They were ranked #2 in the land prior to his injury. So I'm not the only one who thought BU was loaded

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But got embarrassed at home by OU with our 5-star 2nd stringer the game before.

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Didn't he basically break his ankle or get body slammed and never the same after the first series driving to score? I recall a 15 yard penalty in a Jim McMahon type body slam by ou

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