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Baylor Football

Game Day Thread: #7 Baylor (11-2) vs. #5 Georgia (11-2)

December 31, 2019
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The Baylor Bears (11-2) will face off with the Georgia Bulldogs (11-2) in the 2019 Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Superdome in New Orleans on Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 7:45 p.m. CT. 


Baylor vs. Oklahoma Articles

Title Author
S11 Baylor vs. Georgia Stats Preview Sam Bradshaw
Attacking Georgia’s defense JJ Joe
Charlie Brewer cleared to play in Sugar Bowl Colt Barber
How Baylor can slow Georgia’s offense Sam Bradshaw
Sugar Bowl Game Video Preview Grayson Grundhoefer
Baylor’s job at keeping Matt Rhule in Waco Colt Barber
Dissecting Georgia’s defense Sam Bradshaw
Baylor wins if... JJ Joe
Georgia’s Advanced Analytics: Offense Colt Barber
Vegas line movement for Baylor vs. Georgia Colt Barber

DEPTH CHART | SCHEDULE | BIG 12 STANDINGS | COACHING STAFF


Matt Rhule Quote of the Week...

“I think when you start placing certain value on games than -- a lot of times that comes from us; it doesn't come from the kids. It comes from us as coaches. We were motivated to play against Stephen F. Austin. We were motivated in the last game of the year to play against Kansas. We were motivated in the Big 12 championship game. And at the end of the day, if our players aren't motivated to play in this game, what does it say about our program? What does it say about me? What does it say about them? We want to turn out tough, hard-working, competitive guys. And I'll say this about our players. If I went out there today and said, "Hey, we have to run ten wind sprints," there would be some grumbling. They're back there laughing at me again. But if I said I think, I think Kalon [Barnes] is faster than [Josh] Fleeks, our guys would line up and they would run against each other all day. We have competitive players. We're going to go out there and we're going right from here to practice. There's no going to the hotel. We're going right to practice. We're getting off the bus. We're putting full pads on and we're putting the ball down. We're saying one zone, one compete. That's just kind of who we are. We're a blue-collar, tough, competitive team. Our team will be beyond motivated. And we have to be because this is such a great team we're facing. I'm motivated. I have never really met Coach [Kirby] Smart, but I certainly respect him. So a chance to go against him as a head coach, I have to be at my best. And so I think our guys are highly, highly motivated.”


Baylor Key Players

Quarterback #12 Charlie Brewer – Brewer is cleared, the answer everyone was looking for after the Big 12 Championship Game. The Bears signal caller went through concussion protocol and was able to pass a week ago. The rest has been great for Brewer and he is the healthiest he could possibly be at this point in the season. On the season he is completing 65% of his passes for 2,950 yards and 20 touchdowns to go along with 337 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He comes into this Sugar Bowl matchup ready to face the best defense this team has seen over the course of the season. A win in this game would probably be a top five win in Baylor football history and his legacy would gain even more ground on the top quarterbacks in school history.

Wide receiver #5 Denzel Mims – The senior wide receiver still has a bad taste in his mouth after the Big 12 Championship game in which he had zero catches. There is no way that he will want to go out with two straight poor performances so there will most likely be a steady amount of targets going his way. The more the season has progressed the more it has been apparent that Mims is really a major part if not the most important part of the engine that moves the offense. This is a big game for him as he matches up against two NFL level type cornerbacks so there is a chance to improve his draft stock. On the year he has 61 receptions for 945 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Defensive end #93 James Lynch – NFL draft questions abound for Coach Rhule but also for the best player on this football team which is James Lynch. The unanimous All American has been a steady force on this defense for the past three seasons but this year  he has become even more impactful. As the leader in sacks in the Big 12 he will have to play a major role in this football game since Georgia has only given up 12 sacks this season. But with three starters on the offensive line out for Georgia including a top 5 pick, there will be plenty of opportunities for Lynch to be a major problem for the Bulldogs. There is a major opportunity for Lynch to raise his draft stock even more before making his decision.

Defensive tackle #99 Bravvion Roy – Another star defensive lineman who has taken his game to another level this season. Roy has been a staple along the defensive front this season as he had completely plugged up running lanes while also getting after the quarterback in the new three-man front. Roy should be dominate against a banged up Georgia front and he can prove to NFL scouts what he could do at the next level. I have not seen a player take a bigger jump in a single season than Roy has this year, it has been remarkable.

Safety #3 Chris Miller – One of the stud safeties for the Bears defense will play a big role in his last game as a Baylor player. This Georgia team is going to try to run the ball downhill at Baylor all night well Miller can play a big role in putting a stop to that. Miller is ferocious tackler but outside of the targeting penalties he has played much more consistently under control. Look for him to rack up double digit tackles in his last games of his Baylor career.


Georgia Key Players

Quarterback #11 Jake Fromm – The Bulldogs quarterback has had a mediocre season compared to the expectations. Largely because the receivers have been mediocre but he also has not been sharp at times. On the year he has completed 60% of his passes for 2,610 yards and 22 touchdowns with only five interceptions. He has only been sacked 12 times so time has not been an issue for him but if Baylor can get after him they could make his efficient drop even more this would require stopping the run and forcing Fromm into obvious passing situations. If he plays well Baylor will be in some trouble.

Wide receiver #1 George Pickens – The true freshman has become the lead receiver for this Georgia team ever since Lawrence Cager went down due to injury. Cager is the star of this receiving core but has not been healthy so Pickens is the guy. He is a big body who can flat out run and jump so in the red zone he is a nightmare.

Running back #7 D’Andre Swift – Will he play or not? the star running back will be a hot name on NFL draft boards and has carried this offense at times. On the year he has 195 carries for 1,216 yards and seven touchdowns. He is the difference maker for the offense and an elite every down running back who can wear down a defense or run away from it. Baylor will need to do a better job this year than they did on Vanderbilt’s Keshawn Vaughn in the Texas Bowl.

Discussion from...

Game Day Thread: #7 Baylor (11-2) vs. #5 Georgia (11-2)

144,179 Views | 910 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by CHP Bear
CorsicanaBear
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Charley still does not look right and the Offensive Staff are not helping him with play calls.
Illigitimus non carborundum
NeuroticBear
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Branch155 said:

Doc Holliday said:

Whatever team is playing tonight, they're undisciplined and they don't seem to care at all.

They will lose and they should feel bad about it.
I'm not seeing lack of caring. I'm seeing overmatched personnel, and little being done to alter the scheme
This is accurate. I've been worried about the size and physicality mismatches since Georgia was announced as our opponent.

Our o-line has struggled many times this year.
boognish_bear
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robinsonbear said:

GABear78 said:

I made no explanation as to why we are sucking. We are sucking!! We are not ready for this level of football. Big 12 hasn't won a bowl game. We are good in a weak conference. Why do you expect us to play as if we are something more. Be realistic


Back at about the mid point of the season there was an article that asked if Minnesota and us were "for real" or beneficiaries of scheduling. A ton of people on this site were all offended the writer could even ask that question. Seems to me after the two OU games and this first half that question is still valid. As in "is Baylor for real and ready to play the top teams in the country?"


The OU games tricked me. We were so competitive with OU I thought that meant we were ready to hang with the big dogs....then we found out OU wasn't a big dog either. We didn't have the right measuring stick.
robinsonbear
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OsoVerde said:

Some of our issues are that Georgia has better players at most positions than us. This game was decided in recruiting.


If that were true then how do teams beat others all the time that had higher recruiting class rankings????

Coaching, growth, play calling, etc.
ImwithBU
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boognish_bear said:

Doc Holliday said:

Whatever team is playing tonight, they're undisciplined and they don't seem to care at all.

They will lose and they should feel bad about it.


This has been disappointing....but I wouldn't say our players don't care. That's just not true.


Of course they care. They are just getting their **** kicked in
Timbear
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Anyone who thinks Charlie is clear headed is not watching the same game. What is Rhule watching?
Jack Bauer
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If you blitz us, we are going to
1) throw an incompletion
2) get sacked or
3) get a holding penalty
BareBear
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Brewer's 3 step drop and having the pocket immediately collapse doesn't seem conducive to moving the ball. Can he not roll out or throw a screen pass to keep the pass rush honest?
Aliceinbubbleland
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If Rhule can duplicate this season in 2020 he will be a genius. Facing a much more difficult away game schedule and short on recruiting. There is a LOT riding on the how well we perform in the second half.
DanaDane
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OsoVerde said:

Some of our issues are that Georgia has better players at most positions than us. This game was decided in recruiting.
Thank you. Every time I see one of those "stars don't matter in recruiting" threads, I just look at the Final 4 every year and see no teams full of two and three stars who have been "coached up." If you want to play at that level you gotta have starters and then reinforcements who are equally as good. Sure, coaching ALWAYS matters, or UT and its top 10 recruiting classes would be in the CFP. But you gotta have a lot of talented horses too!
BearFan33
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hard half to watch

At least out punter is having a good game
wuzzybear
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Oldbear83 said:

CTbruin said:

wuzzybear said:

rudylaw said:

UGA did something crazy and revolutionary... They didn't wait until halftime to adjust. Insane I know.
This. Plus, Brewer cannot even throw on target when he DOES have time. This is pretty pathetic and not what I expected at all. No answer for Pickens and Fromm is on target. His passes are crisp, sharp and on the money,. I am relatively shocked at how well they have run the ball. And, we really look lackluster and unfocused. They would never admit it, but UGA looks like the more aggressive team...sad to say!



Throw rocks at Brewer if you want, but no receivers are open.
That's because the routes chosen are all short of the LTG and therefore allow almost every defender a way to cover.

We have to attack deep a lot more often to force GA to spread out more. Right now they effectively double cover everyone because we play more conservative than a freaking wing formation.
I don't know what we are even trying to do or set up. Usually you can tell what you are trying to do to a defense, but I just do not see it. The D has let us down a couple times as well. I expect a totally different team after halftime. Hope they do not disappoint me but I do not think we can score 3 TD's. I don't see it just from a purely schematic view. And big time players have to make big time plays. Who will that be? I just do not know.
BareBear
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BearFan33 said:

hard half to watch

At least out punter is having a good game
I hope he is putting some ice on his leg during halftime. It's bound to be sore by now.
Jorkel
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robinsonbear said:

OsoVerde said:

Some of our issues are that Georgia has better players at most positions than us. This game was decided in recruiting.


If that were true then how do teams beat others all the time that had higher recruiting class rankings????

Coaching, growth, play calling, etc.


All the time? I bet teams that average top 10 recruiting classes will win more than not.
Pecos 45
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Best we can hope for is to "win the second half."
Need some pride to come out.
May not win the game, but at least stop the beat down.
Then again, Georgia may want to pour it on and prove that they are better than they've been given credit.

Could be an ugly second half, but I'm remaining hopeful.
“If you have a job without aggravations, you don’t have a job.”
Malcolm Forbes
57Bear
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Pecos 45 said:

If there are any adjustments to be made at halftime, I hope they are taking place as I type this.
Hopefully the officials will review the missed PI at halftime and feel a little bad about it. Or maybe they didn't miss it, maybe they just didn't call it.
Ursinine
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BearFan33 said:

hard half to watch

At least out punter is having a good game


Now here's the kind of BU football I remember from my college days.
wuzzybear
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It has been a great year. Never expected a Sugar Bowl bid. I know, game is not over but am hugely disappointed in everything...scheme, play calling, O Line, secondary, etc. Big 12 turning out to be this years goats. We'll see what the 2nd half has in mind, but if nothing changes we know the outcome.
CorsicanaBear
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I thought it would be a late night but it looks like I'll be turning in right on time.
Illigitimus non carborundum
Aliceinbubbleland
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I read the LSU staff believed OU to be no better then a 15th best team in the rankings prior to their game. I think they can judge competition better then pollsters.
BareBear
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I hope Rhule is on the phone with Lincoln Riley right now asking him how to make adjustments.
ImwithBU
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Aliceinbubbleland said:

If Rhule can duplicate this season in 2020 he will be a genius. Facing a much more difficult away game schedule and short on recruiting. There is a LOT riding on the how well we perform in the second half.


I said this previously 2020 will be the real story. This team has a lot of seniors on defense
Pecos 45
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DanaDane said:

OsoVerde said:

Some of our issues are that Georgia has better players at most positions than us. This game was decided in recruiting.
Thank you. Every time I see one of those "stars don't matter in recruiting" threads, I just look at the Final 4 every year and see no teams full of two and three stars who have been "coached up." If you want to play at that level you gotta have starters and then reinforcements whoare equally as good. Sure, coaching ALWAYS matters, or UT and it's top 10 recruiting classes would be in the CFP. But you gotta have a lot of talented horses too!
You can't coach a guy who runs a 4.6 forty to run it in 4.2.
Talent always wins out.
“If you have a job without aggravations, you don’t have a job.”
Malcolm Forbes
wuzzybear
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Pecos 45 said:

Best we can hope for is to "win the second half."
Need some pride to come out.
May not win the game, but at least stop the beat down.
Then again, Georgia may want to pour it on and prove that they are better than they've been given credit.

Could be an ugly second half, but I'm remaining hopeful.
Truer words never spoken.
boognish_bear
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Jack Bauer said:

boognish_bear said:

Branch155 said:

Jack Bauer said:

Announcers spending 95% of coverage praising UGA because not much positive to say about Baylor.
They look bored with the game. As am I


Yep....been so looking forward to the Sugar Bowl....and to not even have a moment to cheer the whole damn half...sucks


Boring is the perfect word for this.



With the late start and boring nature most of football watching America has probably changed the channel or gone to bed
Aliceinbubbleland
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boognish_bear said:

Jack Bauer said:

boognish_bear said:

Branch155 said:

Jack Bauer said:

Announcers spending 95% of coverage praising UGA because not much positive to say about Baylor.
They look bored with the game. As am I


Yep....been so looking forward to the Sugar Bowl....and to not even have a moment to cheer the whole damn half...sucks


Boring is the perfect word for this.



With the late start and boring nature most of football watching America has probably changed the channel or gone to bed
They're gonna be shocked when they win we won in the morning
Branch155
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DanaDane said:

OsoVerde said:

Some of our issues are that Georgia has better players at most positions than us. This game was decided in recruiting.
Thank you. Every time I see one of those "stars don't matter in recruiting" threads, I just look at the Final 4 every year and see no teams full of two and three stars who have been "coached up." If you want to play at that level you gotta have starters and then reinforcements whoare equally as good. Sure, coaching ALWAYS matters, or UT and it's top 10 recruiting classes would be in the CFP. But you gotta have a lot of talented horses too!
Truth. Georgia's recruiting classes in 17, 18 and 19 ranked 3rd, 1st and 2nd. Ours was 40th, 29th and 35th. It matters.

Also, UGA beat Florida, ND and Auburn this year. Their only non-LSU loss was a total fluke. Not exactly chopped liver.
possible12
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I think this is what is literally meant by the expression "not in the same league"
Ursinine
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Aliceinbubbleland said:

boognish_bear said:

Jack Bauer said:

boognish_bear said:

Branch155 said:

Jack Bauer said:

Announcers spending 95% of coverage praising UGA because not much positive to say about Baylor.
They look bored with the game. As am I


Yep....been so looking forward to the Sugar Bowl....and to not even have a moment to cheer the whole damn half...sucks


Boring is the perfect word for this.



With the late start and boring nature most of football watching America has probably changed the channel or gone to bed
They're gonna be shocked when they win we won in the morning


I'm gonna be shocked when I see that
Stranger
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Aliceinbubbleland said:

PartyBear said:

GruntTuff said:

Time for Rhule to put up or shut up. If he wants to recruit 4 and 5 star players to Baylor, those guys need to know they will play for him, or they will play for a historically powerful team. Baylor is NOT that.

He needs to say, NO, I am going to be your coach as long as you are here. Not, "this going to happen every year". In essence, you have no idea who your coach will be.

He's a wonderful coach. If he wants to coach in the NFL, good for him. Go for it, dog.

I will pat him on the back, and say thanks.

All you young Baylor fans, get over it. We are not a
historically great program.

If you're wondering why we are 10th of 10 recruiting in tbe Big 12, it's simple. Other schools tell recruits you WiLL NOT play for Matt Rhule. He will be an NFL coach. Come here and play for ME. I will be here.

Tell me how I am wrong.



Agree he either needs to commit to Baylor or take whatever offer he can get in the next week.
I honestly do not think the quality of play has anything to do with Rhule dangling supposedly but unconfirmed rumors of NFL targets. I think it has to do with a lack of SEC quality players on our roster.

Rhule has been a distraction to his players and his coaching staff. He owes Baylor a refund and Baylorfans an apology.
Pecos 45
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Worse thing about watching this game is I am laying off the booze tonight.
Got a bit too hammered the last two evenings, but this game is making me "review my situation."
“If you have a job without aggravations, you don’t have a job.”
Malcolm Forbes
Ursinine
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Announcers: Baylor is going to need play better on offense, and also play better on defense, in the second half, if they are to win the game.
Yeek
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Brewer not running is definitely a problem. His mobility is his greatest asset. Whether it's his choice or he's been told not to it's what's hurting our offense. He's at his best when running forward. But if he can't or won't I don't blame him. His health is still the most important thing. If that's the case then give Zeno or Bo a shot.
James Cotten
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Ummmm... Texas won. And to be honest, they looked much better defensively without the coordinator.
Aliceinbubbleland
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Ursinine said:

Aliceinbubbleland said:

boognish_bear said:

Jack Bauer said:

boognish_bear said:

Branch155 said:

Jack Bauer said:

Announcers spending 95% of coverage praising UGA because not much positive to say about Baylor.
They look bored with the game. As am I


Yep....been so looking forward to the Sugar Bowl....and to not even have a moment to cheer the whole damn half...sucks


Boring is the perfect word for this.



With the late start and boring nature most of football watching America has probably changed the channel or gone to bed
They're gonna be shocked when they win we won in the morning


I'm gonna be shocked when I see that
Well, I'm changing channels and I hope I'm shocked when I roll over at 3am and check the ESPN scoreboard
 
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