#4 BAYLOR at SMU
About the Mustangs
Record: (0-0/0-0 AAC)
Last meeting: Baylor 45-0 in Waco (McLane Stadium), 2014
Series Record: Baylor leads 37-36-7
National Ranking: None/None (AP/coaches)
Head Coach: Chad Morris
Record at SMU: 0-0 (1st season)
Total Record: 0-0 (1st season)
The Game
When: Sept. 4, 2015, 6:00 pm CT
Where: University Park, Texas
Venue: Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000 capacity)
TV: ESPN
Radio: ESPN Central Texas | Sirius 84 | XM 84
Vegas Line: Baylor by 36.5
Quotable
""We're extremely confident. He didn't do anything to disprove what anyone thinks of him. But he's got really good people around him and good defensive team. He doesn't have to drive the car. He just has to sit in the back seat and relax."
- Baylor Head Coach Art Briles on new starting QB Seth Russell
"You always have concerns. The thing we have to be is a clean football team. The penalties have been bothersome over the years...We have to be cleaner in that area. We to be a little more dominant in the areas where we have a chance…our offensive line and defensive line. We have four back on the offensive line and all four are back on the defensive line."
- Art Briles on concerns going into the season
The preseason hype is over. The pursuit begins.
Expectations for Baylor football 2015 have never been higher. And that's saying something given what has happened in the last two years. The Bears are coming off consecutive Big 12 championships. The only negative is not finishing in January because of bowl game losses.
However, that's history. Baylor can't do anything about that now. It's time to play. The Bears are returning 17 starters (8 offense, 9 defense) for a program that's won 22 of its last 26 games. Baylor boasted the nation's most prolific offense in terms of yards per game and points in 2014.
There is also hope for a defense that made significant strides in 2014 and returns a front four - defensive end Jamal Palmer, defensive tackle Beau Blackshear, nose tackle Andrew Billings and defensive end Shawn Oakman (suspended for the first game) - that could be considered among the best in college football. Time will tell how this unit develops.
But there are storylines to accompany this season. First, the Bears have a new starting quarterback in junior Seth Russell. He served as Bryce Petty's understudy for the last two years. Now, the offense is his. He has plenty of choices between wide receivers Corey Coleman and KD Cannon. The running game starts with Shock Linwood but there other compliments in Johnny Jefferson and Devin Chafin. Terrance Williams sheds his redshirt and should also figure into the mix.
New offensive coordinator Kendal Briles spent all offseason looking over his personnel and trying to determine what this group can do and what this group should avoid. He's also trying to find his personality that will define what Bear offenses will look like under his direction.
Yet Baylor wasn't without its distraction. Two weeks before this opener, one-time defensive end Sam Ukwuachu was convicted of second degree sexual assault of a former Baylor soccer player in an incident that occurred in October, 2013. The tidal wave of press has subsided. While an investigation continues, the program appears to have moved on.
Baylor plays in Dallas for the first time since 2005. This is the 81st all-time meeting between the two former Southwest Conference foes.
SMU welcomes new head coach Chad Morris who spent the last six seasons at Clemson as the offensive coordinator. He brings an up-tempo style but is also trying to change the fortunes for a program that has produced only five winning seasons since its return from the death penalty in 1989.
And so below, SicEmSports breaks down this game in greater detail, from the statistics to the players to the positional matchups that will help decide this meeting.
Four SMU players to watchQB Matt Davis (6-0, 212, Jr., #4) -- When Chad Morris arrived on Dec. 1, 2014, the question was what was Davis going to look like. All the reports from the spring and fall camp suggest that Davis has picked up the up-tempo attack. He is a dual threat quarterback who can make plays with his feet. He's not the most accurate passer. But Morris appears to be pleased with his leadership.
TE Jeremiah Gaines (6-2, 250, Jr., #23) -- Gaines was moved to tight end because Morris needed a physical player on the edge. Gaines has pretty good hands but he's probably going to be used primarily as a blocker because of the intense Baylor pass rush is expected to bring. He is capable of making a big play as he caught a 67-yard touchdown pass against Houston last year.
DT Zach Wood (6-3, 282, Sr., #90) -- Although SMU's defense was short in a lot of areas, Wood turned in a respectable season. He was the Mustangs most consistent pass rusher. He led that unit with four sacks and six other tackles for loss. Wood will line up next to nose tackle Mason Gentry and should expect some occasion double teams from Baylor.
NB Shakiel Randolph (6-4, 216, Sr., #28) -- Hard to believe but the Waco Midway product is playing his final season. In what Baylor calls its "Bear" (the NB that Travon Blanchard plays), Randolph is in SMU's version of that position. It's called the Star. Randolph has moved around from linebacker to strong safety in past years. Injuries limited his 2014 season to nine games but he still led the Mustangs with eight pass breakups and nine passes defended.
Three important stats11 -- consecutive wins by Baylor over SMU in this series that dates back to the 1980s. When Baylor won last year's meeting, 45-0, it gave Baylor the series lead for the first time since 1924.
1,533 -- the number of yards Baylor junior running back Shock Linwood needs to pass Walter Abercrombie and become the program's all-time leading rusher. In a 12-game season, Linwood would need to average nearly 128 yards per game to do it.
45-6 -- Baylor's record when leading at halftime. Of course, a lot of that has occurred since 2010. But the Bears have been in control of most of their games and found a way to finish them when they take the lead into the dressing room. Everything suggests they should have the lead at the half on Friday.
The suspensions -- Late Thursday, Baylor suspended defensive end Shawn Oakman and safety Orion Stewart for the 2015 season opener at SMU for a violation of team rules. The suspensions are for one game. Both players are expected back for the home opener on Sept. 12 against Lamar. Should Baylor follow its depth chart, junior Brian Nance would move into Oakman's position. However, K.J. Smith does have experience and could be another candidate. Taion Sells would move into to Stewart's spot.
Notable matchupBaylor DL vs. SMU OL -- With the loss of Oakman, it definitely changes how the Bears will attack SMU. Nance did have a pretty productive spring and worked his way up Oakman's understudy. He didn't do anything in the fall camp to disappoint. Still, SMU's offensive line has a lot of work in front of it because everything starts with how it wants to handle nose tackle Andrew Billings. Expect SMU to keep a running back or tight end in tight to help with the protection.
One key to winningKeep everything steady: Baylor may have some wrinkles to show in the opener just to demonstrate that it can score from all areas. But by and large this team probably doesn't have to do too much in order to get out of SMU with a win. There just can't be a rash of penalties like there has been over the last couple of years. There also can't be mindless turnovers.
SicEmSports.com's Prediction
KEVIN LONNQUIST, publisher: Just when you thought things had quieted down with this team, the news breaks late that both Oakman and Stewart are sitting for the opener. What's becoming a bit disconcerting is that these little things continue to surface. You have the Sam Ukwuachu mess and then these suspensions. This has to stop. If this was Oklahoma, then you would be really concerned. But this is SMU and the Mustangs still don't have the personnel to match Baylor. I do think SMU will play hard for Chad Morris. But in the end, Baylor's offense will use its speed to consistently run past the Mustangs. Baylor 58, SMU 14
Big 12 Weekend
No. 2 TCU (1-0) 23, Minnesota 17: At TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, quarterback Trevone Boykin threw for 246 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a second touchdown as the Horned Frogs held off the Golden Gophers furious rally. The Horned Frogs struggled at times on offense but were able to be consistent enough on defense. Minnesota cost itself on two lost fumbles. One set up TCU's first touchdown. The second came inside the TCU 2-yard-line and was recovered by TCU for a touchback.
Oklahoma State (1-0) 24, Central Michigan 13: Sophomore QB Mason Rudolph threw for 266 yards and a touchdown to rally the Cowboys past the Chippewas in Mount Pleasant, MI. The Cowboys were only the 5th P5 team to play at CMU in the last 20 years.
South Dakota State at Kansas, 11:00 am Saturday, Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, KS (FSN): David Beaty makes his debut as the Jayhawks new head coach. This is one of the few opportunities for the Jayhawks to pick up a victory. Junior Montell Cozart is the starting QB. KU has won its last three season openers.
Sam Houston State at Texas Tech, 2:30 pm Saturday, AT&T Jones Stadium, Lubbock (FSN): This could be a make or break season for Red Raiders coach Kliff Kingsbury. The Red Raiders also welcome new defensive coordinator David Gibson. Tech's new QB will be unveiled at the first series.
South Dakota at Kansas State, 6:00 pm Saturday, Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS.: Sophomore Jesse Ertz was named the starting quarterback. But there is the possibility that the Wildcats will play three QBs in this opener so they can become familiar with game conditions.
Akron at No. 19 Oklahoma, 6:00 pm Saturday, Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK: A new offense under new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley is unveiled. There is some excitement in what JUCO WR transfer DeDe Westbrook can bring to this offense. The running game seems to have a two-headed attack between Joe Mix and Semaje Perine.
Texas at No. 11 Notre Dame, 6:30 pm Saturday, Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend IN: The Longhorns are in year two under Charlie Strong but already have nine true freshmen listed on their depth chart. Tyrone Swoopes remains as the starting quarterback. The Irish, who lead this series, 8-2, are now being run by dual-threat Malik Zaire.
Georgia Southern at West Virginia, 6:30 p.m. Saturday Milan-Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, WVA: This is the first meeting between the two programs. West Virginia is hoping some improvements with its defense will start to appear.
Northern Iowa at Iowa State, 7:00 p.m. Saturday, Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, IA: It's a good time for the Cyclones to reverse this streak. They have dropped their last two season openers to FCS teams. Sam B. Richardson remains the starting quarterback for this team
Night class
The high school schedule maker did Spring DT Bravvion Roy a favor this week. Spring played on Thursday night against Aldine Nimitz and breezed to a 63-0 victory.
But when he watches Baylor's Andrew Billings Friday against SMU, school is in session. Roy is in class. Since he committed to the Bears in mid-June, it has long been thought that Roy would be Billings' successor. If it isn't in 2016, it could be in 2017.
So there are elements to Billings game that could be of use when Roy makes the transition. Roy has said that Baylor coaches have told him that if Billings were to declare for the NFL draft, he would need to get ready for the 2016 season.
"Every move he makes I want to watch,'' Roy said. "I'm paying attention to everything he will be doing. I'm just going to watch and learn.''
Billings and Roy haven't spoken with each other at any point. Yet they share one thing in common: their strength. Roy's max in the bench is 365 pounds, max in the squat 490 and max in the power clean is 325.
"I want to watch his stance and how he comes off the ball,'' Roy said. "I want to see how many different ways he can get the offensive line off him and run sideline to sideline. I'm working on that. I'm faster and stronger. I feel like I come off the ball harder.''
-Kevin Lonnquist
Agim's decision
Hope (AR) defensive end McTelvin Agim is scheduled to make his commitment decision at a family reunion on Saturday afternoon. The finalists are Arkansas, Baylor, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
And that's probably in that order. Based on the information we're hearing, it would appear that Agim is probably going to stay in state and commit to the Razorbacks.
Now, anything can happen over these remaining hours and Agim could announce for Baylor. Yet it would take something pretty dramatic for that decision to change. Baylor was making its final run over the last couple of weeks when Agim visited.
We'll just have to wait and see what develops Saturday.
-SicEmSports
Emptying the Notebook
>Caldwell 2017 athlete Devon Norris started his initial discussions with Baylor this week. He talked with Baylor assistant coach Carlton Buckels and said that he's looking to attend the Oct. 17 game against West Virginia. Baylor has not offered. Although he's listed as a wide receiver, Norris said Baylor views him as a cornerback.
>Bremond 2017 athlete Rashauud Paul de-committed from TCU earlier this week. But he said he has not spoken with the Baylor coaches to this point. Time will tell what he will do about his future.
>At this point, it appears Baylor has moved on from its recruitment of San Antonio Jay athlete Moses Reynolds. This recruitment has been a bit odd because Reynolds doesn't appear to have made too many trips to visit any schools. A source said there really hasn't been much contact between Baylor and Moses.
>If 2017 PF Tristan Clark visits Baylor this weekend to see Scott Drew and the men's basketball program that would be a big lift. The program has been trying to get him on campus for the last month.
>Baylor 2016 commit Mark Vital is planning to attend John Lucas' 40/40 Combine Saturday and Sunday in Houston. That event should also feature other Baylor targets including 2017 forward Jarred Vanderbilt from Houston Victory Prep. Vanderbilt is rated No. 8 in the Rivals150.
-SicEmSports
Record: (0-0/0-0 AAC)
Last meeting: Baylor 45-0 in Waco (McLane Stadium), 2014
Series Record: Baylor leads 37-36-7
National Ranking: None/None (AP/coaches)
Head Coach: Chad Morris
Record at SMU: 0-0 (1st season)
Total Record: 0-0 (1st season)
When: Sept. 4, 2015, 6:00 pm CT
Where: University Park, Texas
Venue: Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000 capacity)
TV: ESPN
Radio: ESPN Central Texas | Sirius 84 | XM 84
Vegas Line: Baylor by 36.5
""We're extremely confident. He didn't do anything to disprove what anyone thinks of him. But he's got really good people around him and good defensive team. He doesn't have to drive the car. He just has to sit in the back seat and relax."
- Baylor Head Coach Art Briles on new starting QB Seth Russell
"You always have concerns. The thing we have to be is a clean football team. The penalties have been bothersome over the years...We have to be cleaner in that area. We to be a little more dominant in the areas where we have a chance…our offensive line and defensive line. We have four back on the offensive line and all four are back on the defensive line."
- Art Briles on concerns going into the season
The preseason hype is over. The pursuit begins.
Expectations for Baylor football 2015 have never been higher. And that's saying something given what has happened in the last two years. The Bears are coming off consecutive Big 12 championships. The only negative is not finishing in January because of bowl game losses.
However, that's history. Baylor can't do anything about that now. It's time to play. The Bears are returning 17 starters (8 offense, 9 defense) for a program that's won 22 of its last 26 games. Baylor boasted the nation's most prolific offense in terms of yards per game and points in 2014.
There is also hope for a defense that made significant strides in 2014 and returns a front four - defensive end Jamal Palmer, defensive tackle Beau Blackshear, nose tackle Andrew Billings and defensive end Shawn Oakman (suspended for the first game) - that could be considered among the best in college football. Time will tell how this unit develops.
But there are storylines to accompany this season. First, the Bears have a new starting quarterback in junior Seth Russell. He served as Bryce Petty's understudy for the last two years. Now, the offense is his. He has plenty of choices between wide receivers Corey Coleman and KD Cannon. The running game starts with Shock Linwood but there other compliments in Johnny Jefferson and Devin Chafin. Terrance Williams sheds his redshirt and should also figure into the mix.
New offensive coordinator Kendal Briles spent all offseason looking over his personnel and trying to determine what this group can do and what this group should avoid. He's also trying to find his personality that will define what Bear offenses will look like under his direction.
Yet Baylor wasn't without its distraction. Two weeks before this opener, one-time defensive end Sam Ukwuachu was convicted of second degree sexual assault of a former Baylor soccer player in an incident that occurred in October, 2013. The tidal wave of press has subsided. While an investigation continues, the program appears to have moved on.
Baylor plays in Dallas for the first time since 2005. This is the 81st all-time meeting between the two former Southwest Conference foes.
SMU welcomes new head coach Chad Morris who spent the last six seasons at Clemson as the offensive coordinator. He brings an up-tempo style but is also trying to change the fortunes for a program that has produced only five winning seasons since its return from the death penalty in 1989.
And so below, SicEmSports breaks down this game in greater detail, from the statistics to the players to the positional matchups that will help decide this meeting.
Four SMU players to watchQB Matt Davis (6-0, 212, Jr., #4) -- When Chad Morris arrived on Dec. 1, 2014, the question was what was Davis going to look like. All the reports from the spring and fall camp suggest that Davis has picked up the up-tempo attack. He is a dual threat quarterback who can make plays with his feet. He's not the most accurate passer. But Morris appears to be pleased with his leadership.
TE Jeremiah Gaines (6-2, 250, Jr., #23) -- Gaines was moved to tight end because Morris needed a physical player on the edge. Gaines has pretty good hands but he's probably going to be used primarily as a blocker because of the intense Baylor pass rush is expected to bring. He is capable of making a big play as he caught a 67-yard touchdown pass against Houston last year.
DT Zach Wood (6-3, 282, Sr., #90) -- Although SMU's defense was short in a lot of areas, Wood turned in a respectable season. He was the Mustangs most consistent pass rusher. He led that unit with four sacks and six other tackles for loss. Wood will line up next to nose tackle Mason Gentry and should expect some occasion double teams from Baylor.
NB Shakiel Randolph (6-4, 216, Sr., #28) -- Hard to believe but the Waco Midway product is playing his final season. In what Baylor calls its "Bear" (the NB that Travon Blanchard plays), Randolph is in SMU's version of that position. It's called the Star. Randolph has moved around from linebacker to strong safety in past years. Injuries limited his 2014 season to nine games but he still led the Mustangs with eight pass breakups and nine passes defended.
Three important stats11 -- consecutive wins by Baylor over SMU in this series that dates back to the 1980s. When Baylor won last year's meeting, 45-0, it gave Baylor the series lead for the first time since 1924.
1,533 -- the number of yards Baylor junior running back Shock Linwood needs to pass Walter Abercrombie and become the program's all-time leading rusher. In a 12-game season, Linwood would need to average nearly 128 yards per game to do it.
45-6 -- Baylor's record when leading at halftime. Of course, a lot of that has occurred since 2010. But the Bears have been in control of most of their games and found a way to finish them when they take the lead into the dressing room. Everything suggests they should have the lead at the half on Friday.
The suspensions -- Late Thursday, Baylor suspended defensive end Shawn Oakman and safety Orion Stewart for the 2015 season opener at SMU for a violation of team rules. The suspensions are for one game. Both players are expected back for the home opener on Sept. 12 against Lamar. Should Baylor follow its depth chart, junior Brian Nance would move into Oakman's position. However, K.J. Smith does have experience and could be another candidate. Taion Sells would move into to Stewart's spot.
Notable matchupBaylor DL vs. SMU OL -- With the loss of Oakman, it definitely changes how the Bears will attack SMU. Nance did have a pretty productive spring and worked his way up Oakman's understudy. He didn't do anything in the fall camp to disappoint. Still, SMU's offensive line has a lot of work in front of it because everything starts with how it wants to handle nose tackle Andrew Billings. Expect SMU to keep a running back or tight end in tight to help with the protection.
One key to winningKeep everything steady: Baylor may have some wrinkles to show in the opener just to demonstrate that it can score from all areas. But by and large this team probably doesn't have to do too much in order to get out of SMU with a win. There just can't be a rash of penalties like there has been over the last couple of years. There also can't be mindless turnovers.
SicEmSports.com's Prediction
Big 12 Weekend
No. 2 TCU (1-0) 23, Minnesota 17: At TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, quarterback Trevone Boykin threw for 246 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a second touchdown as the Horned Frogs held off the Golden Gophers furious rally. The Horned Frogs struggled at times on offense but were able to be consistent enough on defense. Minnesota cost itself on two lost fumbles. One set up TCU's first touchdown. The second came inside the TCU 2-yard-line and was recovered by TCU for a touchback.
Oklahoma State (1-0) 24, Central Michigan 13: Sophomore QB Mason Rudolph threw for 266 yards and a touchdown to rally the Cowboys past the Chippewas in Mount Pleasant, MI. The Cowboys were only the 5th P5 team to play at CMU in the last 20 years.
South Dakota State at Kansas, 11:00 am Saturday, Memorial Stadium, Lawrence, KS (FSN): David Beaty makes his debut as the Jayhawks new head coach. This is one of the few opportunities for the Jayhawks to pick up a victory. Junior Montell Cozart is the starting QB. KU has won its last three season openers.
Sam Houston State at Texas Tech, 2:30 pm Saturday, AT&T Jones Stadium, Lubbock (FSN): This could be a make or break season for Red Raiders coach Kliff Kingsbury. The Red Raiders also welcome new defensive coordinator David Gibson. Tech's new QB will be unveiled at the first series.
South Dakota at Kansas State, 6:00 pm Saturday, Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS.: Sophomore Jesse Ertz was named the starting quarterback. But there is the possibility that the Wildcats will play three QBs in this opener so they can become familiar with game conditions.
Akron at No. 19 Oklahoma, 6:00 pm Saturday, Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK: A new offense under new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley is unveiled. There is some excitement in what JUCO WR transfer DeDe Westbrook can bring to this offense. The running game seems to have a two-headed attack between Joe Mix and Semaje Perine.
Texas at No. 11 Notre Dame, 6:30 pm Saturday, Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend IN: The Longhorns are in year two under Charlie Strong but already have nine true freshmen listed on their depth chart. Tyrone Swoopes remains as the starting quarterback. The Irish, who lead this series, 8-2, are now being run by dual-threat Malik Zaire.
Georgia Southern at West Virginia, 6:30 p.m. Saturday Milan-Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, WVA: This is the first meeting between the two programs. West Virginia is hoping some improvements with its defense will start to appear.
Northern Iowa at Iowa State, 7:00 p.m. Saturday, Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, IA: It's a good time for the Cyclones to reverse this streak. They have dropped their last two season openers to FCS teams. Sam B. Richardson remains the starting quarterback for this team
Night class
The high school schedule maker did Spring DT Bravvion Roy a favor this week. Spring played on Thursday night against Aldine Nimitz and breezed to a 63-0 victory.
But when he watches Baylor's Andrew Billings Friday against SMU, school is in session. Roy is in class. Since he committed to the Bears in mid-June, it has long been thought that Roy would be Billings' successor. If it isn't in 2016, it could be in 2017.
So there are elements to Billings game that could be of use when Roy makes the transition. Roy has said that Baylor coaches have told him that if Billings were to declare for the NFL draft, he would need to get ready for the 2016 season.
"Every move he makes I want to watch,'' Roy said. "I'm paying attention to everything he will be doing. I'm just going to watch and learn.''
Billings and Roy haven't spoken with each other at any point. Yet they share one thing in common: their strength. Roy's max in the bench is 365 pounds, max in the squat 490 and max in the power clean is 325.
"I want to watch his stance and how he comes off the ball,'' Roy said. "I want to see how many different ways he can get the offensive line off him and run sideline to sideline. I'm working on that. I'm faster and stronger. I feel like I come off the ball harder.''
-Kevin Lonnquist
Agim's decision
Hope (AR) defensive end McTelvin Agim is scheduled to make his commitment decision at a family reunion on Saturday afternoon. The finalists are Arkansas, Baylor, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
And that's probably in that order. Based on the information we're hearing, it would appear that Agim is probably going to stay in state and commit to the Razorbacks.
Now, anything can happen over these remaining hours and Agim could announce for Baylor. Yet it would take something pretty dramatic for that decision to change. Baylor was making its final run over the last couple of weeks when Agim visited.
We'll just have to wait and see what develops Saturday.
-SicEmSports
Emptying the Notebook
>Caldwell 2017 athlete Devon Norris started his initial discussions with Baylor this week. He talked with Baylor assistant coach Carlton Buckels and said that he's looking to attend the Oct. 17 game against West Virginia. Baylor has not offered. Although he's listed as a wide receiver, Norris said Baylor views him as a cornerback.
>Bremond 2017 athlete Rashauud Paul de-committed from TCU earlier this week. But he said he has not spoken with the Baylor coaches to this point. Time will tell what he will do about his future.
>At this point, it appears Baylor has moved on from its recruitment of San Antonio Jay athlete Moses Reynolds. This recruitment has been a bit odd because Reynolds doesn't appear to have made too many trips to visit any schools. A source said there really hasn't been much contact between Baylor and Moses.
>If 2017 PF Tristan Clark visits Baylor this weekend to see Scott Drew and the men's basketball program that would be a big lift. The program has been trying to get him on campus for the last month.
>Baylor 2016 commit Mark Vital is planning to attend John Lucas' 40/40 Combine Saturday and Sunday in Houston. That event should also feature other Baylor targets including 2017 forward Jarred Vanderbilt from Houston Victory Prep. Vanderbilt is rated No. 8 in the Rivals150.
-SicEmSports
