Big 12 Conference Releases 2013 Football Schedules

Just a few minutes ago, the Big 12 Conference announced the complete 2013 football schedules (conference games, anyway) for every school in the conference, including our beloved Baylor. In case you're curious about the schedules for our foes, they are all available in one place here. Baylor's is obviously listed below. I have to say, I think I like how this sets up.

The season begins at home on September 7th against Buffalo in a game the Bears should win handily before we go on the road to Dallas in week 2 to face the SMU Mustangs. Our final non-conference game follows one week later when we welcome the ULM Warhawks to Floyd Casey for what I believe is the first time ever. We then get a week off -- finally, a bye week when we will probably dearly need it-- before West Virginia comes to Waco for their first trip as members of the Big 12.

From these first four games, three of which are at home, I expect to be no worse than 3-1. West Virginia loses quite a bit this season, too, so 4-0 is a distinct possibility. That kind of a strong start builds momentum going into our first road conference game in Manhattan against Kansas State before we come home for a game against Iowa State the following week. Our next bye doesn't come until the week after we travel to Lawrence, another extremely fortuitous quirk of the schedule in that we'll get two weeks to prepare for when Oklahoma comes back to Waco. There's no rest after that, since we'll play what is basically three road games in a row at Cowboys Stadium, in Stillwater, and at TCU before finishing the season at home against Texas.

That game against Texas will be, if things hold true to plan, the last in the history of Floyd Casey Stadium. I'm pleased that we will be able to not only finish the season that way but also bring in what should be a quality opponent. After the strong start I expect in the first third, Baylor has a chance to take 2 or 3 of the next 4 games (I'm trying to be reasonable) before our last third has a scheduling version of a murderer's row. If we can get to bowl eligibility before that third begins, I have high hopes for next season. No matter what, it should be fun!