:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/19036051/20130831_pjc_an4_144.0.jpg)
Considering I did a real, honest-to-goodness preview this week as part of the Baylor vs. Buffalo hub (linked above and below), I'll keep this relatively short. In the poll at the end of this thread, vote for the outcome of this week's game. Last week, 93% of the 321 responding voters predicted the Bears would walk away victorious, with 41% saying we'd blow them out. I don't think anyone expected a 66-point victory, though, and if you say you did, you're probably a liar. Or clairvoyant. If so, we should be friends.
BAYLOR BEARS VS. BUFFALO BULLS 2013
MY PREDICTION:
Baylor beats the spread and the O/U (almost always a safe bet in our games, regardless), holding Buffalo to just 23 points.
OFFENSIVELY, Baylor abuses the Buffalo front seven and with the game closer through the first three quarters than last week, Lache Seastrunk doubles his yearly total in carries. He'll finish with ~200 yards rushing. Glasco Martin gets his 10-12 as he continues to get back up to speed, but the first offense stays in the game longer than against the Terriers. Bryce Petty finally has a designed run or two, but nothing spectacular. He throws for 3 TDs this week before being pulled in the fourth quarter. Robbie Rhodes gets the first TD of his Baylor career.
DEFENSIVELY, our corners experience a few growing pains in their first real test (even though I don't expect it to be a tremendous one), and Buffalo has most of their offensive success through the air. The defense bottles up Branden Oliver, keeping him under 100 yards for the game. Shawn Oakman has 2 plays where you expect the word FATALITY to come up on the screen in red before someone has their spine ripped out.
I'LL BE WATCHING our DTs and corners more than anything else. Ahmad Dixon and Terrell Burt have shown their capabilities thus far in run support, but will our corners need their help, as well? We'll see. Whether Trevor Clemons-Valdez and Suleiman Masumbuko can rebound after the Wofford game is a real concern. How we handle Khalil Mack on the outside will be the primary battle to watch when we're on offense. I bet he gets his when Petty holds on to the ball a shade too long.
SCORE PREDICTION: BAYLOR 52, BUFFALO 23. Lache gets 200, like I said, and Petty throws for 300 with 3 TDs.
Now I'll probably be wrong on everything, but let's hope not.