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Most of the AD staff is in Kansas, I assume, so we don't have the pretty recap post from BaylorBears.com from which I can poach the box score graphic. When we get it, I'll update this post.
The Baylor Bears are now 7-0 and guaranteed, by virtue of #5 Missouri's OT loss to South Carolina a few minutes ago, to move up in the BCS poll to be released tomorrow. We might get another if Oregon State can keep their small lead over #6 Stanford through the second half. (UPDATE: They didn't. They're now down 10.) You know what? Let's start there.
- I predicted on twitter a few minutes ago that the Baylor Bears will be the #6 team in tomorrow's BCS. Assuming Stanford wins and stays ahead of us, getting there will require jumping the Miami Hurricanes, who are currently #7. There is little doubt in my mind at this point that Baylor is better than Miami. In fact, I think we probably beat them by multiple TDs. They've spent the last two weeks barely squeaking by such powerhouses as UNC and Wake, while we've been whipping everybody we play. The F/+ rankings agree, for whatever they're worth, ranking us 5th and the Hurricanes 10th. Whether the BCS follows, however, is a different question. Last week, Miami held the slimmest of margins over us for #7: .008 in the aggregate rankings. Most of that was built on their computer scores being slightly higher, since we were already #5 to their #7/6 in the Harris and Coaches Polls, respectively. The computer scores won't help us this week; margin of victory isn't considered and they will retain, if not build slightly, on their edge. But humans have eyes, and it wouldn't take much of a drop, perhaps just one place relative to us in either poll, for the Bears to jump up. We could have the #6 team in the country tomorrow by the rankings that determine the national championship. We're guaranteed at least #7. That's pretty amazing.
- I've already apologized for my late-game rant about the coaches leaving the pressbox, so I won't go into it again. I mention it only to make sure those who didn't see it the first time do now.
- I almost went on a similar rant about this tweet from CBS' Jerry Palm, the same guy who insists on putting Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl as Big 12 Champion every week despite all evidence to the contrary. My response to him at the time was that Baylor is its own reason to watch, since there's never been a team doing what ours has done. He acts like everyone is throwing down 700+ yards and 64+ points regularly, when they are definitely not. Of all the possible reactions to Baylor's season, "meh" is easily the most ridiculous.
- I can pretty much guarantee you right now that Bryce Petty isn't going to get the Heisman love that he deserves from this game and this season. A couple of passes very early in the game aside, he was absolutely on fire against Kansas tonight in what might have been the best performance of his career. Had his receivers helped him out a little, he could have had 400 passing yards and 4 TDs in the first half alone, before ever seeing a snap in the second. Had Briles let him, he could have broken Baylor's single-game passing record with time to go in the third quarter. When people talk about the 2013 Heisman race, they're going to say names like Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, and Johnny Manziel. The first two lead undefeated, top-3 teams, while the third is the returning winner having a great statistical season. But none of them are the linchpin in possibly the best statistical offense CFB has ever seen. Petty is.
- Speaking of Petty, I've never been more thankful to have him than I am right now. I don't know what's going on with Seth Russell, and I still love his athletic ability. But he looked out of sorts tonight, to be charitable. The entire second offense did until Rashodrick Linwood housed a 68-yarder. The next time I wonder why Briles pulls his starters in the third quarter (if he gets the opportunity to do so again), I'll remember this game. Those guys need the work and will be that much better for having it in the future.
- Did you know that all of Baylor's touchdowns came in 2 minutes or less tonight? Yeah. The longest among them took 7 plays. And that was with Antwan Goodley playing less than a quarter. Baylor had 743 yards on the day, good for our best performance ever in a game on the road. 437 game through the air, almost all from Petty, with another 306 on the ground. Baylor has now gone over 700 yards 5 times in 7 games this season. We had done that 3 times in every season prior, combined.
- Sometimes I feel bad for Lache Seastrunk and Glasco Martin that they don't get to play much in the second half. The receivers get their stats because the offense is that explosive. Those two don't, so much.
- About the defense-- the starting unit held Kansas scoreless for basically 3 full quarters, and I have no complaints. Jake Heaps helped them out by looking just awful in the pocket, but they deserve at least some credit for that, too. The defensive line, in particular, looks better rushing the passer now than at any point I can remember in Big 12 play, and we're going to need that against the better offenses of the Big 12. Kansas had about 180 yards total offense, maybe, before we pulled the starters. After that, things got a bit ugly, but it was their ones against our twos. I'll take the learning experiences those guys, many of whom we'll be depending on next year, got over a better statistical line.
- I didn't see Shawn Oakman kill anyone, but I thought Jamal Palmer might have on that sack late in the game.
- OU's defeat of Texas Tech today in Norman set the stage for a huge game 12 days from now in Waco. There's a really good chance after the FSU-Miami game next weekend that Baylor will be a top-5 team in the country, if we aren't tomorrow (go Beavers!), while OU is somewhere in the teens. It will be the biggest game in the Big 12 to date, and The Case should be packed full of fans wearing black. We have to wait 12 days for it, but it could be Baylor's best chance on a national stage. Waiting for it will be excruciating.
- Quickly -- Casey Pachall looks rusty, which is to be expected, but otherwise pretty good, right?
- I'll let Mr. Byron Bonds take it from here:
BAYLOR GANG over E V E R Y T H I N G
— Byron Bonds II (@bondzeee) October 27, 2013
That's about it. Sic 'em, Byron!