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Baylor vs. SMU: The Morning After -- Highlights, Notes, Links, Tweets, Stats

The opener at McLane Stadium was a spectacle to beyond. And then we played a football game.

By Mark C. Moore
Ronald Martinez

0
SMU
(0-1, 0-0) NR/NR/NR
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH F
0 0 0 0 0
24 7 7 7 45

Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes |  USATSI Photos |  Photo Gallery

Waco, Texas • Attendance: 45,733

45
BAYLOR
(1-0, 0-0) 10/10/10

Major Contributors:

QB Bryce Petty -- 13/23 for 161 yards and 2 TDs
QB Seth Russell -- 13/23 for 124 yards and 1 TD
RB Rashodrick Linwood -- 16 rushes for 89 yards and 1 TD
RB Johnny Jefferson -- 12 rushes for 57 yards
WR Jay Lee -- 8 catches for 83 yards and 1 TD
WR Davion Hall -- 7 catches for 86 yards
WR K.D. Cannon -- 2 catches for 59 yards and 1 TD

DE Shawn Oakman -- 6 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 FF, 1 QB Hurry

Baylor Defense -- 11 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 1 INT

Quick Thoughts:

I've now watched the game in full twice since I've been home, and my plan is to do a full Thoughts post this afternoon/evening on everything to do with the Stadium, tailgating, and the game itself.  That's my plan.

For now, I'll echo what I said on Twitter last night with my quick grades.  The Stadium itself was gorgeous, perfect in almost every way.  There were a couple of issues I heard from people about the in-stadium app, the restrooms not having adequate air conditioning, if they had it at all, and a choke point on the second pedestrian bridge.  On the whole, though, Baylor has a magnificent new home that looked and sounded great.  The excitement of the fanbase was palpable.  A++.

The offense obviously didn't perform up to our expectations for a lot of reasons, chief among them being the fact that Bryce Petty and Antwan Goodley were both injured early on.  It was quickly obvious that Petty couldn't plant or push through his delivery, so it was all-arm on every throw.  His accuracy suffered, as did his range, and he became a near non-factor in the running game outside of the TD.  That wasn't the Bryce we know and love. I never felt like the offense ever brought its tempo to bear the way we've come to expect, so things never really got rolling on that side of the ball.  Seth Russell was ... up and down.  B-.

Defensively, that was Baylor under Phil Bennett at its peak.  I've never seen such domination from a Baylor defensive line in the whole time I've been watching the Bears.  Shawn Oakman spent so much time in the SMU backfield that he got a free pair of golf clubs, and I honestly felt bad by the end of the game for the SMU QBs.  In limited chances, Xavien Howard was as advertised, but the defensive line was so good, we barely needed him.  SMU had zero confidence offensively after about the second series, and it is no wonder why.  Baylor whipped them over and over again.  They didn't want any more. A+.

Links Links Links Links Links Links:

SMU vs. Baylor final score: 3 things we learned from the Bears' 45-0 win - SBNation.com
The Bears opened their brand-new stadium with a demolition of SMU, but not without introducing a handful of issues.

SMU Mustangs vs. Baylor Bears - Recap - August 31, 2014 - ESPN Dallas
NCAA College Football Recap

Bryce Petty's injury offers glimpse into frailty of Baylor's Playoff hopes - College Football - SI.com
WACO, Texas – Bryce Petty looked like his usual effervescent self late Sunday but for the slight slump in his shoulders. "I feel old," said the Baylor quarterback, who, at 23, is one of the oldest players in college football.

Baylor shuts out SMU to christen stadium - Houston Chronicle
It was the kind of green-and-gold spectacle that had been long in planning and was even better when it finally transpired.

Impressive Big 12 performances in Week 1 - ESPN
Over the weekend, colleague Max Olson released his helmet stickers for the top performers of the weekend.

Sherrington: Bears leave inhibitions, tarp on other side of I-35 | Dallas Morning News

Baylor fans marvel at Bears’ new den: McLane Stadium - WacoTrib.com: Baylor Bears Football
With eyes wide and full of wonder, BU fans marveled at their new first-class stadium on the banks of the Brazos.

John Werner: With opening of McLane Stadium, it’s time for Baylor fans to believe again - WacoTrib.com: Baylor
The Bears will be the toast of college football when they open the $266 million McLane Stadium Sunday night against SMU.

Robert Griffin III spent Sunday night at Baylor's new stadium, and all was right - SBNation.com
College football misses you, RGIII.

12 photos of Baylor's ridiculously pretty new stadium - SBNation.com
Baylor's 45,000-seat football stadium gets its major debut Sunday night against SMU.

Baylor Bears' vision becomes reality under Art Briles - ESPN
It was a brand new feeling for Art Briles.

Big 12 FPI rankings - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team's performance going forward for the rest of the season.

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