Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor
By John Werner
Waco Tribune-Herald via Associated Press
Baylor has added a home game against Wofford College to its 2013 football schedule after its game at SMU was canceled last week.
The Bears will open the season Aug. 31 against Wofford, a Football Championship Subdivision school from Spartanburg, S.C. The Terriers, a member of the Southern Conference, finished 9-4 last season.
“We feel relieved that we were able to secure a game at such a late date,” Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said. “Most nonconference schedules are set up five to 10 years in advance, so it’s difficult to find a game six months in advance. This was very much like finding a needle in a haystack.”
McCaw said there were no games readily available against Football Bowl Subdivision schools, so Baylor began looking for an FCS opponent to add to its nonconference schedule that includes a Sept. 7 home date against Buffalo and a Sept. 21 home date against Louisiana-Monroe.
McCaw said Nick Joos, Baylor executive associate athletic director for external relations, found that Wofford had a date available. Baylor normally plays one FCS opponent each year including Sam Houston State in 2012 and 2010 and Stephen F. Austin in 2011.
The Wofford game will replace the Sept. 14 date against SMU in Dallas.
“Nick Joos did a great job of locating it, and we were able to sign the contract today,” McCaw said. “They’re a very competitive team. We’re happy to have seven home games. This sets us up for a very favorable schedule for 2013.”
SMU athletic director Rick Hart announced last Wednesday that the Mustangs canceled the game against Baylor to give their schedule more balance. SMU is moving from Conference USA to the Big East this year, and also has nonconference games against Texas A&M, TCU and Texas Tech.
After the three nonconference home games, Baylor will stay at Floyd Casey Stadium for its Big 12 opener against West Virginia on Oct. 5 at Floyd Casey Stadium. The Bears’ first road game will be against Kansas State on Oct. 12 in Manhattan, Kan. The Bears also host Iowa State on Oct. 19, Oklahoma on Nov. 9 and Texas on Dec. 7.
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2013 schedule
- Aug. 31: Wofford
- Sept. 7: Buffalo
- Sept. 21: La.-Monroe
- Oct. 5: West Virginia
- Oct. 12: at Kansas St.
- Oct. 19: Iowa State
- Oct. 26: at Kansas
- Nov. 9: Oklahoma
- Nov. 16: vs. Texas Tech (Arlington)
- Nov. 23: at Oklahoma St.
- Nov. 30: at TCU
- Dec. 7: Texas
