By Nate Smith | LTVN Executive Producer
Sometimes sports stink, and last Saturday was no exception. Losing to the scoundrels up in Fort Worth is never fun. It’s especially bleak when you realize that Texas Christian University may have had Johnny Manziel Jr. fall into their laps with redshirt freshman quarterback Chandler Morris. However, we can have a group therapy session to discuss the pain that Morris has caused us at another time.
The purpose of this article is to remind you of one thing and one thing only: Our season isn’t over yet. While our playoff chances are now essentially nonexistent, the Bears still have so much to play for, and as fans we still have so many reasons to watch.
For starters, we are still very much in play for a Big 12 Championship berth. While Baylor doesn’t completely control its own destiny, its path is still pretty simple. Win out, then hope the University of Oklahoma loses to either a scrappy Iowa State University team, or arguably the conference’s best team in Oklahoma State University in The Bedlam Series rivalry. Losses by Oklahoma State to TCU or Texas Tech University paired with a loss to OU would also get a two-loss Baylor squad into the conference championship.
A Big 12 Championship appearance in itself would be a great accomplishment for head coach Dave Aranda in his second year at the helm, while a Big 12 Championship win would etch this season in Baylor football lore forever. After all, the program only has eight conference titles all time, and only five since World War II.
Not to be lost in all of the tangible reasons that Baylor football is still alive and well, this team is just plain old fun to watch. We’re talking about a team that has two of the conference’s leaders in rushing yards. One of whom, senior running back Abram Smith, played linebacker last year. How ridiculous is that? Mix that in with a healthy dosage of offensive touchdowns by junior linebacker Dillon Doyle, trick plays for touchdowns and a defense that never quits and you’ve got yourself a recipe for one of most entertaining teams in college football.
They prove the entire country wrong week in and week out, as they were picked to finish in the cellar of the conference by nearly everyone before the season started. Even the most optimistic of Baylor fans didn’t expect this team to have seven wins and a chance to win the conference with three games left in the season.
This team is fun, and with a win Saturday, they can thrust themselves right back into the conference championship picture. So, don’t dwell over what could have been. Instead, look at how much fun lies ahead. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a feeling that this team can shock the world one more time before the season ends.
