By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Editor
A cold wind broke into McLane Stadium from the Brazos River. A 46-degree kickoff marked the coldest game in McLane Stadium history and the coldest game in Waco since 2013.
The chilly, brisk weather did not deter Baylor fans from growing in anticipation for a Week 9 matchup against West Virginia. Coming off a bye week, the energy surrounding a rare Thursday night game swirled throughout campus.
The only thing fans had on their mind was the bright lights blocking out the cold darkness on Halloween night 2019.
“They all came in their Halloween costumes, and they were loud,” former Baylor kicker John Mayers said. “It was on a Thursday; some teachers canceled class that day or even the next day to make sure they go to the game and cheer us on.”
The Bears hadn’t fared well on All Hallow’s Eve, losing eight of their previous 12 games on the holiday. They were looking for their first win on Oct. 31 in 66 years.
Unlike the typical sight of gold Line jerseys in the front and other Baylor gear in the back, the student section was filled with color from the costumes and excitement for a night game.
The fans weren’t the only ones feeling the anticipation. The players spend all day just itching to get on the field and perform.
“You know you’re the prime time,” Mayers said. “The suspense builds all day because you have walk throughs in the morning, and you’re just sleeping in the hotel for three hours. As a player, you’re like, ‘Ooh, I want to get out there and play.’”
McLane Stadium played a major role in how the game against the Mountaineers turned out.
“The students can kind of create that X factor and home field advantage for us because the Line sits right behind the opposing team,” Mayers said. “It had certainly helped us that night and on many nights that season.”
It proved to be a difficult night for the Baylor offense. The unit turned the ball over three times en route to scoring only 14 points through the first three quarters.
“We played pretty bad offensively, and that starts with me,” former Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer said. “I got to make sure we’re ready to go and put us in good situations.”
The struggling offense kept the door open for West Virginia in a close game — a sight that the Bears had faced multiple times that season. Baylor finished the 2019 season with eight one-score games, holding a 5-3 record.
Mayers knew special teams could be the group to step up in the tight contest and keep his team from a disappointing holiday.
“We were used to it,” Mayers said. “We knew how to handle it and be accessible under pressure … Special teams-wise, we knew if it came down to it, we were confident.”
Mayers’ feeling ended up being correct. He nailed a 36-yard field goal with 10:19 left in the fourth quarter. Defensive tackle Bravvion Roy secured the 17-14 win, blocking a 48-yard field goal with under four minutes to play.
“We got a field goal early in the fourth quarter to take the lead,” Mayers said. “We blocked one at the end to seal it, so special teams play a huge part in that game.”
Baylor warded off the scare of an upset by a 3-4 opponent.
It was not an ideal performance from the Bears, who entered the Halloween night game against the Mountaineers with an 8-0 record and a No. 12 ranking.
“I think especially the 2017 season, but also the 2018 season, gave us a little bit of perspective,” former Baylor linebacker Terrel Bernard said after the game. “Some people lose focus of that too, but we also look at how we play football, and some first part of the game, we didn’t play how we wanted to play. […] And I think the film will show some of the game we didn’t play as well as we could have.”
Despite the difficult victory, that 2019 Bears team continued to gain more traction as the season progressed. They came off a 1-11 season in 2017 and a 7-6 campaign in 2018. Things started to click in head coach Matt Rhule’s third season.
“Once we started winning three or four or five or six, we got really hot early,” Mayers said. “[I] don’t think we only lost a game until November that season, so we were playing good ball.”
The Baylor faithful took note of the team’s first look at success under Rhule.
“The crowd came in and wanted to see that we kept winning,” Mayers said. “We had OU and Texas at home that year and some great games and some great teams and some close wins.”
The win may not have been the most flashy or dominant, but it did provide another boost for the Bears. They went on to win three of their next four games to reach the Big 12 championship and the Sugar Bowl.
