By Carson Vercoe | Sports Writer
Big 12 football in 2013 could be described in only one way: high-scoring.
The offensive firepower in the conference was routinely put on display every week, with teams scoring 40 points on the regular. No team displayed this offensive firepower quite like the 2013 Baylor Bears.
The Bears surpassed 70 points on four occasions that season, averaged 52.4 points per game and 618.8 yards per game, which both led the nation.
Having one of the nation’s best offenses was a catalyst for the Bears to win their first Big 12 title.
That offense was on full display Oct. 19, 2013, when No. 12 Baylor took on Iowa State on homecoming weekend in front of thousands of fans at Floyd Casey Stadium.
The Bears entered the matchup undefeated on the season, coming off a 35-25 win over Kansas State the week before.
The Cyclones entered the matchup opposite to Baylor. Iowa State walked into Floyd Casey Stadium after losing two straight games, looking for an upset, but what they got was far from it.
The Bears made their mark right from kickoff.
Baylor started the game with a touchdown drive that sparked the offense for the rest of the game. Quarterback Bryce Petty threw two touchdowns to wide receiver Antwan Goodley, while running back Lache Seastrunk found the end zone twice.
The Bears offense could not be stopped all first half as it added another touchdown on a trick play from Petty to wide receiver Levi Norwood. The Bears were up 37-0 at halftime.
It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that the Cyclones scored, but Baylor wasn’t done yet. Wide receiver Corey Coleman returned the kick 97 yards to the house, putting the Bears up 71-7 as time expired.
“I think the biggest moment, the biggest real moment in the game was watching Corey take their kick back,” cornerback Joe Williams said.
The Bears finished with 714 yards of total offense with 10 total touchdowns, but it wasn’t all about the offense.
Baylor held Iowa State to a total of 174 yards while also forcing three turnovers, including an interception by Williams.
“He ran a simple comeback route,” Williams said. “Once I turned and played the route … the quarterback was releasing the ball.”
The win helped the Bears get to 6-0 for the first time since 1980 and fueled the push towards becoming Big 12 champions. It bid an appropriate farewell to Floyd Casey Stadium as the final homecoming game before moving to McLane Stadium.
When reflecting on the special group from 2013, Williams felt the years prior were what allowed that team to be special.
“It started in 2011,” Williams said. “From what those seniors left to us, we just carried that through 2012. Midway through that season, everything just came together.”
Throughout the 2013 season, the Bears continued to dismantle opponents with a solid defense and an overwhelming offense. The Iowa State game was just another example of how the group became one of the nation’s best.
That year gave the players a new appreciation for Baylor after being a part of that team.
“I’m not a Waco, so I didn’t know the tradition, what they’ve been through,” Williams said. “And so just kind of learning about Baylor and understanding what it was before we got here. And now seeing what it is after we’ve been there, I truly understand how special those years were to Baylor.”
The season remains one of the most defining seasons in Baylor football history. The 71-7 victory showed a culmination of talent and chemistry the roster possessed and helped the Bears push to become Big 12 champions.
