Jordan Smith | Sports Writer
Baylor has run the football better than any Big 12 team this season, rushing for a total of 1,697 yards on 300 carries with 16 touchdowns. However, that success goes further back than just this year. Ever since the win over TCU on Nov. 30, 2013, Baylor has scored at least one rushing touchdown in every single game, putting its streak to 35 games in a row with a rushing touchdown, which is the longest streak of any team in a Power Five Conference.
Head coach Jim Grobe said that running the football will help the passing game be able to lead the offense during games.
“That’s a pretty amazing stat. I will say that our throw game generally gets better if our running game is going good. As I mentioned before, for defensive coaches, ours included, if you can hone in on one or the other, run game or throw game, then that makes it a lot easier to play defense,” Grobe said.
Since 2013, the Bears have led the nation in the number of games reaching or exceeding 50 points. They stand at the top of this category with 18 wins reaching or exceeding 50 points during a game. Behind the Bears at second with 50 or more point games is the University of Oregon Ducks with 16.
“For me as a head coach, our most rewarding times out on offense is when you look at the final stats and it’s about 50-50. That’s when I think your offense has clicked,” Grobe said. “I think we are an offense that we feel like we’ve got to be able to throw the football to be a good offensive football team, but I think we feel like if we run the football it gives us a better chance to throw it.”
Senior quarterback Seth Russell credits Baylor’s recent success that the Bears have had to the defensive play over the years.
“They’ve done a great job of getting the ball back to us and allow us to make plays on the offensive side of the ball. Just as long as we do what we do, execute at a high level, you can score 50 points. It doesn’t matter how many points you score on offense as long as you score more points than the other team,” Russell said.
With these two stats, success should be prominent with any team, and this has rung true for Baylor. Since 2011, Baylor has become the best in Texas, as they have the best win-loss record of any team in the state of Texas since 2011 with a record of 56-15. The University of Houston Cougars come in second with a record of 53-21.
Senior linebacker Aiavion Edwards says he is fortunate to have been a part of this program while it has been enjoying the most successful run in Baylor’s history as well as the most successful run in Texas right now.
“It means a lot, especially with the conference that we play in. There’s a lot of teams in Texas, and being able to just focus in on what they are doing and limit what they are able to do is just huge, and it’s awesome to see how far that this program has come over the years and even as the best record in Texas over the last few years,” Edwards said.
Baylor looks to keep its undefeated season intact as it travels to Austin at 2:30 p.m. Saturday to take on the University of Texas Longhorns and possibly try to sneak into the top-five ranking in the country.
