From Part 1… While #3 Auburn was busy beating #5 Missouri for the SEC Championship, the #9 Baylor Bears were hosting the #23 Texas Longhorns down in Waco.
Each team was limited to a single field goal in a slow first half in which the defenses prevailed. But in the second half the Bears put up 27 points while allowing only a single touchdown to the Longhorns and won the game and the Big 12 Title for 2013, by a final score of 30-10.
The Bears covered the 16.5 points but the game went way under the predicted total of 71.
Baylor quarterback Brian Petty responded to recent criticism by passing for 287 yards and 2 touchdowns with no picks while the Bear defense allowed Texas only 218 yards of total offense. Baylor ended the regular season at 11-1 losing only to Oklahoma State and 8-1 in the Big 12. The Bears will most likely end up in the Fiesta Bowl to face AAC Champs UCF and Head Coach Art Briles is most likely up for a nice raise.
Before Briles came on board at Baylor, the football team and their fans had endured a 29 game losing streak in the Big 12. The Bears hadn’t been to a bowl game in 15 years. In the last game that will be played at Floyd Casey Stadium on the Baylor campus, it was 14 degrees down on the field when Coach Briles accepted the Big 12 Championship Trophy from Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby Baylor’s first in 33 years!
Out in the Pac-12, #7 Stanford had no trouble with #11 Arizona State even though the game was played in the dessert at Tempe. The Sun Devils, who were favored by 3 points, were down 34-14 at halftime and were shut out in the second half. A total of 58 points were scored in the game, exceeding the handicapper’s numbers by 5 points.
Meanwhile, in the ACC Championship Game, Jameis Winston and his number one ranked Florida State Seminoles had no trouble with #20 Duke as expected. The Blue Devils finally managed to score a TD in the fourth quarter but the ‘Noles ruled the day from start to finish. Winston threw for 330 yards and 3 touchdowns and rushed for an additional 59 yards and another TD.
The Seminoles now have a clear path to the National Championship Game in Pasadena on January 6th. With the defeat of Ohio State by Michigan State, their most likely opponent will be, the Tigers of Auburn.
