2008 Baylor Bears football team

2008 Baylor Bears football
ConferenceBig 12 Conference
DivisionSouth Division
Record4–8 (2–6 Big 12)
Head coach
Co-offensive coordinatorRandy Clements (1st season)
Co-offensive coordinatorPhilip Montgomery (1st season)
Offensive schemeVeer and shoot
Defensive coordinatorBrian Norwood (1st season)
Base defense4–3
CaptainGame captains
Home stadiumFloyd Casey Stadium
(Capacity: 50,000)
Seasons
← 2007
2009 →

The 2008 Baylor Bears football team represented Baylor University in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by head coach Art Briles in his first year in the position. They played their home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.

Preseason

Two Baylor players, linebacker Joe Pawelek and defensive back Jordan Lake, made the preseason All-Big 12 team.[1] Pawelek made at least 86 tackles in each of the previous two seasons, while Lake posted 120 tackles, two interceptions, forced two fumbles, and recovered two in 2007. Lake was Baylor's only all-Big 12 postseason selection in 2007.[2]

The Bears returned 15 starters, including 9 on offense, and 6 on defense.[3]

In their preseason countdown, Rivals.com ranked the Bears' 2008 squad 92nd out of all 120 Division I FBS teams.[2] The official Big 12 media preseason poll picked the Bears to finish last in the Big 12 South.[4]

Coaching staff

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 307:00 p.m.No. 23 Wake Forest*
FSNL 13–4130,633
September 66:00 p.m.Northwestern State*
  • Floyd Casey Stadium
  • Waco, Texas
W 51–636,258
September 127:30 p.m.Washington State*
  • Floyd Casey Stadium
  • Waco, Texas
W 45–1725,595
September 1911:00 p.m.at Connecticut*
ESPN2L 28–3138,870
October 411:30 a.m.No. 1 Oklahoma
  • Floyd Casey Stadium
  • Waco, Texas
FSNL 17–4937,145
October 116:00 p.m.Iowa State
  • Floyd Casey Stadium
  • Waco, Texas
FCSW 38–1030,528
October 182:00 p.m.at No. 10 Oklahoma State
L 6–3450,080
October 2511:30 a.m.at Nebraska
VersusL 20–3285,104
November 13:00 p.m.No. 14 Missouridagger
  • Floyd Casey Stadium
  • Waco, Texas
L 28–3135,142
November 811:00 a.m.at No. 7 Texas
FSNL 21–4597,715
November 153:05 p.m.Texas A&M
W 41–2143,549
November 292:30 p.m.at No. 7 Texas Tech
VersusL 28–3553,470

[5][6]

Game summaries

Washington State

1 234Total
Washington State 7 703 17
• Baylor 14 14710 45
Scoring summary
111:27Washington StChantz Staden 1-yard run (Nico Grasu kick)Washington St 7-0
17:53BaylorRobert Griffin III 1-yard run (Ben Parks kick)Tie 7-7
16:50BaylorErnest Smith 27-yard pass from Robert Griffin III (Ben Parks kick)Baylor 14-7
28:00Washington StKevin Lopina 8-yard run (Nico Grasu kick)Tie 14-14
27:32BaylorJeremy Sanders 13-yard run (Ben Parks kick)Baylor 21-14
25:12BaylorJay Finley 46-yard run (Ben Parks kick)Baylor 28-14
38:47BaylorRobert Griffin III 58-yard run (Ben Parks kick)Baylor 35-14
414:54BaylorKendall Wright 10-yard run (Ben Parks kick)Baylor 42-14
410:42Washington StNico Grasu 31-yard field goalBaylor 42-17
46:21BaylorBen Parks 23-yard field goalBaylor 45-17

[7]

Postseason

Three Baylor players—Jason Smith, Jordan Lake, and Joe Pawelek—made the All-Big 12 first team. Derek Epperson and Dan Gay received honorable mention, while Robert Griffin III was named Offensive Freshman of the Year. Griffin became Baylor's second Big 12 individual award winner, joining Daniel Sepulveda, who won Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year in 2006.[8]

References

  1. ^ "2008 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team Announced" (Press release). Archived from the original on January 2, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
  2. ^ a b "2008 Rivals Preseason Countdown". Archived from the original on June 9, 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
  3. ^ Hawkins, Stephen (August 19, 2008). "Briles' Bears Focus Only on Present". Amarillo Globe-News. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
  4. ^ "Big 12 Announces 2008 Media Preseason Football Poll" (Press release). Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
  5. ^ "Big 12 Doormat Baylor Aims for Better Days". Chicago Tribune.[dead link‍]
  6. ^ "2008 Baylor Football Schedule". Baylor University Department of Athletics. Retrieved August 1, 2008.
  7. ^ "Griffin Makes Most of Carries in Whipping of Washington State". ESPN. September 12, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2014.[dead link‍]
  8. ^ "2008 All-Big 12 Football Awards Announced". Big 12 Conference. December 2, 2008. Retrieved December 3, 2008.