Baylor might have hard time vs. UNC
The Baylor Bears are a better team than the North Carolina Tar Heels. On paper, that is. Baylor was one of the top two or three teams in the polls for much of the year, before falling apart down the stretch due to a brutal schedule and key injuries. Once again, the offensive juggernaut led by head coach Art Briles was not good enough to make it to the big time.
So, if Baylor is so much better than North Carolina, why is it going to struggle against the ACC runner-up on Tuesday, Dec. 29 at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla.? Because the game has so little meaning to a school that was in the Cotton Bowl last season, and should have been in the College Football Playoff this time around.
The Bears looked like an unstoppable force early in the season. The Big 12 was not especially strong with the Kansas State Wildcats and Texas Longhorns in down seasons. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma Sooners were handed an early loss and almost another one at the clutches of the Tennessee Volunteers. Sure, the Oklahoma State Cowboys were undefeated, but nobody took them very seriously. It seemed that either Baylor or the TCU Horned Frogs would win the Big 12 and roll into the national semifinals on New Year’s Eve.
Instead, both teams fell like rocks in water when crunch time came around. Despite having major talent including likely first-round pick Corey Coleman, Briles and Co. finished the season at No. 17 in the poll, leaving many to wonder just what the heck happened to this group.
Frankly, it might be time that Briles takes a look at the defensive side of the ball. Despite injuries at quarterback, the offense remained potent, but the defense was a major problem throughout the year. At times, it seemed the offense could not afford to punt the more once or twice and have a chance at winning against any respectable team, let alone a top one.
If Baylor played in the SEC, it would struggle to finish with eight wins. Teams like the LSU Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida Gators and Mississippi State Bulldogs would take it apart because they would score every time, and Baylor would not. Luckily for the Bears, most teams in the Big 12 are either completely outclassed by their offensive abilities, or simply don’t play defense well enough to combat them. This is another reason why any bowl game is a challenge for Baylor. The Bears only play half the game.
Ultimately, this could be a period that the folks in Waco look back and wonder what could have been. This coaching staff has to figure out what is wrong and why a defense that can stop anybody is eluding it. Otherwise, this will always be a second-rate program that could have really made some serious noise.
