College Football Rankings 2016: Projected AP Top 25 after Week 3
By Zach Bigalke
It was a lackluster first quarter, as the Bears took time to get their footing on the road in Houston. But Seth Russell eventually threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns, JaMycal Hasty added 105 yards and a rushing score on just 14 carries, and Baylor easily ran away with the victory against former Southwest Conference rival Rice. The Owls were able to rush for 234 yards against the Baylor defense, but the secondary held the Owls to 31 passing yards on 27 attempts. On a night when the Rice marching band incurred the wrath of the visiting fan base for its mockery of Baylor’s sexual assault issues, the Bears focused on the scoreboard.
The Big 12 home opener against Oklahoma State next week will provide the first real test for a Baylor team that has not played anyone yet of consequence. We will quickly learn whether the Bears are a legitimate conference contender this season or if they will be relegated to the second tier of the Big 12 hierarchy.