Two days from now, Baylor football will play in its first New Year’s Day bowl game since the 1981 Cotton Bowl. That team (like this year’s) was also the conference champion, led by future NFL stars like Walter Abercrombie and Mike Singletary.
Wednesday, the No. 6-ranked Bears face No. 15 Central Florida in the 2014 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN). This year’s Big 12 champion squad set program records for most All-Americans (five) and All-Big 12 selections (19). Here’s a look at some of the players who will suit up for Baylor on Wednesday night:
- The Jim Parker Award winner (Cyril Richardson)
- A national coach of the year finalist (Art Briles – Eddie Robinson, Bobby Bowden, Liberty Mutual, Bear Bryant COY awards)
- 2 individual award finalists (Petty – Manning, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose awards; Richardson – Outland Trophy)
- 1 unanimous first team All-American (Richardson)
- 5 total All-Americans (Ahmad Dixon, Antwan Goodley, Petty, Richardson, Spencer Roth)
- A Freshman All-American (Shock Linwood)
- The Big 12 Coach of the Year (Briles)
- The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (Petty)
- The Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year (Richardson)
- 10 All-Big 12 first team selections (Dixon, Spencer Drango, Goodley, Eddie Lackey, Chris McAllister, Petty, Tevin Reese, Richardson, Roth, Lache Seastrunk)
- 9 All-Big 12 honorable mentions (Demetri Goodson, Bryce Hager, Stefan Huber, Aaron Jones, K.J. Morton, Jordan Najvar, Levi Norwood, Shawn Oakman, Kelvin Palmer)
- 12 Academic All-Big 12 selections (Troy Baker, Collin Brence, Rhett Butler, Drango, Clay Fuller, Sam Holl, Stefan Huber, Lackey, McAllister, Najvar, Jason Osei, Brody Trahan)
- FootballScoop Offensive Coordinator of the Year (Philip Montgomery)
Headed to the game? Here are all the Baylor events scheduled around the Fiesta Bowl. Can’t make it to Arizona? Click here for a list of #WatchBU parties around the country. (And either way, get ready with plenty of Fiesta Bowl gear.)
On social media discussing the game? Use the #BaylorFiesta and #SicUCF hashtags to join the conversation online (and make sure you’re following @Baylor on Twitter, @BaylorUniversity on Instagram, and @BUFootball on Twitter and Instagram).
Sic ’em, Baylor football!
[Like the highlight video above? A one-hour special, the Inside Baylor Sports: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Preview Show, will air at 5 p.m. tonight on Fox Sports Southwest, live from the team hotel in Arizona. Afterwards, the show will be available on BaylorBears.com.]
