• Bears’ offense again among nation’s best through first third of 2012

    Nick FlorenceBack in August, we noted that even with the Bears’ 2011 starting quarterback, running back and top receiver all in the NFL, Baylor football’s cupboard was far from bare. Through the first third of the season, the Bears have certainly backed that up.

    Entering this weekend’s big game against TCU (Saturday, 6 p.m., Floyd Casey Stadium, FSN), Baylor is 3-1 and just outside the top 25. The Bears are ranked either first or second in the nation in points (54.3), passing yards (416.5) and total offense (601.5) per game.

    [VOTE Nick Florence for the Davey O’Brien Quarterback Award]

    You wouldn’t know it from watching ESPN, but it’s Baylor QB Nick Florence — not Geno Smith, Collin Klein or anyone else — who leads the country in total offense. Florence is averaging 434.5 total yards per game, best in the nation, and 396.2 yards per game passing. Wide receiver Terrance Williams, meanwhile, leads the nation in receiving yards per game, averaging 166.75 per contest.

    [MORE ON FLORENCE: “Baylor’s QB took a long road from high school stardom to starting at BU,” from Baylor Magazine || Sic ’em Sports Productions with a video look at Florence’s life off the field]

    Headed into this weekend, the Bears have scored 45 or more points in each of their last eight games, the longest active streak in the nation. Three of Baylor’s 10 largest point totals ever have come during this run, including last week’s 63-point explosion against West Virginia, in which Florence and Williams shattered BU single-game records for passing yards and receiving yards held respectively by RG3 and Kendall Wright.

    A couple of interesting comparisons between the first four games of 2011 and 2012 to date:

    • RG3 2011: 1,481 total yards, 19 TD.
    • Florence 2012: 1,738 total yds, 17 TD.
    • Baylor 2011: 47.25 points per game, 552.75 yards per game.
    • Baylor 2012: 54.2 points per game, 601.5 yards per game.

    Sic ’em, Baylor football!