Just how historic is 2010 for Baylor football?

A crowd of 100,452 — the largest-ever crowd ever to attend a Baylor football victory — was joined by a national television audience that saw Baylor football’s 30-22 win over Texas in Austin Saturday, a win that has even national writers saying “you better take Baylor seriously.”

Head coach Art Briles’ Bears — now ranked 22nd in both the AP and coaches polls and 21st in the BCS standings — keep on accomplishing things that haven’t been done here in a long time. How long? Here’s some perspective: Current freshmen were born in or around 1992, so let’s take a look at how old members of this year’s Baylor Line were the last time the Bears did some of the things they’re doing now:

• The last time Baylor beat UT (1997), this year’s freshmen were five years old (remember the goalposts coming down?).
• They were only a year old the last time Baylor was ranked in the AP Top 25 (1993).
• The last time Baylor won in Austin and the last time the Bears were ranked two consecutive weeks (both 1991)? They were still just twinkles in their parents’ eyes.
• And the last time a ranked Baylor team played an unranked Texas team (1986)? The parents of this year’s freshmen may still have been at Baylor!

Needless to say, this is a historic season for the Bears — one that reminds me a lot of when the men’s basketball team broke into the rankings for the first time in years back in 2008. Scott Drew’s team celebrated its new ranking with a memorable win on the road versus a longtime rival (five overtimes at Texas A&M), and Briles’ Bears have done the same now. Let’s hope this team continues to follow Baylor’s basketball success!

With a 7-2 record, the Bears are essentially guaranteed a bowl appearance this winter; now it’s just a matter of which one. There are three games remaining — on the road at Oklahoma State Saturday (11:30 a.m., televised nationally by FSN), then back home against Texas A&M Nov. 13 and against Oklahoma Nov. 20. A great group of students spontaneously showed up at the Simpson Center to welcome the Bears home from Austin Saturday night (see pictures here); let’s continue to show our support over these final three games. Tickets are still available for each of them; get yours now!

Sic ’em, Baylor football!