Baylor football earns 11th bowl bid in 13 years, will face Air Force in Armed Forces Bowl

For the 11th time in 13 years, Baylor football is going bowling.

The Bears will face Air Force in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 22 (6:30 p.m., ESPN) at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth. The game is a unique one among bowls, with its focus on the military extending far beyond the name. Patriotic overtones recognizing all six branches of the armed forces are prevalent throughout the game; past games have also included flyovers, demonstrations by military skydiving teams, armed forces bands, the awarding of custom homes to wounded warriors, fan-fest areas showcasing armed forces hardware, and more.

Baylor enters the bowl with a 6-6 record, led by freshman running back Richard Reese (the Big 12’s Offensive Freshman of the Year) and senior fullback/linebacker Dillon Doyle (who just became the first player in Big 12 history to earn all-conference first- or second-team honors on offense and defense in the same season).

Air Force comes in at 9-3 on the year (5-3 in the Mountain West Conference). The Falcons lead the nation with 330.9 rushing yards per game; fullback Brad Roberts was named MWC Offensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 134.3 rushing yards per game.

Baylor and Air Force have met three times previously — in 1961, 1962 and 1977 — with the Bears winning all three (31-7, 10-3, and 38-7). The first of those three was future all-American Don Trull’s second full game for Baylor; the second saw 114 Baylor students make an 1,800-mile round-trip train ride to see the Bears win in the snow; and the third was highlighted by Baylor’s five interceptions on defense. What will the fourth match-up hold?

Baylor’s direct ticket allotment sold out quickly, but tickets are still available through the Armed Forces Bowl website. (Note: Baylor is the visiting team and will occupy the west sideline.) Baylor Alumni is working on events in Fort Worth around the game; stay tuned for more details on that. Fans can find details on other events surrounding the game at the Armed Forces Bowl website.

Need something new to wear? Bowl gear (and other Baylor football paraphernalia) is available now through the Baylor Bookstore.

Sic ’em, bowl-bound Bears!