12 things you should know before the Cotton Bowl kicks off

In two days, No. 5-ranked Baylor and No. 8 Michigan State will square off in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. But before the two teams kick off (11:30 a.m. CT, ESPN), here are 12 things you should know — about the teams, the game, and everything surrounding it:

1. As Bryce Petty prepares for his last game in the green and gold, here’s a great look from CBS Sports at the mentor and role model Petty is off the field.

2. The Bears head into the Cotton Bowl riding a 21-game winning streak inside the state of Texas, including five straight victories in the Metroplex. Head coach Art Briles’ squad is 32-3 in the Lone Star State over the last 3+ years.

3. Baylor leads the nation in total offense (581.3 yards per game) and scoring offense (48.8 points per game), while Michigan State leads the country in turnover margin (forcing 33 turnovers on defense while turning the ball over just 13 times on offense).

4. If you’re headed to Arlington for the game, check out the Baylor Fan Fest on New Year’s Eve and the Alumni Network Tailgate the morning of the game.

5. If you’re still thinking about heading to the game, tickets remain available through Michigan State, Ticketmaster TicketExchange and other third-party sites.

6. Before leaving for Arlington, make sure you’re familiar with AT&T Stadium’s bag policy (particularly regarding ladies’ purses).

7. If you can’t make it to the game, here’s where you can find a #WatchBU party near you.

8. No matter if you’re attending the game or rooting from afar, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got your Big 12 champs and Cotton Bowl gear, from the Baylor Bookstore and other vendors.

9. The Cotton Bowl will mark the debut of Baylor’s new offensive coordinator, Kendal Briles. Yes, that’s Art’s son, who has been on staff with the Bears since 2008 and was named Big 12 Recruiter of the Year in 2012 and 2013.

10. Whether you’re watching on the big screen at JerryWorld or the TV in your living room, follow Baylor on Facebook (Baylor University & Baylor Athletics), Twitter (@Baylor, @BaylorProud & @BUFootball) and Instagram (@BaylorUniversity & @BUFootball) for the second-screen experience.

11. Art Briles had three of college football’s quotes of the year, according to ESPN. KWTX took that a step farther and rounded up a full video of the best “Brilesisms” of 2014.

12. For complete details on all things leading up to the game, visit baylor.edu/fanzone and baylorbears.com/bowlcentral.

Sic ’em, Bears!