![\"Baylor](\"https:\/\/www2.baylor.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/usatoday.jpg\")
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When the Baylor football team takes the field Saturday against West Virginia, it will do so in a way the Bears never have before — as the No. 2 team in the nation<\/a>.<\/p>\n In both major polls released this week (the AP and Coaches Poll<\/a>), head coach Art Briles’ squad is ranked No. 2 — the highest ranking in the program’s 113-year history. The Bears had previously reached No. 3 in the rankings twice, in 1953<\/a> and 2013<\/a>.<\/p>\n More than 20% of the Associated Press writers who voted in the AP poll put the Bears at No. 1 on their ballots, as Baylor received 13 first-place votes — believed to be the most in program history.<\/p>\n What has propelled the Bears to such record heights? Well, there’s the offense, of course, which again leads the nation in both\u00a0points per game<\/a> and yards per game<\/a> (after having paced the country in both categories in 2013<\/a> and 2014<\/a>, too). Baylor is the only program\u00a0to be among the nation’s top 10 in both passing (8th) and rushing (2nd) yards per game. Quarterback\u00a0Seth Russell leads the country\u00a0in five categories, including passing efficiency and passing touchdowns, while wide receiver Corey Coleman tops\u00a0the nation\u00a0in touchdown\u00a0catches (13 — one shy of the Baylor single-season record) and scoring, and\u00a0ranks 4th in receiving yards per game.<\/p>\n But the defense is also stepping up. Led by a pair of projected NFL first-round picks<\/a>, the Bears’ defense ranks among the top three in the conference\u00a0when it comes to scoring and yards allowed. Baylor also ranks 13th nationally with 13 turnovers gained — big plays that get the Bears’ explosive offense back on the field quickly.<\/p>\n Then there’s also that McLane Stadium magic; Baylor owns the nation’s\u00a0best home win streak (18 games), and has not lost in Waco since Oct. 13, 2012. And you can go even further back than that; since 2011, the Bears\u00a0have the best home record in the country at 27-1.<\/p>\n Want to see it for yourself?\u00a0Baylor’s four remaining home games<\/a> are all\u00a0currently sold out, though a few additional tickets could be released closer to kickoff for the Oklahoma and Texas games if the visiting teams’ allotments do not sell out. In the meantime,\u00a0Baylor fans are encouraged to check StubHub<\/a> for any available seats. And of course, such success has led to repeated national broadcasts, including this week’s game against the Mountaineers (11 a.m. on FOX).<\/p>\n Sic \u2019em, Baylor football!<\/p>\n