5 Reasons Why Baylor Football Fans Should Be Excited for 2014 Season

As befits a program that is on the rise, the Bears will be moving into brand new McLane Stadium. The new $ 260 million structure will be one of the nicest home venues anywhere in college football and will provide Baylor with even more of a home-field advantage.

Entering his seventh season as Baylor’s head coach, Briles has helped turn a perennial doormat into one of the hottest programs around. With a Big 12 title under his belt as well as a berth in a major bowl game, Briles has elevated expectations in Waco to heights never before imagined in the school’s history.

Of the newly anointed Big Five conferences, the Big 12 is one of the weaker ones. It is certainly not the world-beating conference it once was. Outside of Oklahoma, it would be surprising to see any Big 12 squad make a serious run at the College Football Playoff. This is where Baylor can take advantage. They do have to play the Sooners on the road, but every other game on the schedule is very winnable.

The good news is that Baylor boasted the best offense in college football last year, leading the country in both total offense (618.8 yards per game) and scoring offense (52.4 points per game). The better news is that most of that offense returns for 2014, including All-America candidates Bryce Petty, Antwan Goodley and Spencer Drango. With an offense that can score at will, the Bears will never be out of any game.

Even if Baylor doesn’t attain their goal of back-to-back Big 12 championships, they have to be pleased with where their program is at. If you had told someone 10 years ago that Baylor would be one of the premier college football programs, they probably would have laughed at you. But thanks to star QBs like Robert Griffin III and Bryce Petty and a top-tier coach in Art Briles, Baylor football looks like it’s here to stay.