New York Times' prediction for Baylor's 2009 football season

Yeah, I’ve got Baylor tied with Texas A&M for fifth in the Big 12 South and 10th in the Big 12 over all. Are Baylor fans going to be happy with that? No, probably not. Despite winning only four games last fall, the Baylor fan base is beyond optimistic for the potential of this year’s team, and anything less than a bowl trip may be considered a disappointment. Fair? Oh, definitely not. But thanks to head coach Art Briles, and his achievement reversing Baylor’s losing culture, optimism clearly rules the day. And there is reason to be excited: B.U. has a wonderful coach, a future Heisman contender in sophomore quarterback Howard Griffin III and two potential all-Americans on its defense in senior middle linebacker Joe Pawelek and senior free safety Jordan Lake, though the entire defense is not yet up to par. Can the Bears get to six wins? Yes, but it will be close. To do so, there is no doubt Baylor needs to enter Big 12 play at 3-1, meaning it will need to take one of Wake Forest and Connecticut. Doable. That would leave the Bears needing a 3-5 finish in Big 12 play, something the program has done only once. Briles could coach my team any day, and Griffin is must-see television … but I’ve got the Bears at 5-7, 2-6 in the Big 12, just shy of bowl eligibility. I’m just concerned where the team – while not your Baylor squad of old – is going to get three Big 12 wins. Iowa State is one, but where else? Nebraska at home? Not going to happen. Missouri on the road? Perhaps. A&M on the road? Baylor won last year, no reason to think it can’t win again. A 5-7 finish, with most of the offense slated to be back in 2010 and another stellar recruiting class on the way, should not be viewed as a failure.