The Associated Press
Sunday
SMU (0-0) at No. 10 BAYLOR (0-0), 7:30 p.m. (FS1)
Line: Baylor by 33.
Series Record: Tied 36-36-7.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Big 12 champion Baylor plays on its Waco campus for the first time since 1935, when the Bears debut their $266 million McLane Stadium on the edge of the Brazos River. This is only the fourth meeting for the former Southwest Conference rivals in the 19 seasons since that league disbanded. SMU has lost 10 in a row in the series since a win in 1986.
KEY MATCHUP
SMU QB Neal Burcham against Baylor’s five-man secondary, which features three first-time starters and a safety that has started only twice. Burcham started twice at the end of last season, and coach June Jones has said he wants to get back to throwing downfield more often. It will take a lot to match Baylor QB Bryce Petty.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
SMU: WR Darius Joseph had 103 catches with five TDs last season. When the Mustangs last played Baylor in 2012, Joseph caught nine passes.
Baylor: Petty was the AP Big 12 offensive player of the year last season when, after waiting his turn behind Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III and Nick Florence, he threw for 4,200 yards and 32 TDs with only three interceptions. Petty also led the Big 12 with 14 rushing TDs.
FACTS & FIGURES
Baylor finished last season with a 52-42 loss in the Fiesta Bowl to UCF, which is in the American Athletic Conference with SMU. … Bears defensive coordinator Phil Bennett was SMU’s coach from 2002-07, and had an 18-52 record before being replaced by Jones. … LB Stephon Sanders is SMU’s top returning tackler with 86 tackles. He also had 13 1/2 tackles for losses in 2013. … Baylor is 23-3 at home the last four seasons, and won its last 10 games as Floyd Casey Stadium.
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