Antonia Rodriguez

Coming off of a really big road loss at West Virginia was not where I wanted to be in my ideal football season while completing my last semester at Baylor. I knew this season would be better than last, but not as good as it will be next year, and knew we were going to have some rough games that chewed us up and spit us out. With the Big 12 conference, it can be really hard to tell what might happen in any given game. On homecoming weekend, it’s even more of a wildcard.

When I made my prediction for this game, I was optimistic and said that you can’t discount the atmosphere of homecoming. Something as special as the longest homecoming tradition in the nation cannot be overlooked. It’s an almost week long fanfare event where those that have flung their green and gold afar get to come back to Waco.

With that buzz in the air, the students showed up today at the game. I think the energy they brought and the presence they had was the best it’s been all season so far. They DO make a difference and I hope they continue to show up for our guys. Clearly, they make a difference in attitude on the field and it showed big time today.

I was pleasantly surprised that Jalan McClendon got the start out of the gate today. I think he was a solid foundation that our offence built on throughout the game. I do think that he can be a little stuck in his mind on who he clearly wants to throw the ball to, even when they might not be in the best position to receive.

I do question that Gerry Bohanon only entered the game for one play. This now means that he will have to completely sit out of one of the remaining games, if Baylor makes it to a bowl game, in order to preserve his red shirt as per the new rules. I would have liked to have either seen more of him today or waited until the next game when he could have played in the remaining four games.

Charlie coming into the game when he did, did not surprise me. Having been cleared to play from the concussion protocol, I expected to see him at some point during the game. It was very fitting that the last drive fell to his shoulders.

I could sit here and tell you about the dropped or badly thrown passes. I could sit here and tell you about the simple missed tackles. I could say that some of the play calls were questionable at best. But I won’t. Our guys played with heart today and, in a game many thought OSU were going to come in here and win easy, we game them a reason to stop and see.

The defense feeds off of fan interaction and they need that at every game, especially home games. The offence is young and steadily improving; the next few seasons are looking incredibly promising. Coach Rhule and the other members of the coaching staff care deeply about our guys, and they would take that penalty every time to keep proving that they have our players best interests in mind.

John Lovett is the future of the running back position. Jalan Hurd is still an incredible athlete. Our defense had some amazing sacks in crucial moments. It was a moment of pure poetic justice that Denzel Mims caught the game winning touchdown pass, his only reception of the game, from Charlie Brewer.

Say what you want about the pace of the process, but the process is happening. As a senior Baylor Bear, these are the moments I will look back on and say that I was proud to be a part of. This was an emotionally taxing, yet fulfilling homecoming game and I can’t wait to come back next year, officially alumni, and see where the process is then. Sic ‘em Bears!