Inside Texas Roundtable - Baylor

Want information on Texas versus Baylor and more from Gerry Hamilton, Eric Nahlin, Justin Wells, Ian Boyd, Scipio Tex, and Joe Cook? Sign up for Inside Texas HERE today!

Texas returns to action Saturday when they welcome the Baylor Bears to Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium. The Inside Texas Staff offers predictions, thoughts on Waco, keys to the game, and more in the Roundtable.

Justin Wells – I think of Patrick Dennehy and Carlton Dotson. That was a crazy summer. I also think of the horrendous traffic on I-35 headed towards Austin. Also in 2013, the coldest game of my life.

Eric Nahlin – Forgetting the negativity associated with Waco, I’ll go with some nostalgia: A family new to Texas took a trip to Waco so the once precocious son could tour the Texas Rangers museum to better prepare for a history assignment.

Ian Boyd – I think of how it’s evolving. That drive down I-35 now includes McLane Stadium, which is a nice visual next to the otherwise less impressive Brazos River. The whole town has been a fixer upper that’s getting some work.

Joe Cook – I think of the 2015 game. It was my senior year, and I wanted to make sure I saw the last game of the year since it was the last game of the year. Me and three friends loaded up in Austin at 8:00 a.m., drove to Waco, parked at a friend’s house, went to the game, walked back to the friend’s house, drove back to Austin, and all put on a tuxedo and made a dinner with minutes to spare. I also think of farmhouse sinks, shiplap, and the ALICO building.

Scipio Tex – I always think of the Branch Davidians standoff. Yes, I know it didn’t happen in the Waco city limits.

2. Texas hasn’t played in two weeks. What do you expect to see from them on Saturday at DKR?

Justin Wells – I think UT comes out firing on offense, builds a lead, then slows down the tempo so that Baylor can catch up.

Eric Nahlin – Discombobulation interspersed with fits of infrequent choreography. “If you play poorly too many times in a row, you are a bad team.” I think I said that 10 games ago.

Ian Boyd – More of the same with a few token tweaks that don’t amount to much.

Joe Cook – I expect them to look like a more “seasoned” team. Baylor’s only games this year have been against a weak KU team (with Pooka) and a WVU team that went to overtime. Overtime? Texas has lived there this year. The bye week will help, but I think what a lot of Texas fans have seen the Longhorns mess up (in large part due to hyper focus on a single school) will be more evident in the Bears’ play.

Scipio Tex – Dunno! I’m pretty confident that no one on the Texas staff has any idea either. I think I feel pretty good about our defense in this matchup.

3. The one Baylor player UT must watch and pay attention to win on offense _____ and defense _______

Justin Wells – Trestan Ebner and Terrell Bernard are who I’m watching.

Eric Nahlin – Ebner on offense. The board liked him his senior year in high school and with good reason. I think him and LaKendrick Van Zandt were on the same team and many of us were high on both. Silly me, I recall thinking Ebner might make a great safety. On defense, Terrell Bernard. Another familiar name from high school. It would be worth revisiting him as a template for Big 12 linebacker play.

Ian Boyd – Texas needs to track Terrell Bernard, don’t let him get a free run on a blitz. On defense whoever is right in front of Brewer is more or less the priority.

Joe Cook – On offense, I suppose it’s Charlie Brewer. Other players on Baylor succeed off of him, and he isn’t doing a whole lot of succeeding at the current moment. It may HAVE to be him in some regard considering, after the whole COVID-19 situation, we may not know who is playing for the Bears until they suit up.

Scipio Tex – Texas has to track Trestan Ebner out of the backfield. Defensively, they’ve got to identify second level Baylor blitzers, specifically Bernard.

4. Texas-Baylor score, prediction:

Justin Wells – Baylor 33, Texas 30

Eric Nahlin – 31-28, Texas. It should be a blowout. I hate reducing expectations because of underperformance.

Ian Boyd – I think Texas will get over on them with a score like 27-23 but need a late drive by Ehlinger and a terrifying defensive series to escape disaster.

Joe Cook – 28-13, Texas

Scipio Tex – Hoo boy. Texas- 26, Baylor-21

5. Bet the mortgage “Upset of the Week”:

Justin Wells – Iowa State over Okie State

Eric Nahlin – North Carolina State over North Carolina. Every time I think to cheer for Mack Brown, I’m reminded how petulant he is.

Ian Boyd – I wouldn’t want my mortgage resting on a turned over Ohio State team covering 26 points on opening week against an angry Nebraska. I like the Huskers to make it interesting.

Joe Cook – Minnesota over Michigan

Scipio Tex – I’ll take the free points of Iowa State +4 over Oklahoma State. I think the teams are more or less evenly matched.