The last time Baylor defeated a Power 5 conference opponent from outside the Big 12, "Skyfall" was the James Bond film in the theaters, President Obama was still on his first term and the Mayans were predicting the end of the world.
Those Bears hammered UCLA 49-26 in the 2012 Holiday Bowl to cap an amazing end-of-season finish, which set the foundation for Baylor’s run to back-to-back Big 12 championships in 2013 and 2014.
Yet due to the Bears’ soft scheduling practices and a pair of bowl flops the past two seasons, one of the only -- and yet significant -- lingering holes in Baylor’s resumé since has been the lack of a marquee victory from outside the conference since that UCLA game.
Which makes the clash with No. 10 North Carolina on Dec. 29 in the Russell Athletic Bowl all the more important for a Baylor program still angling for approbation.
“It's still all about earning respect,” Baylor offensive tackle Spencer Drango said. “Back then and now. We're still trying to fight for respect every day. Not just to get in that national spotlight, but to stay. To say, 'Hey, we belong here.' It's not just a fluke.”
Despite losing three of their last four games to finish out this regular season, due in large part to quarterback injuries, the Bears, starting with the UCLA win, have proved to a large degree they belong with the top teams in the country with two Big 12 titles and a 31-7 record over the last three years.
On the other hand, those lingering doubters can point to Baylor’s nonconference body of work and its bowl performances over that span. The Bears’ best nonconference victory in the last three years was a road win at Buffalo. And their last two bowl outings include a 52-42 loss to Central Florida in the Fiesta Bowl, in which they never led, and a 42-41 collapse to Michigan State in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, in which they blew a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter.
This season, the Bears rolled into November with hopes of winning a third straight conference title and advancing into the College Football Playoff after missing out by one spot in the rankings last season. But after quarterback Seth Russell suffered a season-ending neck injury on Halloween, the offense took a dip. Then, after backup quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Chris Johnson were also injured, the offense took a dive.
“It obviously wasn’t the season everyone hoped it would be,” Drango said. “But we did some good things this year and have a chance to go out on a really high note with another 10-win season. That’s what we’re focused on right now.”
Considering the injuries, getting to 10 wins would go a long way toward reinforcing Baylor’s credibility nationally. The Bears, after all, ended the season with wide receiver Lynx Hawthorne having to play quarterback.
But a victory over the favored Tar Heels won’t come easy, either.
Over the weekend, Baylor coach Art Briles revealed that Biletnikoff Award winner Corey Coleman (sports hernia) and 1,300-yard running back Shock Linwood (foot) will miss the Russell Athletic Bowl with injuries. With Stidham still recovering from a leg fracture, the Bears are expected to roll with Johnson behind center again, too.
“I have a lot of faith and belief in the guys we've got," Briles said. "We've got good people, we've got a good system and we've got a good team and program, so we've got good spirits."
Even so, defeating North Carolina will be a monumental challenge for the shorthanded Bears. Behind quarterback Marquise Williams, the Tar Heels lead the nation in yards per play after reeling off 11 straight wins before narrowly falling to top-ranked Clemson in the ACC championship game.
"We look at it as an inspiring opportunity for a lot of people," Briles said.
But as a whole, it's an opportunity for Baylor to put the bowl flops firmly in the past while giving the Bears that noteworthy out-of-conference win to build on for the future.
“Getting to 10 wins, against an ACC team, a team as good as North Carolina, that would be big for us,” defensive end Jamal Palmer said. “That would add to the resumé and show the College Football Playoff (selection committee) and others that we can play with people like that.”