Texas @ Baylor preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 30, 2010 ) Baylor 30, Texas 22

THE STORY: No. 18 Baylor’s 66-42 victory over Texas Tech last weekend gave the school its first eight-win season since 1991, and now the Bears look to close their regular season with a win against Texas. Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III has practiced this week and is expected to play after getting knocked out of the win over the Red Raiders with concussion-like symptoms. The Longhorns are finishing their regular season with a game against someone other than Texas A&M for the first time since 1994 and only the second time since 1982. The Bears snapped Texas’ 12-game winning streak in this series with a 30-22 win in Austin last season.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC Line: Baylor -2.5

ABOUT TEXAS (7-4, 4-4 Big 12): The Longhorns are coming off a huge emotional high with their 27-25 win at Texas A&M on Thanksgiving. In what could be the final game of one of the longest rivalries in all of college sports, Justin Tucker kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired to give the Aggies a sour taste as they head to the SEC next season. Texas’ defense has carried the load this season, ranking ninth in the country in total yards (297.6) and seventh against the run (95.7).

ABOUT BAYLOR (8-3, 5-3 Big 12): With a victory Saturday, the Bears would reach nine regular-season wins and six conference wins for the first time since 1986, when they were members of the Southwest Conference. Last week, backup quarterback Nick Florence burned his redshirt to fill in for Griffin III, who had his head bounced off the turf while scrambling outside the pocket late in the first half. Florence threw two touchdowns, and Terrance Ganaway — the Big 12’s leading rusher — rumbled for a career-high 246 yards on 42 carries to help seal the victory.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Baylor has six games with at least 600 yards of total offense this season after having only seven such games in their previous 109 seasons.

2. The Bears are looking for their first back-to-back wins over Texas since 1991 and 1992.

3. Texas quarterback Case McCoy has started his career with 107 passes without an interception, a school record.

PREDICTION: Baylor 31, Texas 21. Griffin III will make enough plays through the air to carry the Bears and continue their feel-good 2011 season.