BAYLOR Football...BIG 12 CHAMPIONS

What a day December 7th will be in Baylor History!  We were looking forward to a great game against the UT Longhorns, and the excitement started building when OSU lost to OU and we realized the winner of our game would be the Big 12 Champions.  So, the stakes couldn't be higher as we started to play.  In addition, it was also a sad occasion as we knew this was our LAST game in Floyd Casey stadium.  The stadium opened in 1950 and has been home to us Bears since.  Every game Charles played in was here.  The locker room often times felt like his second home.  It holds a lot of memories both when we went to school here, and the countless games over the last 10 years as alumni.  Both my babies attended their first Baylor games at 4 weeks (Cade) and 7 weeks (Caelin).  Caelin was also the first winner ever of the Baylor Crowd Cameo award when she was 7 weeks and we led the Baylor line onto the field pregame.  I have nursed, pumped, and watched our children play in the Letterman's Lounge.  Saying goodbye to the Letterman's lounge was almost more painful.  Walter Abercrombie led off the many thanks and then honored Dutch Schroeder for his journey with starting the Letterman's lounge a long time ago.  We have both braved to heat, cold, ice, and now snow.   It is a special place for us.  As the weather kept us chilled at 22 degrees (wind chill at 9 degrees), we continued to cheer and were so blessed our team led us to a BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP...AND a BCS bowl game!  Final score over Texas was 30-10.  After the game, we all stayed and watched the Commissioner hand over the BIG 12 Trophy and all the Bear fans rush the field.  It was a great time for Baylor Nation.  Finally, in a ceremony, the lights were shut out one by one and we sang our last Alma Matter with only the Jumbo tron lights left on.  Thank you Floyd Casey Stadium for the memories and love.  Even though your lights are out, we hope your memories always shine bright!

"Baylor beat Texas, 30-10, to finish the season 11-1 (8-1 in Big 12 play) and win the Big 12 Conference title outright (the Bears' first conference title since 1980). The 11 wins set a program record (with one game to go), and the Floyd Casey finale drew the largest crowd in Floyd Casey history.  With a flood of students and other fans celebrating on the field post game, the Bears enjoyed first a championship ceremony in which head coach Art Briles and crew received the Big 12 trophy, then followed that up by slowly shutting off the lights at Floyd Casey. Baylor legends from each of Floyd Casey's six decades flipped one switch apiece, followed by University President Ken Starr and finally Briles, tear streaks still apparent on his cheeks."
 -Baylor Proud