1974 Baylor Bears football team

1974 Baylor Bears football
SWC champion
Cotton Bowl Classic, L 21–40 vs. Penn State
Conference	Southwest Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 14
AP	No. 14
1974 record	8–4 (6–1 SWC)
Head coach	Grant Teaff (3rd year)
Home stadium	Baylor Stadium

1974 Southwest Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#14 Baylor $	6	–	1	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
#16 Texas A&M	5	–	2	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
#17 Texas	5	–	2	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
Arkansas	3	–	3	–	1			6	–	4	–	1
SMU	3	–	3	–	1			6	–	4	–	1
Texas Tech	3	–	4	–	0			6	–	4	–	2
Rice	2	–	5	–	0			2	–	8	–	1
TCU	0	–	7	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 1974 Baylor Bears football team represented the Baylor University in the 1974 NCAA Division I football season. Baylor won eight games and captured the Southwest Conference (SWC) championship for the first time since 1924, and in the process defeated the Texas by a score of 34–24 after rallying from a 24–7 halftime deficit. It was Baylor's first victory over the Longhorns in 17 years. The 1974 season and the win over Texas are commonly referred to as the "Miracle on the Brazos" (after the Brazos River, which runs near the Baylor campus) and it remains part of Baylor lore.

Schedule

Date	Opponent^#	Rank^#	Site	Result	Attendance
September 14	at No. 1 Oklahoma*		Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK	L 11–28	62,375
September 21	at Missouri*		Faurot Field • Columbia, MO	L 21– 28	43,752
September 28	No. 12 Oklahoma State*		Baylor Stadium • Waco, TX	W 31–14	30,000
October 5	at Florida State*		Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, FL	W 21–17	25,262
October 12	at No. 14 Arkansas		Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR	W 21–17	43,300
October 26	No. 8 Texas A&M		Baylor Stadium • Waco, TX	L 0–20	51,200
November 2	at TCU		Amon G. Carter Stadium • Fort Worth, TX	W 21–7	18,792
November 9	No. 12 Texas		Baylor Stadium • Waco, TX	W 34–24	43,100
November 16	No. 20 Texas Tech		Baylor Stadium • Waco, TX	W 17–10	32,000
November 23	at SMU	No. 16	Cotton Bowl • Dallas, TX	W 31–14	40,168
November 30	Rice	No. 16	Baylor Stadium • Waco, TX	W 24–3	40,500
January 1	vs. No. 7 Penn State*	No. 12	Cotton Bowl • Dallas, TX	L 20–41	68,500
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. ^#Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Central Time.

Team players drafted into the NFL

The following players were drafted into professional football following the season.

Player	Position	Round	Pick	Franchise
Neal Jeffery	quarterback	17	423	San Diego Chargers

Awards and honors

• Grant Teaff, AFCA Coach of the Year

References