Missouri Football: 10 Things You Need To Know About Baylor

The Missouri Tigers are riding high, as they have moved back to .500 with a monumental 38-31 victory at Texas A&M a week ago. The Baylor Bears weren't so lucky, as they were trounced 59-24 at the hands of Oklahoma State.

This week, when the Tigers visit Waco, both teams will be looking for a much-needed win.

We're aware of what the Tigers can bring to the table, it's just a matter of will they execute the game plan  to the best of their ability.

What do you need to know about Baylor before this Big 12 showdown on Saturday night?

Check it out.

Robert Griffin III Is a Monster

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last three months you probably know exactly who Robert Griffin III is. He's become one of the best, most electrifying players in all of college football.

A few of Griffin's notable statistics are simply mind blowing.

He's accumulated over 2,700 total yards, including 10.2 yards per pass attempt. He has thrown 23 touchdowns against only four interceptions, running in three additional scores.

His 75.4 percent completion and 190.7 quarterback rating are good for third-best in their respective categories nationwide.

Numbers only tell half of the story for RG3. He shows incredible pocket poise and is remarkably accurate on what we call 'next-level' throws.

The Defense Is Terrible

Baylor's defense isn't very good. It's as simple as that.

The Bears' defensive unit has allowed over 48 points in three different games this season, including 55-plus in each of the last two.

That is not good.

Their 36.4 points allowed per game is good for 115th in the country.

Missouri's offense is certainly running up the score against this bunch, it'll be on offense where Baylor will have to win the game.

They're Undefeated at Home This Year

I know this doesn't carry a whole lot of water when the four teams they've beaten at home are TCU, Stephen F. Austin, Rice and Iowa State.

I get that.

But it's what fashion they're winning and how well Robert Griffin and the offense handles their business within their own walls.

Missouri is by far the best competition they will have played at home to date, so we'll have to see how the Bears answer the call when the Tigers visit town.

Kendall Wright Is a Playmaker

Aside from how awesomely cool that picture is, Baylor's Kendall Wright is pretty good himself.

On the season Wright has hauled in 66 catches for 874 yards and nine touchdowns. That pace is leaps ahead of what he did all of last season—where he caught 78 balls for 952 yards and only seven touchdowns.

While much can be credited to his quarterback, Wright deserves his own, too.

The guy continues to make catches in crucial situations and also has a slew of highlight-reel worthy grabs on his belt.

He's notched a touchdown in every single game this season, except the last one against Oklahoma State where he still had 11 catches for 117 yards.

Not-so-Efficient Red-Zone Team

Red-zone efficiency is what separates the great teams from the good ones. On one hand you have Stanford who has scored every time they've been inside opposing 20-yard lines.

Then there is Baylor, who is ranked 102-of-120 in red-zone efficiency.

In 33 red-zone appearances on the season, the Bears have punched it in for six points 21 times and have added three field goals for a whopping total of 24-of-33 inside the 20.

Seventy-two percent isn't going to cut it if you want to truly compete with the best teams in the country.

For comparison's sake—the Tigers come away with points 89 percent of the time they enter the red zone.

They Love To Go for It on 4th Down

The Bears have attempted the 12th-most fourth downs in the country with a total of 18, and of those 18, they've converted 12 of them.

That's one thing this offense is very good at. They sustain drives and keep their playmakers on the field, because in the end, that gives them the best chance at winning.

They love to take chances. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

It's Homecoming

This doesn't really mean much in the context of what happens on the field, but I felt it was necessary to add.

The fans will come out and be loud in all attempts to help their team end this losing skid.

Wouldn't it be something if the Bears beat the inventors of the homecoming tradition (Missouri) at home on their very own homecoming.

They Can Run the Ball

I realize that almost every team is capable of running the football, but very low-key the Baylor Bears average 203.7 yards per game.

The more interesting stat to me is how much more they run the ball at home, which can be chalked up to them actually being competitive in home games.

Either way, they average 80 yards over their average at home and have punched it in 11 times.

If they can keep a balanced attack against Missouri, and keep them honest with the run, it could be a long day for the Tigers' defense.

Big-Play Offense

I've touched on the players that get it done for the Baylor Bears. But some of the stuff they do on a down-by-down basis is impressive.

Baylor's offense has registered 47 plays of 20 yards or more, including 13 over 40 yards and five over 60.

I mentioned how successful they can be when they sustain drives converting on third and fourth downs. They can be equally as successful when they go for the jugular and knock you out in one play.

Baylor Will Fight, but Ultimately Lose

Both teams are desperate for a win to move one stop closer to bowl eligibility. I think Baylor needs it more. 

Baylor still has Oklahoma and Texas Tech at a neutral site left on the schedule, add Texas to the mix and you have no easy task for six wins.

I think we're going to see a great game on Saturday night.

Robert Griffin III will shine for the Bears while James Franklin commands his troops when Missouri has the ball.

I just feel that Missouri's ability to run the ball with Henry Josey is the deciding factor and will ultimately help the Tigers move to 5-4 on the season.

Prediction: Missouri 42 Baylor 38