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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The Baylor University football team achieved great |
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| 6 | 6 | | success during the 2014-2015 season, becoming back to back Big 12 |
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| 7 | 7 | | Conference Champions and reaching the Cotton Bowl for the first |
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| 8 | 8 | | time since 1981; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Playing their first season in the newly christened |
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| 10 | 10 | | McLane Stadium in Waco, Baylor began the year by soundly defeating |
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| 11 | 11 | | Southern Methodist University in the season opener; the Bears |
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| 12 | 12 | | followed that performance with dominating victories over their next |
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| 13 | 13 | | four opponents, setting the stage for a much-anticipated matchup |
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| 14 | 14 | | with the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs; in that contest, |
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| 15 | 15 | | Baylor fought back from a 21-point fourth quarter deficit to win |
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| 16 | 16 | | 61-58 on a last-second field goal by kicker Chris Callahan; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, The Bears rebounded from a midseason loss to West |
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| 19 | 20 | | season with a 38-27 victory over the No. 9-ranked Kansas State |
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| 20 | 21 | | team; that triumph secured a share of the Big 12 Conference |
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| 21 | 22 | | championship, and although Baylor was disappointed to not be one of |
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| 22 | 23 | | the four teams selected for the inaugural College Football Playoff, |
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| 23 | 24 | | they earned a berth to play in the Cotton Bowl for just the third |
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| 24 | 25 | | time in the program's long history; and |
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| 25 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Head coach Art Briles and his coaching staff helped |
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| 26 | 27 | | lead Baylor to an exemplary 11-2 overall record, which marked the |
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| 27 | 28 | | second consecutive season that the team compiled 10 wins or more; |
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| 28 | 29 | | moreover, the Bears finished the year ranked in the top 10 in each |
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| 29 | 30 | | of college football's major polls; the Bears' high-powered attack |
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| 30 | 31 | | led the nation in total offense with over 580 yards per game and in |
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| 31 | 32 | | total scoring with more than 48 points per game; and |
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| 32 | 33 | | WHEREAS, In addition to the team's accomplishments, several |
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| 33 | 34 | | Baylor players were selected to the 2014 All-Big 12 Team, including |
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| 34 | 35 | | running back Shock Linwood, offensive lineman Spencer Drango, |
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| 35 | 36 | | defensive linemen Andrew Billings and Shawn Oakman, quarterback |
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| 36 | 37 | | Bryce Petty, wide receiver Corey Coleman, linebacker Bryce Hager, |
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| 37 | 38 | | and punter Spencer Roth; and |
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| 38 | 39 | | WHEREAS, All season long, the Bears excelled by dedicating |
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| 39 | 40 | | themselves to a team-oriented approach to the game, and it is indeed |
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| 40 | 41 | | appropriate to honor all those who contributed to Baylor's success; |
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| 41 | 42 | | now, therefore, be it |
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| 42 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 43 | 44 | | Legislature hereby congratulate the Baylor University football |
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| 44 | 45 | | team for its outstanding 2014-2015 season and extend sincere best |
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| 45 | 46 | | wishes to the team's players, coaches, and staff for continued |
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| 46 | 47 | | achievement; and, be it further |
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| 47 | 48 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 48 | 49 | | prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 49 | 50 | | House of Representatives. |
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