No. 7 Baylor has a chance to prove itself in the Allstate Sugar Bowl vs. No. 5 Georgia

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Baylor may have missed out on the College Football Playoff, but the Bears’ season isn’t done yet.

With the Big 12 champion Oklahoma heading to the College Football Playoff, Baylor announced it will be heading to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans to face No. 5 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2020. The game will be televised on ESPN at 7:45 p.m. CT.

After going 1-11 in Matt Rhule’s first season at Baylor, this is the second straight season the Bears will play in a bowl game. In their first one in the Rhule era last season, the Bears beat Vanderbilt 45-38 in the Texas Bowl.

Here are three thoughts on Baylor’s upcoming Sugar Bowl matchup:

A chance to prove themselves

Nothing can take away from what’s been an impressive season for Rhule and the Bears.

However, a win against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl would be a huge accolade to add to Baylor’s resume.

The one knock on Baylor this season which slowed its rise up the rankings was its weak schedule. Of all the teams Baylor has faced this season, just two of them are currently ranked in the AP Top 25: No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 25 Oklahoma State. Baylor beat Oklahoma State handily and lost two close matchups against the Sooners.

A win over Georgia would easily be the best in the Rhule era and would further put the Bears on the map heading into next season.

A defensive battle

Don’t expect a shootout between Baylor and Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. Both teams are ranked in the top 50 in total defense in the FBS.

Georgia is allowing 274.2 yards per game, the fourth-fewest in FBS. And that’s while playing against plenty of talented SEC opponents.

Baylor meanwhile has led the Big 12 with a scoring defense that allows just 19.3 points per game. The Bears are led by Big 12 defensive player of the year Blake Lynch, who has a conference-high 12.5 sacks.

“Our growth on defense, you know, going from maybe second to last or last in every defensive category to this year where we’re first or second in every category. And it’s the same players,” Rhule said. “It was just really their growth, their development, the job that Phil Snow, our defensive coordinator, has done has been amazing.”

Expect these elite defenses to rule the Sugar Bowl. It will be the ultimate test for a Baylor defense that has already passed plenty this season.

Will Charlie Brewer be available?

Charlie Brewer only attempted six passes before having to be pulled out of the Big 12 championship game between Baylor and Oklahoma on Saturday.

Brewer took a hard hit from Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray in the second quarter and after being helped up by Baylor players he appeared to stumble as he tried to maintain his balance. He then took another hard hit and wasn’t able to finish the game.

With a few weeks until the Sugar Bowl, it’s possible that Brewer could be ready to go, but Rhule said he’s not sure at this time.

“There’s really no update right now on Charlie to be made official,” Rhule said in a teleconference on Sunday. “I haven’t really had a chance to get back there to see them. He is obviously, as with anybody who’s suffered the injury, under the care of the medical staff.”

If not, third-stringer Jacob Zeno may see some time. The freshman impressed against Oklahoma, throwing for 159 yards and a touchdown and forcing overtime against the Sooners.

If Brewer’s available, he will likely play as he’s earned that opportunity by leading this Baylor team to 11 wins, but if not, could the Bears opt for Zeno over second-stringer Gerry Bohanon?

The offense was stagnant with Bohanon in before the Bears switched to Zeno in the fourth quarter. Zeno flashed a big arm with passes of 81 and 78 yards.

If Brewer isn’t available, don’t be surprised to see Zeno get a chance.

— DALLAS NEWS