DALLAS -- The Baylor Bears came into Thursday's Cotton Bowl with the most successful running attack in the school's history, but the thought of running against Alabama's awesome defensive line was too much for Baylor Coach Grant Teaff.
Teaff sent the Bears out with a pass attack, hoping to cross up the Tide. But seven Baylor turnovers made the strategy academic.
Alabama, No. 7 in the nation, surged to a 30-2 victory.
Teaff was correct about running against Alabama. Baylor rushed for only 54 yards in 35 carries, the worst Cotton Bowl ground performance since SMU was limited to 40 years in 1967.
Walter Abercrombie, who became Baylor's career rushing leader in only three seasons, gained only 9 yards in eight carries.
'Not many folks are going to run against them,' Teaff said. 'We came in planning to throw because we thought we could do that. You just can't move on the ground against them.'
Quarterback Jay Jeffrey, who brought Baylor the Southwest Conference championship in a season in which the Bears weren't expected to contend, said Baylor's philosophy was to find weaknesses in the Tide's pass defense.
'We felt like they were going to give us the throw and we thought we could take advantage of it. They did a good job in picking up on everything that we did wrong,' he said.
Abercrombie, who as an all-SWC running back after rushing for 1,187 yards this season, sat dejectedly in the dressing room contemplating his relative inactivity.
'My job is to play, not to coach,' he said. 'I don't know why I didn't get the ball more today. This is the fewest number of carries I have had since I've been at Baylor.'
Teaff said Baylor had few situations in which to use Abercrombie. The Bears frequently found themselves in long yardage situations thanks to the Crimson Tide's defense of Baylor's option plays -- featuring the speedster.
'Walter didn't get the ball as much as we'd have liked,' Teaff said. 'It was based on field position -- on the hash marks.'
Despite only one offensive threat in the first half, Baylor trailed only 13-2 at halftime thanks to the play of its defense. Turnovers, including one at the Bears' 8 yard line, consistently killed Baylor drives.
'Turnovers, that's the story in a nutshell. That first quarter we had an opportunity but we fumbled on the 8 yard line and that hurt us the rest of the day,' Teaff said.
'When you turn it over seven times against Alabama you ain't going to win, and you're lucky if you don't get your brains beat out.'
