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WACO, Texas -- With a coach named Briles still calling the plays, and Seth Russell throwing touchdown passes, Baylors offense certainly looked very familiar.Russell threw four touchdown passes in less than a half, and the No. 23 Bears beat FCS team Northwestern State 55-7 on Friday night in their first game since the sudden dismissal of coach Art Briles just more than three months ago.It felt like Baylor, Russell said, who took the calls from offensive coordinator, Kendal Briles, the former coachs son.Two-time Big 12 Conference champion coach Art Briles lost his job in the wake of a May report from an external investigation into allegations the university mishandled complaints of sexual assault, including some against football players.Acting head coach Jim Grobe retained the rest of the staff, and had no issues with the younger Briles having the initials CAB written on his hand -- presumably for Art Briles.To think about him losing Art as his head coach ... it had to be tougher on KB than anybody, Grobe said. I have no problems with that whatsoever. If you dont love your dad, somethings wrong.Kendal Briles wasnt available for comment since Baylor isnt making assistant coaches available to speak to the media this season.Russell was the top-rated FBS passer when he suffered a season-ending neck injury in the seventh game last year. He completed 14 of 20 passes for 163 yards with TDs to four receivers, including two tight ends. The Bears led 41-0 when he threw his last pass, a 10-yard TD pass to Pooh Stricklin with 5 minutes left in the first half.All for it, hes who brought me here. He gave me opportunity and I love him for it, Russell said when asked about Kendal Briles tribute. Coach Grobe did a fantastic job of stepping into a risky situation. Hes done a great job of handling it, and hes been staying positive the entire time.QUOTABLE:It was refreshing honestly to get to football, for me. I wanted to see how we reacted as a team. ... Ive just got a good feeling about these guys after the game. Thats what I was wondering going in, Grobe said.THE TAKEAWAYNORTHWESTERN STATE: Really, the outcome should have been no surprise. Northwestern State had lost its previous four meetings against Baylor by an average margin of 50 points, including 70-6 two years ago. Brooks Haack, the second graduate transfer in a row to start for the Demons, was under constant pressure and completed only 3 of 13 passes for 14 yards, but did run 3 yards for their only score.BAYLOR: The Bears, who are down to about 70 scholarship players, got some valuable playing time for true freshman quarterback Zach Smith and plenty of other non-starters, including third-teamers on offense and defense after halftime. Smith went through spring practice after graduating high school early, and was thrust into the role as backup when Jarrett Stidham left Baylor this summer. Smith was 5 of 7 passing for 60 yards and a touchdown and two other freshmen got into the game as well.The defense was overwhelming, holding Northwestern State to 78 total yards, but will get a much tougher test against SMU, where Bears defensive coordinator Phil Bennett was once the head coach.POLL IMPLICATIONSBAYLOR: Dont look for the Bears to make much of a move in the poll. Sure, they could move up a spot or two if other teams ranked above them lose, but a 48-point victory against an FCS team isnt likely to overly impress voters.KEY NUMBERSBaylor had 498 total yards (275 rushing, 223 passing). ... Terence Williams ran a Baylor-high 11 times for 72 yards and two touchdowns. ... Shock Linwood, who ran nine times for 97 yards, is 107 yards shy of becoming Baylors career rushing leader. Walter Abercrombies record of 3,665 yards has stood for 35 years. ... The last time two Baylor tight ends caught TD passes in the same game was Sept. 8, 2007, when Justin Akers had two TDs and Brad Taylor one in a 42-17 win vs. Rice. ... The Bears led 48-0 at the half, when Northwestern State had 3 total yards and eight punts.UP NEXTNORTHWESTERN STATE: The Demons have never been competitive against Baylor. So they just have to move forward and get ready for their Southland Conference opener at home Sept. 8 against Incarnate Word.Coming out in the second half, offensively, defensively we were able to do some things, Demons coach Jay Thomas said. Baylor, theyre really good, man.BAYLOR: After easing into the season against a lower-division opponent, the Bears stay home next week against SMU. It is the first of consecutive games against former Southwest Conference rivals (the Mustangs and Rice) who are still in the field of candidates for possible Big 12 expansion.Keyshawn Johnson Jets Jersey . 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Wayne Chrebet Youth Jersey . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg.CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Tres Tinkle missed the final five games of last season with a foot injury, including Oregon States loss in the NCAA Tournament.He was cleared for basketball activities just three weeks ago, and after playing on Friday night, Tinkle said his foot felt fine.Regardless of my foot or anything like that, Im going to be sore no matter what. Ill just get treatment, stretch and Ill be good to go, said Tinkle, the teams leading returning scorer and rebounder from 2015-16.Tinkle had 20 points and 15 rebounds and Drew Eubanks added 14 points, eight rebounds and tied a school record with seven blocks in the season opener Friday night as Oregon State cruised past Prairie View A&M, 78-58.JaQuori McLaughlin, playing his first college game, scored 12 points off the bench for the Beavers.Its great to get that first win, said Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle, Tres Tinkles father.Daquan Cook had 14 points and four steals and L.J. Westbrook scored 13 points for the Panthers.Both teams shot poorly, but Oregon State made 37 of 49 free throws, while the Panthers only went to the line 17 times in the game. The Beavers also outrebounded the Panthers 48-33.The Beavers went on a 17-2 run, capped by a pair of Cheikh Ndiaye free throws, to take a 25-11 lead with 6:10 left in the first half.Oregon State led 36-22 at the break and was ahead by double digits the entire second half.BIG PICTUREPrairie View A&M: The Panthers started last season 1-18 before Byron Smith was named interim coach, and led the squad to a 6-6 finish. The team is now officially Smiths. . Three of the top four scorers for Prairie View A&M on Friday were transfer students.Oregon SState: The Beavers must replace the production of Gary Payton II, now in the NBA D-League, to make the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.dddddddddddd Last season, Payton led Oregon State in points, rebounds, assists and steals. . Payton also holds the school record with seven blocks.BANNER YEAR: A banner with Oregon States NCAA appearances had a new entry and was raised to the rafters before the game, which Wayne Tinkle said was pretty cool, especially since there was a gap between 1990 and 2016. There was a lot of coaches and players during that time that were giving it their all and just for whatever reason didnt get that opportunity, he said.DRIBBLE PENETRATION: Smith said the Beavers dribble penetration helped lead to the disparity in free throws. I think we were probably using our hands way too much. They were really able to penetrate and get into the teeth of our defense, he added.NEW FACES: This years Panthers squad is far different in last season, in part because the culture has changed, Smith said. But there also are plenty of different faces. Weve got eight or nine new players were trying to work in from all over the country, just trying to develop our chemistry, he said.?UP NEXTPrairie View A&M plays Saturday at Fresno State, the Mountain West Conferences defending champion. The Panthers open the season with four road games.Oregon State looks for a second win to start the season versus Texas-San Antonio on Sunday in Corvallis. The Roadrunners lost 69-66 to Fresno State on Friday night. ' ' '