Former Baylor head coach Art Briles revealed this week that he had planned to leave Baylor for Texas following the 2013 season and had even decided to accept a six-year contract to replace Mack Brown. However, according to Briles, one game changed everything.
Speaking with On3, Briles said he was prepared to become the Longhorns’ next head coach heading into Baylor’s Fiesta Bowl matchup against UCF on Jan. 1, 2014. At the time, Baylor was coming off its first Big 12 championship and had emerged as one of the nation’s fastest-rising programs under Briles. Texas was searching for a replacement for Brown after a decade-long run that included a national championship and two appearances in the title game.
Briles claimed the deal was effectively done and that he intended to take the job. But Baylor’s stunning 52-42 loss to UCF in the Fiesta Bowl caused him to reconsider. Rather than leaving immediately after the defeat, Briles said he felt a responsibility to stay at Baylor and continue building the program. The loss, he indicated, altered his mindset and ultimately led him to remain in Waco.
The decision proved significant for both programs. Texas ultimately hired Louisville head coach Charlie Strong, while Briles stayed at Baylor and continued to lead the Bears through one of the most successful stretches in school history. Looking back more than a decade later, Briles’ comments offer a fascinating glimpse into one of college football’s biggest “what if” scenarios.
Had Baylor finished off its historic season with a Fiesta Bowl victory, the coaching landscape in the state of Texas might have looked dramatically different. Instead, one unexpected postseason loss changed the course of two major programs and created an alternate history that remains a source of intrigue throughout college football today.
