The last time Baylor started 0-3 they went 1-10 and were one of the worst programs in college football. Unlike 1999 — which came during a miserable nine-year, 23-win stretch — there is hope for the future, in the form of a strong 2018 recruiting class.
After dropping home games to Liberty and UT-San Antonio to open his tenure as Bears' head coach, Matt Rhule couldn't get it done at Duke in Week 3, sending his program to their worst start in 18 years.
Amidst the futility, Rhule is hanging onto a recruiting class that ranks fourth in the Big 12 and 28th in the country, according to 247Sports. They have 18 commits, including four-star receiver Joshua Fleeks of Cedar Hill, Texas. A top-300 recruit, Fleeks picked the Bears in February and has remained firm despite the depressing start and other big-time offers (e.g. Georgia, Tennessee).
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Baylor is one of 10 winless FBS teams. Here are all 10, ranked from worst to best 2018 recruiting class.
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10. UTEP
Recruiting Class Rank: No. 167
UTEP and fifth-year head coach Sean Kugler have secured just one 2018 commitment and rank dead last in Conference USA.
Evan Tagoya-Vallo is a two-star guard from New Mexico who pledged to the Miners in July. He's the 147th-ranked guard in the country.
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9. Charlotte
Recruiting Class Rank: No. 122
Five of Charlotte's five commits are two-star players; the other three are not rated.
Four of them are in-state prospects, including quarterback Brady Pope, a two-star player from Statesville, N.C. He is the 79th-ranked pro-style passer in the nation.
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8. UMass
Recruiting Class Rank: No. 116
All six of UMass' 2018 commits picked the Minutemen over the summer, two of whom are three-star prospects in athlete Shatar McClay and defensive tackle Dennis Osagiede.
McClay hails from Tennessee and passed on offers from the Vols, Indiana and Purdue.
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7. UL-Monroe
Recruiting Class Rank: No. 111
The Warhawks currently have the seventh-ranked class in the Sun Belt, thanks to three three-star recruits, including defensive end Jalan Harris and quarterback Colby Suits, both of whom appear to be on the verge of Power Five offers. Suits is a 6-foot-3, 222-pound pro-style passer from Forney, Texas.
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6. Georgia Southern
Recruiting Class Rank: No. 104
Georgia Southern had a productive July, reeling in eight 2018 recruits, a group highlighted by do-it-all offensive playmaker Arthur Brantley and outside linebacker Torey Zanders, the latter of whom has a Michigan State offer.
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5. Nevada
Recruiting Class Rank: No. 95
First-year head coach Jay Norvell's first full recruiting class is ranked fourth in the Mountain West, which would be the program's highest-ranked class since finishing third in 2014.
Norvell snagged two three-star receivers from California in Romeo Doubs and Kashan Griffin. They're both ranked among the top 225 receivers in the country. Eight of their 12 commits are from California.
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4. Georgia State
Recruiting Class Rank: No. 94
Georgia State is aiming for their first top-100 class in program history. They're tied with three other Sun Belt teams for the most three-star prospects (six).
Receiver Samuel Oshodi is the best of the bunch. He's a 5-foot-11, 170-pounder from St. Thomas Aquinas High School who carries offers from Oregon and Wake Forest.
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3. Bowling Green
Recruiting Class Rank: No. 86
Five of Bowling Green's seven three-star commits are from Florida or Ohio, including diminutive speedster Raveion Hargrove of Dayton. The 5-foot-5 all-purpose back would undoubtedly be swimming in Power Five offers if he was three inches taller.
The Falcons currently have the No. 4 class in the MAC.
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2. ECU
Recruiting Class Rank: No. 68
Despite a brutal start to 2017, Scottie Montgomery and ECU are recruiting well. Their 19-player class ranks seventh in the conference and features 11 three-star players.
The crown jewel is dual-threat quarterback Holton Ahlers from nearby D.H. Conley High School, just 10 minutes down the road. He has offers from Georgia and North Carolina State.
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1. Baylor
Recruiting Class Rank: No. 28
After piecing together the nation's 40th-ranked group in a few months' time last year, Matt Rhule is aiming for a top-25 class in 2018.
In addition to Joshua Fleeks, they also have top-500 prospects Craig Williams, Kalon Barnes, Stanley Hackett and Connor Galvin, all from Texas. Williams is the eighth-ranked all-purpose back in the country.
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