Baylor Wins Big 12
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WACO, Texas — Baylor’s journey from worst to first is complete.
Once the perennial punching bag of the Big 12, Baylor’s 30-10 victory over Texas coupled with Oklahoma’s win over Oklahoma State on Saturday gave the Bears their first-ever Big 12 championship in football.
The title couldn’t have come at a sweeter time for Baylor, which played its final game at Floyd Casey Stadium before moving into a new on-campus stadium next season. Baylor set a stadium attendance record with 51,728 on hand despite a game-time temperature of 24 degrees.
No. 9 Baylor (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) came out of the halftime locker room swinging to put away the No. 23 Longhrons (8-4, 7-2).
Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty led a 14-play, 77-yard scoring drive to open the third quarter. Bears receiver Antwan Goodley reached out with his right hand to haul in the 11-yard touchdown pass that gave Baylor a 10-3 lead four minutes into the second half.
After the Baylor defense forced Texas to go three-and-out on its first possession of the second half, running back Lache Seastrunk ignited the Bears. Seastrunk ran three straight
times for 28 yards, moving Baylor to the Texas’ 19.
Petty finished the 47-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Levi Norwood.
By the time Baylor kicker Aaron Jones made a 42-yard field goal to give Baylor a 20-3 lead, Texas and its lackluster offense were in trouble.
The Longhorns finally scored their first touchdown early in the fourth quarter after a Jaxon Shipley 50-yard punt return and two personal foul penalties on Baylor gave Texas a first-and-goal at the Bears’ 8. It took Texas until fourth-and-goal from the 2 for quarterback Case McCoy to toss a scrambling 2-yard touchdown pass to running back Malcolm Brown.
The Longhorns never came within a touchdown after Baylor’s third-quarter surge.
Bears cornerback K.J. Morton sealed the win with an interception and an apparent 60-yard return for a touchdown. However, Morton was penalized for a celebration that began at the Texas 3, so Baylor took over at the Longhorns’ 18. It took Baylor one play to score as running back Glasco Martin ran up the middle for an 18-yard touchdown.
Texas and Baylor circled each other, resulting in a 3-3 standoff at halftime.
Baylor marched 68 yards on its first offensive series, moving to the Texas’ 5 before settling for Aaron Jones’ 22-yard field goal. It was the only time in the first half that either team moved inside their opponent’s 15.
Texas kicker Anthony Fera had a 44-yard field goal attempt blocked by Baylor’s Shawn Oakman.
Two of Baylor’s drives ended with Jones’ missed field goals from 49 and 35 yards.
Texas tied the game at 3 late in the second quarter when Fera was good from 42 yards.
Baylor and Texas were a combined 2 of 17 on third-down conversion attempts in the first half. Brown rushed for 118 yards in the first half, accounting for all but 40 of the Longhorns’ total offensive yards.
