3 takeaways from Baylor's win over Oklahoma State
The Baylor Bears beat the Oklahoma State Cowboys 45-27. After a high-scoring first half, the Bears took control and limited the Cowboys' offense. Now 1-1 in Big 12 play, Baylor can turn their head towards Kansas State as they look to make a run in conference play after a Week 4 loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Sawyer Robertson's Heisman talks are warranted
Quarterback Sawyer Robertson threw for 4 touchdowns against the Cowboys, extending his streak of throwing for 3+ touchdowns to five straight games. Robertson was an early Heisman candidate after the team's win over the No. 17-ranked SMU Mustangs, but his name started to drown out after he struggled against the Samford Bulldogs, despite struggles in recent weeks. The Baylor quarterback showed he deserves to remain in contention for the award.
On Saturday, Baylor needed every bit of Robertson as the defense struggled to stop Oklahoma State. The redshirt senior ended the day throwing for 393 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Baylor quarterback also utilized his legs in the win, rushing for a touchdown. Robertson is the heart of the team and has dominated this season. After his impressive showing in the win, the Baylor quarterback continues to put up Heisman numbers and should remain in contention for the award.
Baylor's defense will keep them from competing in the Big 12
It has been no secret that the Bears' defense is the weakness of the team, but their performance in Week 5 makes things more concerning than they appeared through the first four weeks. Baylor allowed Oklahoma State's offense to put up 27 points and 448 yards. The Cowboys came into the week scoring just 14 points per game, but looked efficient against the weak Baylor defense.
Missed tackles, a lack of pressure, and trick plays were the story for the Bears' defense. FBS opponents are averaging 34 points per game against Baylor, and their defensive struggles haven't improved. The Bears' defense has been asked to make up for the defensive woes, but as we saw in the loss against the Sun Devils, it's not realistic to ask the offense to score 30+ points in every conference matchup. If Baylor's defense isn't able to make the proper adjustments, its Big 12 hopes could be over.
Caden Knighten deserves more snaps
Baylor has emphasized their desire to get their running game going. While Sawyer Robertson has been great this season, the Bears' offense will drastically benefit from a strong running game. Starting running back Bryson Washington has had a strong season, but went down with an injury in the win on Saturday.
In place of Washington, freshman running back Caden Knighten was called to step up. Knighten ended the day with 5 carries for 81 yards, averaging 16.2 yards a carry. Despite a small workload, the freshman running back put up big numbers and put his skills on display. Washington is the starter for Baylor, but Knighten complements his play style, offering elusiveness and burst for the Bears' offense.
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Kyle is a writer for the Baylor Bears on SI. He is a student at the University of New Orleans and studies journalism. He also covers the New Orleans Saints and has previously covered the LSU Tigers football team. Kyle loves all aspects of sports and has used that to pursue a career as a writer.