Texas Blows Another Lead In Baylor Loss
Another game, another double-digit lead blown.
The season for the Texas Longhorns continues to crumble, as No. 16 Baylor rallied for a convincing 31-24 victory Saturday afternoon at McLane Stadium.
The Longhorns have lost three in a row, dropping to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the Big 12. The shine sure appears to have dulled in Steve Sarkisian’s first season as coach.
Reeling after back-to-back losses to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, Texas hoped to come back strong after a bye week. But just like in setbacks to the Sooners and Cowboys, the Horns coughed up another big lead.
Up 21-10 early in the second half, the Horns watched helplessly as the Bears (7-1, 4-1) finished the game with a 21-3 spurt. Baylor imposed its will in the second half, grinding out drives on the ground and limiting Texas scoring chances.
The Bears finished with 430 total yards, including 202 yards rushing. Abram Smith ran for 113 yards and quarterback Gerry Bohanon overcame two interceptions to throw for 222 yards.
Still, the Horns had the ball back with 2:07 left at their 32-yard line and down a touchdown. Casey Thompson followed with four consecutive incompletions, and Baylor celebrated.
Thompson finished 23 of 38 for 280 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Bijan Robinson was limited to only 43 yards rushing.
The Longhorns struck first thanks to an interception and long return by B.J. Foster. The senior safety stepped in front of a Gerry Bohanon pass over the middle on the game’s second play and took it 31 yards to the Baylor 31-yard line.
Four plays later, Thompson found Joshua Moore for a 10-yard touchdown.
The Bears answered on their second possession with an impressive 7-yard touchdown march. A little trickery got BU into the end zone, as receiver Tyquan Thornton took a reverse and threw to wide-open R.J. Sneed for 6-yard score.
Thompson connected with receiver Xavier Worthy on a 63-yard bomb to late in the first quarter to put Texas back on top 14-10. The electric freshman ran away from coverage for his seventh touchdown this season.
Texas had its share of ups and highs in the second quarter. A lost fumble by Moore was countered by several critical stops on defense, including one on fourth down near midfield and an interception by linebacker Blake Brockermeyer late in the final minute of the half.
The Horns were in position to add to their 14-10 lead at the BU 34 with 27 seconds left, but Moore dropped a sure touchdown in the end zone and then couldn’t haul in a pass that led to a Baylor pick.
Texas took its largest lead of the afternoon by taking the second half kickoff 75 yards in 14 plays, with Robinson going the final yard. The 21-10 lead didn’t last.
The Bears scored three consecutive touchdowns, with the last drive aided by a failed fake punt from Texas. Cameron Dicker tried to run for it on fourth-and-11 and was stuffed considerably short Baylor 47.
It doesn’t get much easier for the Longhorns with a trip to No. 22 Iowa State next week.
