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Baylor-Texas A&M football
RECAP: Jerrod Johnson threw for 153 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 83 yards and another score as Texas A&M romped to a 38-3 victory over Baylor today in College Station.
The Aggies (6-5, 3-4 Big 12) became bowl-eligible. With the loss, Baylor (4-7, 1-6) cannot earn a bowl berth.
Christine Michael set an A&M record with a 97-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to give the Aggies a 21-3 lead.
Nick Florence was 21-of-31 for 177 yards and two interceptions for Baylor.
The Bears will wrap up the season next week against Texas Tech at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
5:39 p.m.— It’s over. Texas A&M becomes bowl-eligible with a 38-3 victory over Baylor.
5:35 p.m.— The Bears throw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-goal at the Aggie 3. A&M takes over with 3:32 to play, up 38-3.
5:17 p.m. — Jerrod Johnson eludes the Baylor rush, and finds Ryan Tannehill in the back of the end zone for a seven-yard TD. This may be the worst game Baylor has played this year. The Bears trail 38-3 with 6:55 left.
5:07 p.m. — Nick Florence and the Bears go nowhere again, leading to Epperson’s fifth punt of the day.
5:02 p.m. — Christine Michael’s 2-yard TD run vaults the Aggie lead to 31-3 over the Bears with 14:31 remaining in this laugher.
4:58 p.m. — End of three quarters, with A&M leading 24-3 and driving for more. The Aggies will open the fourth with a 2nd-and-1 at the BU 8.
4:53 p.m. — Baylor’s offense continues to backpedal, with a three-and-out, and the Aggies will regain the ball at the 50 after a 39-yard Epperson punt.
4:49 p.m. — Jason Lamb comes up with a sack of Jerrod Johnson on third down, and then on fourth, A&M kicker Randy Bullock sets up for a field goal, but then takes the direct snap and flicks a short punt to the BU 12. That’s where the Bears will take over, with 3:16 left in the third.
4:46 p.m. — Aggies take a timeout, with a 3rd-and-5 at the BU 22.
4:36 p.m. — Baylor doesn’t respond. On a 4th-and-16 play, the Bears fake a field goal try from Dary Stone, and instead pitch the ball to the kicker, who doesn’t get much before he’s stuffed by the Aggie defense. Ill-conceived play to say the least.
4:27 p.m. — A&M extends its lead to 24-3 on its opening drive of the second half, thanks to a 48-yard field goal from Randy Bullock.
4:13 p.m. — Here come the halftime stats. If you’re a Baylor fan, you might want to leave your computer screen. If you’re an Aggie, read and enjoy.
FIRST DOWNS: BU 14, A&M 10 RUSHES-YARDS: BU 17-35; A&M 24-287 ATT-COMP-INT: BU 25-18-3; A&M 10-6-0 PASSING YARDS: BU 139; A&M 30 PENALTIES-YDS: BU 6-45; A&M 7-96 THIRD-DOWN CONVERSIONS: BU 1-of-8, A&M 3-of-5
Christine Michael has 112 yards rushing for A&M on 5 carries, while Cyrus Gray has added 95 and two TDs on 9 totes.
4:00 p.m. — And that’s the half. The Aggies run out the clock and take a commanding 21-3 lead into the break. It’s going to take a miraculous rally by Baylor to keep its bowl hopes alive and earn its first win in College Station since 1984.
3:58 p.m. — Nick Florence is not having a good day, as A&M’s Kyle Mangan snares his high pass near the goal line and returns it back across the 20. Florence has two picks on the day, and Kendall Wright has thrown another for the Bears.
3:55 p.m. — Thanks to a roughing-the-passer penalty against A&M, and a couple of passes from Florence to Sampson, the Bears move into Aggie territory at the A&M 23 with 48 seconds left. Baylor takes a timeout, and has one left.
3:47 p.m. — Baylor’s defense comes up with a takeaway, thanks to a forced fumble from Joe Pawelek. Bears take over at the 11 following the recovery, with just under three minutes left in the half.
3:43 p.m. — And things just keep getting worse for the Bears, who are digging a bigger hole by the minute. A&M’s Jordan Pugh picks off Florence on a severely underthrown ball downfield, and Pugh scoots downfield to the BU 3, before an A&M penalty brings the ball back to the 29. The Bears are now 0-for-7 on third-down tries.
3:39 p.m. — Randy Bullock misses on a 38-yard field goal try for A&M, and the score remains 21-3 Aggies, with 6:34 remaining until halftime.
3:34 p.m. — Kyle Mangan — from my hometown of Brenham — flies in for a sack of Nick Florence on third down. The Aggies will regain possession at their 33 following a short 36-yard Epperson punt. Expect more running for A&M, which has racked up 237 yards on the ground to this point. Until the Bears show they can stop the Ags, they’ll keep pounding it right at BU.
3:30 p.m. — The Bears look completely out of sorts, stunned by Michael’s amazing run. They take a timeout, facing 1st-and-15 from their own 29.
3:23 p.m. — Baylor botches that red-zone scoring chance, as Florence laterals to Kendall Wright, who then sprints to the right sideline, turns and fires an underthrown pass back across the field attempted for Lanear Sampson. The Aggies pick it off, and then two plays later, cash in in HUGE fashion, as Christine Michael breaks loose on a 97-yard touchdown run, the longest in A&M history. The previous best? Tiki Hardeman had a 96-yarder against Baylor in 1995. Aggies lead, 21-3, on a major momentum swing.
3:21 p.m. — Ruling is that Gettis was indeed down, though for some reason the ball is spotted at the 6 rather than inside the 5, which is where Gettis went down.
3:19 p.m. — The officials are ruling a rather big play for Baylor, as Nick Florence hit David Gettis for a five-yard gain to the Aggie 5, only to see the ball squirt out at the end of the play. However, replays seem to indicate that Gettis’s knees were down first.
3:14 p.m. — That’s the end of the first quarter, with Baylor trailing A&M, 14-3. However, the Bears are on the move again, and will start the second with a 1st-and-goal from the Aggie 10.
3:07 p.m. — A&M’s Jerrod Johnson follows the right side of his line and falls into the end zone from a yard out, lifting the Aggies to a 14-3 lead with 2:17 remaining in the opening quarter. The Bears have no answer thus far for A&M’s running game.
3:00 p.m. — Dary Stone angles in a 31-yard field goal to cap a nice 10-play scoring drive for the Bears. Baylor used the hurry-up offense effectively a couple of times on that series, catching the Aggie defense scrambling. It’s now 7-3, A&M, with 5:05 left in the first.
2:54 p.m. — Uzoma Nwachukwu — try spelling that without looking — slips to the turf when trying to corral a third-down pass from Jerrod Johnson. Baylor will take over at its own 45 after a partially-deflected eight-yard punt.
2:51 p.m. — Oh, and the sun just peeked its head out between the clouds. Is that a good omen for the Bears? We’ll see.
2:49 p.m. — Baylor fails to convert for the second straight third down, leading to another punt. The Bears were actually lucky to hang onto the ball on that third-down play, as Nick Florence was nearly picked off by a diving Terrence Frederick.
2:45 p.m. — The Aggies hoof it right downfield on an eight-play, 74-yard scoring drive. On the touchdown, Jerrod Johnson hit Kenny Brown on a two-yard pass to the left side of the end zone. But the score was really set up by the shifty running of sophomore Cyrus Gray, who busted two long runs on the drive. It’s 7-0, A&M, with 11:08 remaining in the first quarter.
2:38 p.m. — Three-and-out for the Bears’ offense on the first series, forcing a Derek Epperson punt.
2:33 p.m. —
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Baylor/Big 12 football podcast: Nov. 18, 2009
- Can Baylor win in Aggieland for the first time since 1984?
- Which coach is under more pressure: Briles or Sherman?
- Waco-area players likely to go pro
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Baylor-Tennessee women’s basketball
7:10 p.m. — Ball game, Tennessee wins, 74-65. Shekinna Stricklen had a monster game for the Lady Vols, with 25 points, 14 rebounds and five assists. Melissa Jones led Baylor with 21 points, hitting all 10 of her free throws.
7:02 p.m. — Griner heads to the line with 1:55 left, as UT’s Kelley Cain fouls out. Griner has done a good job playing with four fouls here late in the second half. Baylor still trails, 70-59.
6:55 p.m. — Tennessee leads 67-57 at the under-4 stoppage, with 3:44 still to play. The Lady Vols’ frontcourt players have come up big in the second half, including Glory Johnson, who moments ago scored on an “and-1” bucket inside.
6:52 p.m. — The Lady Bears have fought back to within nine, at 62-53 with 5:21 left on the clock.
6:43 p.m. — Tennessee leads 56-45 with 7:11 to play. The Lady Vols have cashed in on offensive rebounds in the second half, and lead the rebounding battle 37-32 after trailing in that regard at halftime.
6:36 p.m. — Much to the delight of all the orange-clad, Rocky Top-singing fans in attendance, the Lady Vols have opened up a 52-38 lead on Baylor. Turnovers — Baylor has 17 of them — and silly fouls have been BU’s undoing here in the second half.
6:30 p.m. — Baylor pulled to within two on a layin in transition from Melissa Jones, but since then Tennessee has charged out to an 8-2 run. Griner will return to the floor for Baylor at the 11:25 mark, with the Lady Bears trailing 46-38.
6:23 p.m. — Tennessee leads 36-30 at the 14:54 mark. Ashley Field will replace freshman Mariah Chandler for the Lady Bears in the post. The freshmen for BU have definitely struggled here today.
6:13 p.m. — Things couldn’t have started much worse in the second half for Baylor, as Tennessee opened up on a 12-0 run. Even worse for the Lady Bears, they’ll have to be without Brittney Griner for a while, as the freshman post picked up three fouls in the first 2:07 and went to the bench with four. It’s now 36-29 with 15:57 to play.
5:58 p.m. — OK, I’ve got to admit it. “Rocky Top” is one catchy ditty, and one of the better fight songs in college sports.
5:53 p.m. — The newest class of inductees to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame were just announced at halftime, to a warm response from the crowd. (They love their women’s hoops here in Knoxville). The class includes Granbury High School coach Leta Andrews (who’s also in the Texas Sports HOF), former Georgia star Teresa Edwards, ex-UConn and WNBA great Rebecca Lobo, former Tennessee women’s athletic director Gloria RAy, former Maryland coach Chris Weller and former Louisiana Tech and WNBA standout Teresa Weatherspoon. Only Weatherspoon, who now coaches the Lady Techsters, wasn’t able to make it.
5:49 p.m. — Baylor holds a tight 26-24 lead at the half, as Tennessee’s Glory Johnson scores inside with time winding down. Angie Bjorklund and Shekinna Striklen have scored eight points apiece to lead the Lady Vols, but they’ve needed 21 shots to do it. For Baylor, Medlock and Jones also have tallied eight points each, on a combined 10 shots.
5:41 p.m. — We’ve got a good one going, as Baylor leads Tennessee, 24-20 with 3:06 remaining in the first half. Baylor’s freshmen still look a little shell-shocked by the atmosphere, as the newcomers have combined to shoot 1-for-9 from the floor. But Medlock’s eight points and nine boards, and Melissa Jones’ sharpshooting from the foul line have made up the difference.
5:29 p.m. — Baylor now has a 19-14 lead with 7:49 remaining in the half, as the Lady Bears are getting it done defensively and on the boards, where they have an 18-11 advantage. Medlock continues to provide some nice senior leadership for the young BU squad, with 7 points and 5 boards. Neither team is exactly lighting it up from the field, however, as Baylor has shot 31.3 percent and Tennessee is at 27.3.
5:18 p.m. — Baylor has battled back to within two points at 12-10 at the under 12-minute stoppage of play. Morghan Medlock is 2-for-3 with five points, scoring on a pair of jumpers from 15-17 feet. Medlock is going to have to continue to hit that shot for Baylor, as the Lady Vols are collapsing with two and three defenders on Brittney Griner whenever she catches the ball.
5:12 p.m. — Baylor looks nervous in the early going, as the Lady Bears have five turnovers in a little over five minutes of play. Consequently, the Lady Vols are out to a 10-3 lead.
5:07 p.m. — Lady Vols jump out to a 5-0 lead at the 17:39 mark, with Angie Bjorklund draining a trey off an offensive rebound. Mulkey calls a quick timeout to talk things over with the Lady Bears.
4:53 p.m. — Incidentally, one of the storylines I didn’t focus on in my advance material for this game for the Trib is that this of course is the first meeting between Baylor and Tennessee since a controversial ending in the NCAA’s Sweet 16 in 2004.
I didn’t mention it in my game advance because it’s really a non-factor for the current group of Lady Bears.
“We used that game as motivation the next year, but it’s ancient history now,” Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said. “I imagine most of our girls don’t even know about it.”
Just to refresh your memory, Tennessee won the game, 71-69, when Tasha Butts hit two free throws with 0.2 seconds remaining. Baylor’s Jessika Stratton was whistled for a foul on Butts that was heavily-disputed by the Lady Bears.
4:45 p.m. (Eastern time): Greetings, Baylor fans, from lovely Knoxville, Tennessee. I know most of you will be watching this Lady Bear-Lady Vol game on TV, but I’ll still provide the occasional blogging for those tuning in via the World Wide Web.
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Baylor-Texas game blog
RECAP: The No. 2 Texas Longhorns raced to a 40-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 47-14 victory over Baylor today at Floyd Casey Stadium.
Cody Johnson rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns, and Colt McCoy threw for 181 yards and two scores for the Longhorns (10-0, 6-0).
Baylor (4-6, 1-5) got two late scores on a 1-yard run by Terrance Ganaway and a 19-yard pass from Nick Florence to Brad Taylor.
Liveblog
2:11 p.m.: Terrance Ganaway runs for 1-yard touchdown with 5:18 left in the game for Baylor’s first score to make it 47-7.
2:01 p.m.: Texas defensive end Eddie Jones intercepted Florence’s flair pass and returned it for a 60-yard touchdown to open up a 47-0 lead with 7:37 left in the fourth quarter.
1:41 p.m.: Garrett Gilbert takes over at quarterback for Texas. Earl Patin forces Newton to fumble and Jeremy Williams recovers at Baylor’s 13.
1:38 p.m.: Emmanuel Acho intercepts Florence’s pass and returns it to Baylor’s 39 with 1:21 left in the third quarter.
12:46 p.m.: Hunter Lawrence nails a 41-yard field goal to push Texas’ lead to 40-0 with three seconds left in the second quarter.
12:42 p.m.: Terrance Ganaway fumbles into the end zone and Justin Akers falls on it for a safety to stretch Texas’ lead to 37-0 with 1:28 left in the second quarter.
12:36 p.m.: Texas makes it 35-0 with Cody Johnson’s 1-yard run for a touchdown to end a 43-yard drive with 2:50 left in the second quarter. Shipley set up the drive with a 25-yard punt return.
12:24 p.m.: McCoy hits Shipley for a 7-yard touchdown to push Texas’ lead to 28-0 with 6:41 left in the second quarter. The Longhorns got the ball at Baylor’s 29 after Derek Epperson’s punt was partially blocked. The Bears were hit by two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and Baylor coach Art Briles spent some time talking to the referees.
12:10 p.m.: Tre Newton blows through a huge hole for a 45-yard touchdown to push Texas’ lead to 21-0 with 9:20 left in the second quarter.
11:44 a.m.: Texas takes advantage of the defensive stop by moving for the touchdown with Cody Johnson running up the middle for the final 6 yards with 1:56 left in the first quarter to open up a 14-0 lead.
11:40 a.m.: Florence stopped for no gain by Earl Thomas on 4th and 1 at Baylor’s 44.
11:32 a.m.: Aaron Williams intercepts Nick Florence’s third-down pass from the 4 to Ernest Smith in the end zone after the Bears drove 68 yards.
11:18 a.m.: Texas drives 80 yards for the first touchdown with Colt McCoy hitting Jordan Shipley with a 3-yard pass for the score with 11:18 left in the first quarter.
11:10 a.m.: There’s an overwhelming amount of Texas fans filling the stands as Baylor kicks off. Sgt. Mark Todd performed the coin flip.
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Baylor/Big 12 football podcast: Nov. 11, 2009
- Baylor’s offensive explosion surprises everyone
- Is a bowl game possible now?
- What’s wrong with the Big 12 North?
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Baylor-Missouri game blog
SLIDE SHOW
RECAP: Nick Florence threw for 427 yards and three touchdowns to lead Baylor to their first Big 12 victory of the season, a 40-32 upset at Missouri in Columbia.
It was the Bears’ first Big 12 road win since beating Colorado on Oct. 7, 2006.
Missouri led, 27-16, at halftime, but Baylor (4-5, 1-4) held the Tigers (5-4, 1-4) to just five points after the break, two given up by the Bears on a safety.
Kendall Wright caught two touchdowns for BU, his second a 59-yarder in the fourth quarter that gave Baylor a 33-29 lead. Terrance Ganaway extended Baylor’s lead to 40-29 on a 1-yard run, and the Bears held on from there.
4:43 p.m.: It’s over. Baylor surprises Missouri, 40-32, in Columbia.
4:41 p.m.: Pass out of bounds on fourth down! Baylor takes the ball back and should be able to run out the clock.
4:40 p.m.: Third down coming up after two incompletions. 1:14 to play.
4:39 p.m.: Pass interference on Baylor’s Jordan Lake. The ball is at Baylor’s 22 with a 1:37.
4:38 p.m.: Danario Alexander pulls in the reception to the Baylor 37.
4:37 p.m.: The Bears punt, and Mizzou returns it to its 23. 1:48 to play, the Tigers must drive for a touchdown and 2-point conversion to force overtime.
4:35 p.m.: Jarred Salubi is just short of a first down. Decision time for Baylor with 1:57 to play.
4:34 p.m.: Ganaway runs again to about the 28. The Tigers take their final timeout, and Baylor now needs to convert on third-and-four.
4:33 p.m.: Ganaway picks up a short gain on first down. Mizzou takes its second timeout. 2:46 to play.
4:32 p.m.: Baylor is assessed a 15-yard penalty for taunting (and gets five yards back for Mizzou being offsides) and now has the ball at its own 22 with 2:52 to play.
4:26 p.m.: Missouri opts for a 46-yard field goal to cut the lead to eight, 40-32, with 2:55 left. Baylor will have to try and run the clock out now.
4:25 p.m.: Fourth-and-22 for Mizzou now after an incomplete pass.
4:24 p.m.: Big sack for Baylor. Now second-and-22 for Missouri.
4:22 p.m.: Missouri has a first down at the Baylor 16 with 3:46 to play.
4:19 p.m.: Missouri converts a fourth down and has the ball at the Baylor 45.
4:10 p.m.: Ganaway runs for a 1-yard touchdown behind defensive tackles Trey Bryant and Phil Taylor to give the Bears a 40-29 lead with 5:46 left in the game.
Florence has set the Baylor passing record for yards in a game with 417.
4 p.m.: Missouri’s Kenji Jackson drops interception on third-down Florence pass to Gettis.
3:49 p.m.: Florence hits Kendall Wright down the right sideline for a 59-yard touchdown to give Baylor a 33-29 lead with 13:11 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Missouri’s Robert Steeples was called for interference for pushing Wright on the play, but the Baylor receiver caught it anyway.
3:32 p.m.: Missouri’s Dominique Hamilton nails Terrance Ganaway for a safety after Jake Harry’s 51-yard punt rolled dead at the 1. The Tigers lead 29-26 with 4:08 left in the third quarter.
3:25 p.m.: After stopping Missouri, Stone nails a 35-yard field goal for Baylor after Florence hit David Gettis for 40 yards. The Tigers lead 27-26 with 6:12 left in the third quarter.
3:13 p.m.: The Bears drive 67 yards on the opening drive of the second half with Florence hitting Kendall Wright with a 13-yard touchdown pass to cut Missouri’s lead to 27-23.
2:38 p.m.: Gabbert threads the needle to hit Wes Kemp with a 7-yard touchdown pass with 1 second left in the first half to give the Tigers a 27-16 lead. The touchdown ended a 57-yard drive.
2:29 p.m.: Florence hits a wide-open Lanear Sampson for an 8-yard touchdown to cut Missouri’s lead to 20-16 with 1:09 left in the first half.
Terrance Williams returned kickoff 43 yards to start drive.
2:19 p.m.: Danario Alexander catches 84-yard touchdown pass from Gabbert to give Tigers 20-9 lead with 4:16 left in second quarter. The former Marlin star shook off a hit from Baylor’s Jordan Lake at Missouri’s 35 and outran everybody for the score. Alexander has caught 11 passes for 171 yards.
2:04 p.m.: Ressel ties career long field goal by nailing a 46-yarder with 8:36 remaining in second quarter to give Tigers a 13-9 lead.
1:53 p.m.: Grant Ressel hits 33-yard field goal to complete 65-yard drive to give Tigers a 10-7 lead with 13:41 left in the second quarter. Blaine Gabbert has hit 11 of 12 passes for 129 yards.
1:40 p.m.: Nick Florence runs up the middle 8 yards for a touchdown with 2:13 left in the first quarter to end a 72-yard drive.
However, Andrew Gachkar blocks Stone’s PAT attempt as Baylor takes a 9-7 lead.
1:25 p.m.: Dary Stone hits his first career field goal, a 22-yarder to cut Missouri’s lead to 7-3 with 6:18 left in the first quarter. The Bears moved 59 yards on 13 plays before the drive stalled at the 5. It marked the first time Baylor has scored on its opening drive in Big 12 play.
1:12 p.m.: Derrick Washington scored on 1-yard run to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 12:27 left in the first quarter. The Tigers moved 64 yards on seven plays on their first drive.
1:07 p.m.: Baylor wins the toss and elects to kick off to Missouri
12:57 p.m.: It’s about 10 minutes before kickoff here at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. It’s a beautiful day, about 70 degrees and sunny. I walked through a bunch of tailgaters to get to the stadium. They’re really into it here.
The Bears are dressed in all white for the first time since the season opener against Wake Forest. They’re hoping for the same magic as that 24-21 win.
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Baylor/Big 12 football podcast: Nov. 4, 2009
- Can Baylor’s offense get any firepower? … And do fans care anymore?
- Rough year for Big 12 QBs
- Only Texas can stop Texas at this point
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Baylor-Texas set for 11 a.m. Nov. 14
The Baylor football team will face Texas at 11 a.m. on Nov. 14 at Floyd Casey Stadium in a game that will be televised on FSN.
It will mark the fourth straight early start for the Bears. Both the Oklahoma State and Nebraska games started at 11:30 a.m. on Versus, while Saturday’s game at Missouri will start at 1 p.m., but won’t be televised.
Texas will be Baylor’s last home game. Fall football is at its best during the day, so enjoy it.
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Baylor-Nebraska football
2:50 p.m. — And that’s the ball game. Florence couldn’t hit either Gettis or Ernest Smith on passes in the end zone, and time runs out. Nebraska wins 20-10.
2:48 p.m. — Wow. The Bears get a great punt return that included a pair of laterals, and take over at the Nebraska 32.
2:46 p.m. — The Bears stop Nebraska, then the Huskers run the clock down to 57 seconds before calling their own final timeout. The Bears will get another chance to fling the ball downfield following the punt.
2:45 p.m. — Antonio Jones turns back Nebraska’s Lester Ward for a five-yard loss, and the Bears call another quick timeout, their final one. It’ll be 3rd-and-9 with 1:42 to go for the Huskers.
2:43 p.m. — Timeout Baylor, with 1:49 showing and Nebraska facing 2nd-and-4 from the 36. The Bears have one timeout remaining.
2:41 p.m. — Florence overthrows Kendall Wright on fourth down, and the Huskers regain possession at the 20, looking to eat some of the clock with 2:33 left and a 10-point edge.
2:39 p.m. — Nebraska calls timeout with 2:45 on the clock and Baylor facing a 3rd-and-10 from the 20. On second down, the Bears missed a golden chance to score, as Florence aired it out for Jarred Salubi, but the running back was a step slow getting to the ball in the end zone.
2:36 p.m. — Florence finds David Gettis on another long downfield connection, and the Bears have the ball 1st-and-10 at the Husker 20.
2:31 p.m. — Baylor’s defense holds firm again, and the Huskers will punt. It’s a good one by Henery, and the Bears will have to mount a long drive if they want to score, starting at the 22 with 4:16 to go.
2:29 p.m. — Big blow for Baylor, as Ben Parks misses a 24-yard field goal, and the Bears still trail 20-10 with 6:28 to go. That may have killed Baylor’s hopes.
2:22 p.m. — Baylor will talk things over, taking its first timeout of the half at the 7:47 mark, facing a 4th-and-3 from the Husker 25.
2:19 p.m. — But the BU defense continues to give the offense more chances. Nebraska fumbles the ball right back, and Earl Patin recovers for the Bears. Then on first down, Florence hits David Gettis for a 40-yard strike down the field, and the Bears are finally in business.
2:18 p.m. — Baylor’s offense is just not getting it done. Nick Florence fumbles trying to make a handoff, and Nebraska recovers at the BU 23.
2:14 p.m. — Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Baylor’s defense forces another punt. Joe Pawelek, Jason Lamb, Antonio Johnson and the rest of the BU defensive unit have turned in a solid effort here in the second half, keeping the Bears in this game.
2:08 p.m. — Nebraska’s Sean Fisher dumps Nick Florence for a third-down sack, leading to Derek Epperson’s fourth punt of the day.
2:03 p.m. — BU’s defense delivers again, as Byron Landor delivers a perfectly-timed hit on a third-and-long pass downfield to break it up. Following Henery’s punt, the Bears take over at the 18 with 13:37 to play. If Baylor is going to come back and win this game, it must get an offensive touchdown — and pronto.
1:57 p.m. — The third quarter ends, but this game is far from over, believe it or not. Nebraska, which leads 20-10, will start the fourth quarter with a 1st-and-20 from the BU 45.
1:50 p.m. — Baylor’s defense comes up with the play of the game for the Bears thus far, as Clifton Odom picks off a Cody Green pass in the flat and races 45 yards to paydirt. Following the PAT, it’s now 20-10 Nebraska with 3:27 remaining in the third.
1:43 p.m. — Baylor fails to pull any closer. On 4th-and-10 from the Husker 40, the Bears line up as if they’re going to go for it, but instead Nick Florence angles a directional punt toward the sideline. Nebraska will take over at the 18, up 20-3 with 5:07 to play in the third.
1:33 p.m. — Baylor’s defense is fired up, as Joe-Paw and Chris Francis stop Dontrayevous Robinson on a short third-down pass over the middle, forcing a second straight three-and-out. The Bears take over at the 38 following the punt.
1:28 p.m. — And the Bears are on the board. Ben Parks nails a 41-yard field goal to bring the score to 20-3 with 9:22 left in the third. But Baylor still has to be kicking itself for not getting more out of that drive, which seemed to be clicking until the Bears reversed course with penalties.
1:21 p.m. — Baylor’s defense starts off nicely, forcing a three-and-out by the Huskers. Then Krys Buerck breaks off a solid return on the ensuing punt, and the Bears will start offensively at the Nebraska 42.
1:09 p.m. — Here’s a glance at the halftime numbers:
FIRST DOWNS: NU 7, BU 9 RUSHES-YDS: NU 19-84; BU 17-36 PASSING: NU 6-9-0; BU 9-17-2 PASSING YARDS: NU 85; BU 67 TOTAL OFFENSE: NU 169; BU 103 TIME OF POSSESSION: NU 13:40; BU 16:20 PENALTIES-YARDS: NU 3-35; BU 1-10 THIRD-DOWN CONVERSIONS: NU 4 of 7; BU 4 of 9
12:57 p.m. — And that’s just what the Huskers do, take a knee and a 20-0 lead into the break. I’ll offer up the always-exciting halftime stats in a little while.
12:56 p.m. — Baylor’s march peters out near midfield, leading to another punt for the ever-busy Derek Epperson. Nebraska takes over at the 17 with 34 seconds to play, probably content to run out the clock.
12:49 p.m. — Baylor takes a timeout, with a 3rd-and-2 from its own 15. The Bears have 3:38 left in the half with which to get something going.
12:46 p.m. — The Baylor fans finally have something to cheer for, as the 1999 BU baseball team, the first Super Regional team in school history, is introduced as special guests during a stoppage in play. (For the record, 1999 was the first year the NCAA had Super Regionals).
12:44 p.m. — BU’s defense forces a three-and-out, and the Bears will get the ball at their own 7 after a nice directional punt.
12:42 p.m. — Nick Florence is intercepted for the second time this half, this time by Prince Amukamara. Florence has also had a crick in his neck for much of the half, in the way of Huskers defensive tackle Jared Crick.
12:35 p.m. — Dontrayevous Robinson goes up and over the top for the 1-yard TD dive, pushing Nebraska’s lead to 20-0 with 9:28 to play in the half. It’s officially a Husker laugher.
12:33 p.m. — And — bam! — just like that, the Huskers are knocking on the door again. On first down, Cody Green lofts a long pass to Niles Paul, who beat Tim Atchison for a 45-yard gain to the BU 1.
12:29 p.m. — Florence throws behind Kendall Wright on a crossing pattern, leading to yet another Baylor punt. After a 17-yard return from Nebraska’s Niles Paul, the Huskers will start with great field position, at the BU 46.
12:23 p.m. — Nebraska’s Henery connects on a short 22-yard field goal, capping on a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive for the Huskers. Baylor now trails 13-0 with 12:16 remaining in the opening half. The Bears have now been outscored 58-10 in the opening halves of their Big 12 games.
12:15 p.m. — Nebraska’s offense starts to gain some steam, and the Huskers will open the second quarter with a 1st-and-10 at the BU 24, leading 10-0 and looking for more.
12:12 p.m. — Nick Florence burns himself with a freshman mistake, throwing into double coverage on a pass intended for Kendall Wright in the end zone. Only Nebraska’s Dejon Gomes is the guy who comes down with the ball instead. Huskers take over at the 20 after the turnover.
12:08 p.m. — Baylor takes a timeout, facing 3rd-and-4 from the Nebraska 44. The Bears have managed to pick up a couple of first downs on this drive so far.
12:02 p.m. — The Huskers extend their lead to 10-0 on a 45-yard field goal from Alex Henery. Baylor was able to force a field goal attempt thanks to back-to-back tackles from defensive stopper Joe Pawelek.
11:53 p.m. — Nebraska takes its first timeout, facing 2nd-and-7 from the 46. Cody Green, a true freshman from Dayton, Texas, is starting at QB for the Huskers. Dayton, as my colleague John Werner was so kind as to point out, is the hometown of former BU basketball player Henry Dugat.
11:49 p.m. — Epperson’s punt is a little shaky, but he gets it off. Nebraska’s offense will get its first possession at its own 28, with 10:46 to go in the first quarter.
11:46 p.m. — Baylor’s drive stalls at its own 38 when Florence can’t hook up with Willie Jefferson on a high-arcing pass to the sideline. Another BU punt is forthcoming, and one would expect Nebraska to come after Epperson again.
11:35 p.m. — Kendall Wright drops a pass from Nick Florence on 3rd-and-6, forcing a Baylor punt. That doesn’t go so well for the Bears, as Nebraska’s Eric Martin busts through the line and blocks the kick, and the ball is scooped up by the Huskers’ Justin Blanchard, who zips into the end zone. Huskers lead, 7-0, at the 13:31 mark of the opening quarter.
11:29 p.m. — Nebraska won the coin toss, and deferred to the second half. The Bears will get the ball to start the game, looking for a better start than usual.
11:21 a.m. — Greetings from lovely South Omaha—er, excuse me, Waco. I got a little confused here, because the red from the Nebraska loyalists far outnumbers the green of the Baylor supporters. It’s truly a pathetic BU “crowd” today, though maybe it’ll fill out.
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Baylor/Big 12 football podcast: Oct. 28, 2009
- Has Art Briles’ rebuilding process taken a step backward?
- Nebraska looks vulnerable … can Baylor pull off an upset?
- Texas vs. Oklahoma State — who’s got the edge?
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Baylor-Oklahoma State football
2:32 p.m. — And that’ll do it, as Oklahoma State wins it, 34-7. The 14th-ranked Cowboys improve to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the Big 12, while Baylor drops to 3-4 and 0-3.
2:27 p.m. — Baylor stops the clock with a timeout, as OSU punts on 4th-and-long. Following the touchback kick, the Bears take over with 1:40 remaining to try to get one more score before this one mercifully ends. Incidentally, former Marlin standout Travis Miller got a couple of carries for the Cowboys on that last possession.
2:17 p.m. — And the Baylor fans who have stuck around have finally been rewarded with a touchdown, as Nick Florence floats a 17-yard TD pass to David Gettis, who makes a well-timed jumping catch. It’s now 34-7, OSU, with 7:17 remaining.
2:07 p.m. — Keith Toston punches in another OSU touchdown, from a yard out, extending the Cowboy gap to 34-0 with 9:39 to play. The crowd, which was announced at 38,117, has obviously dwindled significantly. I’d be stunned if the Bears draw a legitimate 30,000 the rest of the season. Certainly not if they play like this.
1:54 p.m. — Stop me if you’ve heard this before. Three-and-out for the Bears, Epperson to punt. The only real news to report on that quick possession is that Szymanski appeared to re-injure his shoulder after being slung down for a sack on second down. Florence replaced the senior on the next play, and I’d be surprised if Szymanski’s day isn’t done.
1:48 p.m. — OSU kicker Dan Bailey drills a 33-yard field goal as the third quarter gun pops, extending the Cowboy edge to 27-0. Bailey foiled Baylor’s attempt to make him kick into the mild breeze that is blowing, as Art Briles and the Bears called timeout just before the quarter ended.
1:43 p.m. — Blake Szymanski enters at quarterback for Baylor, but the Bears’ fortunes don’t change. Jay Finley is stuffed on a 4th-and-4 run, and OSU will take over in great field position, at the BU 35.
1:38 p.m. — Baylor’s defense dials up the pressure on Zac Robinson, forcing just the second punt of the afternoon for the Cowboys. The Bears take over at the 28, desperately needing a spark before this homecoming crowd starts making its early exits.
1:31 p.m. — Nick Florence throws just out of the reach of Ernest Smith on a deep third-down pass, and the ever-busy Derek Epperson gets another chance to punt. Baylor’s offense, which didn’t score a touchdown last week until nine seconds remained, is having another dismal day.
1:21 p.m. — The Cowboy stampede continues, with Zac Robinson connecting with another tight end, Cooper Bassett, on a 19-yard TD strike. That capped an 11-play, 87-yard drive for OSU, which now leads 24-0 with 9:38 left in the third.
1:04 p.m. — Here’s the statistical breakdown:
FIRST DOWNS: OSU 14, BU 8 RUSHES-YARDS: OSU 21-111; BU 12-41 COMP-ATT-INT: OSU 12-15-0; BU 10-18-1 PASSING YARDS: OSU 132, BU 109 PENALITES-YARDS: OSU 1-5; BU 4-29 THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: OSU 3 of 6; BU 2 of 6 RED-ZONE SCORES-CHANCES: OSU 2-2; BU 0-0
12:52 p.m. — Nick Florence’s desperation heave to end the first half falls in and out of the hands of Brad Taylor, and Oklahoma State takes a very comfortable 17-0 advantage into the halftime break. I’ll bring you some halftime numbers in a bit, though I’m not sure you’re going to want to read them if you’re a Baylor fan.
12:49 p.m. — Baylor’s defense holds, and Art Briles uses his timeouts to preserve some time for his offense just before the half. Following the punt, the Bears take over at the 23 with 44 ticks remaining.
12:44 p.m. — Baylor excites the crowd briefly thanks to a 35-yard connection downfield from Nick Florence to David Gettis, but the Bears can’t turn the drive into any points. Ben Parks misses wide left on a 41-yard field goal try, and the score remains 17-0.
12:37 p.m. — It’s all Oklahoma State here at a rather subdued Floyd Casey Stadium. Zac Robinson pump-fakes to his left, then rolls to his right and zips a 16-yard TD pass between two Baylor defenders to Dameron Fooks in the end zone. It’s now 17-0 in favor of OSU with 5:12 left in the half. OSU has outgained the overmatched Bears, 228-64.
12:28 p.m. — The Bears cross just over midfield, but once again can’t convert a 3rd-and-long. OSU will get the ball at the 20 after Derek Epperson’s punt bounces into the end zone.
12:24 p.m. — Hubert Anyiam can’t hang on to Robinson’s fourth down pass, and the Bears will take over after the defensive stand.
12:20 p.m. — Baylor safety Byron Landor chases down Zac Robinson for a sack on third down, then the Cowboys call timeout after initially setting up to go for it on 4th-and-9 from the BU 29.
12:12 p.m. — It’s hard to say what’s been worse for the Bears so far — offense or defense. OSU is averaging 7.3 yards per play, while Baylor is mustering only 2.8.
12:10 p.m. — The first quarter comes to an end on a Zac Robinson incomplete pass under heavy pressure from BU defensive end Zac Scotton. The Cowboys will open the second quarter with a 3rd-and-5 at their 47.
12:04 p.m. — Instead of picking up a first down on 3rd-and-long, Baylor picks up a penalty instead. Another punt attempt from Derek Epperson is on the way, and the Cowboys will get a chance to build to their lead.
12:01 p.m. — Baylor seemed to finally have a little something going offensively before a flag for an illegal crack-back block backed the Bears up. They’re now facing 2nd-and-25 from their own 30.
11:51 p.m. — Zac Robinson fires a 22-yard laser to tight end Wilson Youman for the first touchdown of the game, and the PAT makes it a 10-0 OSU lead with 6:18 to go in the first quarter. Baylor is still looking for its initial first down.
11:46 p.m. — Instead, the Bears give the ball over to the Cowboys, as Florence is intercepted by OSU linebacker Donald Booker on a first-down throw over the middle.
11:44 p.m. — Terrance Williams busts a 44-yard return after hauling in the kickoff at the goal line. Florence and the Bears will take over there.
11:42 p.m. — The Cowboys briskly move down the field, but can’t punch the ball into the end zone, thanks to nice pass defense from Antonio Johnson on third down. Dan Bailey does give OSU the lead, however, connecting on a 24-yard field goal. It’s 3-0 Oklahoma State at the 9:43 mark of the opening quarter.
11:35 p.m. — Terrence Ganaway is stopped for a one-yard gain on a 3rd-and-4, and the Bears have to punt. OSU takes over at its own 42, in pretty good field position.
11:33 p.m. — After a touchback on the opening kick, Baylor starts at the 20 with Nick Florence trotting out onto the field as the starting QB.
11:28 p.m. — Remember that line from Ponyboy in The Outsiders, where he says you’ve got to “Stay Gold?” That’s what the Bears are doing today, as they are sporting all gold uniforms — pants, jerseys and helmets. For the second straight year on homecoming, the Baylor players also made their way to the field through the stands, kind of a neat new tradition under Art Briles. And, yes, I did pull out an old-school 1980s movie reference to start this blog.
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Baylor gets props in Texas Football 50th anniversary edition
I just got a copy of former Tribune-Herald sports editor Dave Campbell’s special 50th anniversary edition of Texas Football Magazine.
It’s got a bunch of 50 most memorable lists, including what we love about Texas football, coaches, players, teams and games. High school, college and pros are included on each list.
Baylor gets its share of props on all the lists.
On the top 50 things we love about Texas football, Baylor’s 1974 Miracle on the Brazos win over Texas ranks No. 37 on the list.
All-American linebacker Mike Singletary ranks No. 7 among the 50 most memorable players, while wide receiver Lawrence Elkins ranks 13th, Robert Strait No. 27, and Jerod Douglas No. 47.
On the coaches list, Grant Teaff ranks No. 10 and Art Briles is 13th. On the most memorable teams list, the 1974 Bears are 4th and the 1980 Bears are 44th.
On the most memorable games, the Miracle on the Brazos is fourth, and Texas A&M’s 31-30 win over Baylor in 1986 is ninth.
It’s great reading. You should pick up a copy.
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McLaughlin leaves but BU still solid at guard
Baylor coach Scott Drew announced late Wednesday night that freshman guard Mark McLaughlin has left the men’s basketball team for personal reasons.
McLaughlin was a Top 100 national recruit, a 6-6 guard who could play several positions in the backcourt. He originally signed with Nevada in 2008, but attended prep school in New Hampshire last season, and got out of his letter of intent in April to attend Baylor.
Though the Bears may not be as deep and experienced at guard as in past seasons, they’ve still got guys like Tweety Carter, LaceDarius Dunn, Nolan Dennis and A.J. Walton. They could use sophomores Anthony Jones and Fred Ellis, and freshman Givon Crump at the 3 position.
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One big dude
Baylor basketball held its media day Monday, and it was hard not to notice 7-foot freshman Dragan Sekelja.
The big man from Croatia weighs 275 pounds, and he can really shoot. I watched him drain a bunch of outside shots during the early part of practice.
I don’t know how much he’ll play this year since he has to get adjusted to the American style of basketball after playing in Europe. But this guy looks like he could be a great addition at some point.
I also talked to him a little, and he said he didn’t speak a lot of English growing up. But I had no problem conversing with him.
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Baylor/Big 12 football podcast: Oct. 21, 2009
- Well, the Bears are 3-3 — nothing short of a miracle will get them to 6-6
- Baylor still lacks depth to overcome injuries
- Speaking of injuries, lots of QBs are down in the Big 12
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Baylor-Iowa State football
RECAP: Baylor’s hopes of ending a 15-year bowl drought took a devastating blow today as Iowa State defeated the Bears, 24-10, in Ames.
Baylor (3-3, 0-2) still needs three wins to become bowl-eligible, a seemingly unrealistic goal with a remaining schedule of Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.
Baylor actually led 3-0 in the first quarter, but Iowa State took a 14-3 lead at halftime and extended its advantage to 24-3 going to the fourth quarter.
Baylor scored its lone touchdown with just seconds to play on a 3-yard pass from Jerod Monk to Justin Akers.
Baylor hosts Oklahoma State for homecoming next week at 11:30 a.m. The game will be televised on VERSUS.
9:07 p.m. — It’s over. Iowa State kneels out the clock on a 24-10 victory, a crushing defeat for the Bears that realistically ends their hopes of ending their bowl drought this season.
9:04 p.m. — Baylor gets that positive play as freshman Jerod Monk hits Justin Akers for the touchdown after Willie Jefferson set Baylor up first-and-goal with a long catch from Florence. 24-10 Iowa State with just nine seconds to play.
9:01 p.m. — Another Baylor timeout. Bears are apparently trying to finish with some kind of positive play.
9:00 p.m. — Baylor takes a timeout with 36 seconds left.
8:54 p.m. — Nick Florence is getting mop-up duty at quarterback for Baylor.
8:52 p.m. — Iowa State misses a 30-yard field goal. Still 24-3 Cyclones, just under two minutes to play.
8:37 p.m. — Nothing’s going right for the Bears, as Szymanski is picked off for a third straight possession on a pass where it looked as if he should have a free play. The Iowa State nose guard was clearly offsides, but it wasn’t called, much to Art Briles’ chagrin.
8:32 p.m. — Mahoney fails on a chance to extend Iowa State’s lead, missing on a 35-yard field goal attempt. Baylor takes over at the 20.
8:26 p.m. — And an ugly third quarter (from Baylor’s perspective) ends with Garrin picking off Szymanski yet again, then returning the ball 21 yards to midfield. Baylor is going to need a miracle fourth-quarter rally to keep its bowl hopes — yes, that’s what is riding on this game — alive.
8:20 p.m. — Iowa State calls timeout, with Baylor setting up for a 3rd-and-3 from its own 28. Time is ticking away on the Bears, with just 2:10 left in the third quarter.
8:16 p.m. — Baylor’s defense forces a punt, and the Bears will take over at the 20 after a touchback. Szymanski remains at QB for Baylor.
8:10 p.m. — Iowa State’s Fred Garrin picks off an errant Szymanski pass and returns to the Cyclone 39. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nick Florence on the next possession. Outside of that pass, Szymanski hasn’t been terrible, but Baylor needs something — anything — to rally around.
8:04 p.m. — Iowa State backup quarterback Jerome Tiller breaks off a 20-yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw, and the Cyclones clearly have Baylor on the ropes, with a 24-3 lead at the 7:43 mark of the third quarter. Tiller replaced Austen Arnaud on that drive, though it’s not entirely clear why.
7:59 p.m. — Baylor fails to convert a first down yet again, then things turn worse when Iowa State’s Zac Sandvig blocks Derek Epperson’s punt, and the Cyclones take over at the Baylor 32, looking to build on their 14-point lead.
7:54 p.m. — ISU’s Grant Mahoney drills a 45-yard field goal to push the Cyclone lead to 17-3 at the 12:30 mark of the third quarter.
7:52 p.m. — Bad start for Baylor, as Szymanski is stuffed a half-yard short of a first down on a 4th-and-1. The Cyclones take over on downs at the Baylor 32.
7:48 p.m. — Kind of a “nutty” way to start the second half, as on the kickoff a squirrel somehow gets loose and races down the field. Baylor will start at its own 23. The squirrel, meanwhile, made it to the end zone.
7:33 p.m. — Here’s a look at the numbers:
FIRST DOWNS: BU 3, ISU 14 RUSHING: BU 9-21; ISU 24-114 PASSING: BU 11-19-0, 151 yards; ISU 18-27-1, 166 yards THIRD-DOWN CONVERSIONS: BU 0-for-5, ISU 9-for-11
Alexander Robinson, after seemingly being held in check for a while, leads the Cyclones with 16 carries for 73 yards. Ernest Smith has been the main source of offense for Baylor, catching four balls for 101 yards. He’s the first BU receiver to top 100 yards in a half since Dominique Zeigler had 166 against Texas A&M in 2006.
7:27 p.m. — From the not-a-good-sign-for-the-Bears department: Baylor has lost 20 in a row when trailing at the half. I’ll bring you some halftime stats in a bit.
7:25 p.m. — Szymanski can’t connect with Lanear Sampson on 3rd-and-long, and the Bears have to punt it away. Iowa State then takes a knee and a comfortable 14-3 lead into the halftime break.
7:22 p.m. — Szymanski throws a backwards pass to Wright, who’s dumped for a loss of 6 trying to cut his way back to the other side of the field. The Bears have to burn their second timeout, now facing 2nd-and-16 at their 45 with 28 seconds left.
7:21 p.m. — Szymanski hits on a couple of passes to Ernest Smith and Kendall Wright, and the Bears call for timeout with 36 ticks left in the half and the ball at the ISU 49. Baylor could really, really use a score before the break.
7:16 p.m.— The Bears finally come up with a defensive spark, as Tim Atchison intercepts Arnaud in the end zone and then breaks off a nice return, though much of it comes back due to a hold. Incidentally, Iowa State has converted seven straight third downs, and 9 of 11 for the game. Baylor takes over at its 11 with 1:08 to go in the half.
7:13 p.m. — Baylor’s defense couldn’t possibly be playing any worse right now, as Iowa State picks up its second straight third-down conversion on a play where the Bears look like they’re running in mud. ISU has the ball at the Baylor 43.
7:06 p.m. — Baylor is forced to punt for the second straight possession, as Szymanski is dropped for a loss by the ISU defense on third down. The Cyclones will start at their own 4. Baylor desperately needs a spark, perhaps a turnover or something.
6:59 p.m. — Arnaud and the Cyclones carved up the Baylor defense like a jack-o-lantern, zipping downfield on a quick 80-yard scoring drive. Arnaud connects with his tight end to Derrick Catlett on a 4-yard pass for the TD. It’s now 14-3, Iowa State, which is close to the first-down discrepancy as well, as the Cyclones lead 14-4 in that category. There’s 9:01 left in the half.
6:50 p.m. — Penalties killed Baylor’s chances of doing anything on that possession, as the Bears moved backwards instead. Fellow scribe Jerry Hill used the word “flagfest” to describe the action just now. Iowa State takes over at its 20 following the punt, and a holding penalty against the Cyclones.
6:43 p.m. — Arnaud caps off a 12-play, 73-yard scoring drive with a 1-yard sneak up the gut for the touchdown. It’s 7-3 Iowa State with 13:38 remaining until halftime. Arnaud does pick up an unsportsmanlike penalty on the score, meaning the Cyclones will kick off from their own 15.
6:37 p.m. — The first quarter ends with the Cyclones on the march, as they’ll start the second quarter with a 1st-and-10 at the Baylor 15. Iowa State is moving the ball pretty efficiently on the BU defense. Baylor has done a respectable job shutting down Alexander Robinson, but Austen Arnaud has picked the Bears apart with his running and passing.
6:30 p.m. — Ben Parks curls a 38-yard field goal inside the right upright, giving Baylor a 3-0 lead with 2:47 left in the first quarter. The big play on that scoring drive was a 54-yard connection between Szymanski and Ernest Smith on a deep sideline route.
6:24 p.m. — Baylor catches a break when ISU’s strong-legged Grant Mahoney pushes a 50-yard field goal attempt wide right. The kick certainly had the distance, though. The Bears take over at their 33, with the score still 0-0 at the 4:52 mark of the first quarter.
6:16 p.m. — Iowa State calls timeout with a 1st-and-10 at its 30. Baylor has surrendered back-to-back first downs, the latest when the Bears lost containment on an option pitch from ISU quarterback Austen Arnaud to Alexander Robinson. It’s still scoreless with 8:40 remaining in the first.
6:11 p.m. — After several sweet runs from Jarred Salubi to help move the Bears into Cyclone territory, the drive stalls with a holding call on 4th down. Following a well-placed Derek Epperson punt, Iowa State will take over at its own 8.
6:02 p.m. — The Bears stuff ISU’s talented tailback Alexander Robinson on a 3rd-and-short, and the Cyclones are forced to punt. Baylor takes over at the 19 after a fair catch from Krys Buerck. Blake Szymanski takes the field at QB for the Bears.
5:58 p.m. — Iowa State won the toss, and will receive to start the game.
5:51 p.m. — It’s a brisk 46 degrees outside the press box windows, which is just about perfect football weather. The Iowa State crowd is still filing in, as the Cyclones have some of the more impressive bands of tailgaters I’ve seen across the conference.
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It’s chilly, but good football weather
I’m sitting here at the press box at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, looking out at a massive tailgate before the Baylor-Iowa State game.
This is definitely tailgating country.
It’s 46 degrees, but it feels colder because of the clouds and wind. But I think it will be nice, crisp football weather.
I’m thinking back to a game when it was really cold: Baylor-Arkansas on Nov. 2, 1991, in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks were exiting the Southwest Conference, so it was Baylor’s last game against against them.
It was about 17 degrees for the game, and the wind chill had to be in the low single digits. It was so cold in the press box that we went back to our hotel to write our game stories.
Despite the cold, the Bears pulled off a 9-5 win. Needless to say, it was a defensive struggle. It was also a struggle to stay warm.
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Lake takes rare shot
Baylor safety Jordan Lake has spent the last four years laying incredible hits against anybody who comes in his path.
There isn’t a harder hitter in the Big 12.
But in last week’s game against Oklahoma, DeMarco Murray plowed into Lake so hard that it sent him flying backwards near the goal line.
“That was the worst hit I’ve ever taken,” Lake said. “It was embarrassing. But I’ve given out more of those than I’ve taken.”
My guess is that hit won’t make Lake timid. He’s just not built that way.
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Baylor/Big 12 football podcast: Oct. 13, 2009
- Robert Griffin decides to have surgery
- We pick our favorite in the UT-OU matchup
- Baylor was victim of rinky-dink roughing-the-QB calls vs. Sooners
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Baylor-Oklahoma football
FINAL: It’s over. No. 19 Oklahoma defeats Baylor, 33-7, today in Norman.
The Bears trailed just 14-7 at halftime, but got very little going on offense in the second half.
Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford returned from a shoulder injury to throw for 389 yards and a touchdown for the Sooners.
Freshman Nick Florence started again at quarterback for Baylor, throwing for 221 yards and a touchdown with an interception.
Baylor was held to only five yards rushing.
5:43 p.m. — Sam Bradford hits Adron Terrell in the back of the end zone on a 3-yard TD pass. It’s 33-7 with 4:03 left on the clock. Baylor’s defense has been on the field a ton in the second half, and it’s beginning to show.
5:34 p.m. — Baylor’s offensive woes continue, as Ernest Smith can’t come up with a low throw from a pressured Florence on third down. The Bears have exactly one first down in the second half. OU’s defense is good, but Baylor’s offense must get better if the Bears want to move forward on its bowl berth goal.
5:28 p.m. — Jimmy Stevens has to be like, “Dude, thanks for the easy kicks to pad my stats.” Stevens connects on a 24-yard field goal to push OU’s lead to 26-7 with 10:05 to play. Kudos to BU’s defense, which again holds the Sooners out of the end zone. Remember, OU’s only two TDs were helped along by some iffy penalties.
5:10 p.m. — And that’s the end of the third quarter, as Florence can’t connect deep downfield with Wright. OU’s secondary has been pretty solid on Baylor’s deep routes.
5:07 p.m. — Stevens knocks in another short field goal, this one from 21 yards. It’s 23-7 Oklahoma with 50 seconds left in the third. OU has three field goals this half, but you’ve got to give Baylor’s defense credit for playing a bend-but-don’t-break game. They’ve been put in some bad field-position situations the last couple of OU drives. It’s time for Baylor’s offense to do something.
5:03 p.m.— Baylor’s offensive production has hit a stall, as the Bears punt it away again. Florence tried to hit Kendall Wright on a deep third-down pass over the middle, but the ball sailed out of Wright’s grasp. The Baylor coaches wanted a flag for pass-interference on the play, but on the replay it appeared to be a good no-call.
4:59 p.m. — Stevens hits a chip-shot 25-yard field goal for the Sooners, extending the lead to 20-7 with 4:47 to play in the third. Baylor’s defense, however, has nothing to hang its helmets about there, holding OU to a field goal. On third down, Joe Pawelek, spying on Bradford, knocked down the QB’s pass to keep the Sooners out of the end zone.
4:55 p.m. — The Sooners come up with the first turnover of the day, as Jarred Salubi bobbles a third-down pass over the middle, and the ball sails up into the air before being picked off by OU linebacker Keenan Clayton.
4:53 p.m. — BU’s defense holds on third down and forces another Oklahoma punt, which bounces into the end zone for the touchback. There’s 6:18 left in the third.
4:47 p.m. — However, Smith is stopped a yard shy of the first down on a 4th-and-7 pass. Baylor coach Art Briles has shown a go-for-broke mentality today in going for it on fourth down.
4:44 p.m. — Ernest Smith makes a nice catch-and-run for a 35-yard gain on third down, moving the ball into Oklahoma territory. Smith ran out of a couple of OU arm tackles on the play.
4:37 p.m. — Sooners kicker Jimmy Stevens punches a 35-yard field goal through the uprights to give the Sooners a 17-7 lead with 9:25 left in the third. Baylor’s Clifton Odom made a nice defensive play in coverage on third down to force the field goal attempt. Odom somewhat made up for getting beat in coverage a few plays earlier.
4:32 p.m. — The Bears can’t convert a first down, and Derek Epperson will come out for his fifth punt of the afternoon.
4:28 p.m. — Despite giving up a couple of carries for first downs from DeMarco Murray, BU’s defense holds firm, and the Sooners are forced to punt on their first possession of the second half. Baylor will start at the 20 after the touchback punt.
4:14 p.m. — Here’s a glance at some of the first-half numbers:
RUSHING: BU 11-2; OU 15-25
PASSING: BU 16-23-0, 164 yards; OU 14-25-0, 227 yards
PENALTIES: BU 9-68; OU 4-40
TIME OF POSSESSION: BU 18:21; OU 11:39
THIRD-DOWN CONVERSIONS: BU 2-of-8, OU 2-of-6
FOURTH-DOWN CONVERSIONS: BU 2-of-2; OU 1-of-3
4:03 p.m. — And that’s the end of the half, with Baylor very much in the game, trailing just 14-7. I’ll bring you some first-half stats in a bit.
4:02 p.m. — OU’s hurry-up drive stalls at the Baylor 32 with 25 seconds left in the half. The Sooners have been hurt by a case of the dropsies from their receivers today.
3:55 p.m. — And the Bears strike back with a big touchdown, as Nick Florence finds Crawford’s own Andrew Judy on a three-yard TD pass. Nice drive by Baylor, which might’ve been fired up after the penalties on defense. That’s the first career touchdown for the fullback Judy, who plays mostly on special teams and as a blocker.
3:44 p.m. — Chris Brown darts into the end zone on a four-yard TD run, but right now the Baylor coaches have to be livid over a second straight OU scoring drive which benefited from a seemingly nit-picky roughing-the-penalty call on the Baylor defense. This time the victim was Joe Pawelek. Could it be the officials are instituting the “Bradford Rules?”
3:36 p.m. — The Bears can’t convert on 3rd-and-short, as Lanear Sampson is dumped for a loss on a pass into the flat. The Sooners will start at its own 20 following the punt.
3:30 p.m. — Chris Brown puts the first points on the board, diving into the end zone from one yard out on fourth down. That drive had a “let’s quit jacking around” air to it for the Sooners, although it was also helped along by a questionable roughing-the-passer penalty against Trey Bryant on 3rd-and-goal that gave the Sooners a fresh set of downs. It’s 7-0, Sooners, with 8:26 remaining in the half.
3:18 p.m. — Baylor appeared poised to pick up another fourth down on a Florence-to-Terrance Williams connection, but the Bears instead were flagged for a false start penalty with the play clock winding down. The Sooners will take over at their 20 after Derek Epperson’s punt bounces into the end zone. Incidentally, Baylor is dominating the time-of-possession war right now, holding the ball for more than 14 minutes to OU’s 3:57.
3:13 p.m. — And the Bears make a bold move to go for it on fourth down, and Terrance Ganaway picks it up. Oddly, Baylor brought in Blake Szymanski on that play to make the handoff, though Florence returned for BU’s next snap.
3:10 p.m. — And that’s the end of a scoreless first quarter. Baylor will likely be setting up to punt, facing a 4th-and-1 at its own 40. The Bears tried to catch OU napping with a quick-snap sneak from Florence, but the Sooner defense stuffed the QB for little to no gain. The Bears have really only tried to run the ball three times, with minus-five yards to show for it.
3:06 p.m. — Baylor catches a break when OU’s Cameron Kenney can’t haul in a perfectly-tossed third-down pass from Bradford. The Bears will start at the 20 after the punt sails into the end zone for a touchback.
3:04 p.m. — And there goes Baylor’s last timeout, as the Bears are forced to burn it rather than risk a penalty for 12 men on the field. The Sooners have the ball 2nd-and-10 at the Baylor 45.
2:59 p.m. — Florence’s long third-down toss to Kendall Wright is well-defended by OU’s Brian Jackson, and the Bears are forced to punt. So far, Baylor has milked every possible second of the play clock, keeping OU’s offense off the field. The Sooners take over at their own 25 with 5:30 to play in the first quarter.
2:55 p.m. — The Bears burn their second timeout of the half, facing 2nd-and-24 following a personal foul penalty from Danny Watkins. (Not sure what Watkins did to warrant the flag). If Baylor somehow keeps this game close for a half, those lack of timeouts could prove costly.
2:54 p.m. — Florence hits Ernest Smith for a first down on a 4th-and-7 play, keeping the drive alive.
2:50 p.m. — Baylor takes a timeout, with a 2nd-and-8 from the Sooner 41. So far, Nick Florence has been sharp in BU’s short-passing attack, with only one incompletion.
2:43 p.m. — The Sooners turn the ball over on downs, as Bradford throws behind his intended receiver on a 4th-and-4 play. Baylor takes over at its own 35.
2:40 p.m. — Baylor’s initial possession stalls at the 50, as Florence overthrows Ernest Smith on a third-and-long. Willie Jefferson’s 22-yard leaping snag on BU’s second play helped the Bears reach that far. However, OU will still start in great field position, at the Baylor 42 after a 50-yard punt return from Dominique Franks.
2:29 p.m. — Yeah, I’d say that Sooner fans are happy to have Bradford back in the fold. As the offensive starters were announced on the scoreboard, Bradford’s name was greeted by a raucous roar.
2:25 — After renditions of “Oklahoma,” “Boomer Sooner,” and “That Grand Old Flag” we’ve now sung the national anthem and are ready for some football here at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. It’s another typically massive OU crowd on hand to witness Sam Bradford’s return against Nick Florence and the visiting Baylor Bears.
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Long way to go to catch Francis
As you’ll (hopefully) read in the Trib or here on WacoTrib.com tomorrow, Baylor has shown some proficiency in blocking kicks thus far this season, with four in four games.
However, both Phil Taylor and Jason Lamb, who each have a pair of blocks to their credit, have some work to do if they want to set a school record. That’s because BU defensive legend James Francis swatted away eight kicks back in his All-American season of 1989.
Incidentally, my colleague John Werner voted Francis No. 3 on his Heisman ballot that year. “He was amazing,” John said.
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Well diff year, you are right. St. Mary’s School of TV Repair could score a TD on A&M. Holy crap, anybody catch the end of the LSU/Ole Miss game. LSU just blew it big time. I’ve never seen a game like that. They are down 2 and get an onside
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If Briles really were an offensive genius, he could figure out how to score more than 3 points against the porous Aggie defense. Looking more and more like Briles entire strategy = RG3.
How many personal foul penalties did we draw today for talking
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Typical Baylor performance. They will be glad when next week is over so they can get back to the books. This team is about 10 times worse than last year with the same record, apparently. I guess OU knows that feeling without Sam. Looks like TT has it
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I hear that #4 TCU is winning today. Can anybody say Big XIII?
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