Austin, Texas – With the eyes of the Texas Longhorns upon making the Big XII championship game to get a crack at undefeated No. 4 TCU, they overcame a 27-24 deficit in the final period on the running of Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson to best Baylor, 38-27. Having fallen to TCU, 17-10, only two weeks prior, with a win they hoped for Kansas to upend K-State to get the opportunity. Baylor came in looking to salvage a disappointing 6-5 season after winning the Big XII in 2021.
The Bears got off to a quick start thanks to an intentional grounding by Texas QB Quinn Ewers from the end zone. Baylor followed up with a 48-yard scoring strike from Ben Shapen to Jaylen Ellis for a 9-0 BU lead. Texas refused to lose and responded on a 75-yard drive with Ewers taking it in from the three. On the subsequent Baylor possession, P Isaac Power shanked the punt out at the BU 29. Bijan Robinson, took it in from the two to give UT a 14-9 lead at the end of Q1.
Texas Bulls and Bears
Baylor fought back. They closed the gap with John Myers 30-yard FG only to be offset by Bert Auburn’s 38-yard FG for the Longhorns. Later with Texas starting a drive from its 20, two sacks set them back to punt from their nine. The Bears took over at the UT 45. The good field position netted BU a 14-yard TD pass over the middle to TE Ben Sims. Defensively, they stymied the Longhorns with another sack to prevent any further first-half score. Baylor led 19-17 at the half.
The second half started with an exchange of punts. Baylor recovered a fumble by WR Jordan Whittington to set up on their 44. A QB sneak by Shapen of fourth and one kept the drive moving, but the Longhorn D stiffened. Myers attempted a 40-yard FG, but it sailed wide left just outside the upright. UT took over on their 22. The traveled the length of the field with Roschon Johnson taking it in from the two to put Texas up, 24-19.
Texas stampede
In the fourth, Power’s punt put the Horns back on their 15. From UT’s 33, pressure on Ewers forced a fumble. DL Gabe Hall picked it of the turf and returned it 16 yards for a Baylor TD. Shapen tossed a pass for two points to WR Hal Presley. With 13:30 remaining, the Baylor Bears led, 27-24. From here, Longhorn HC Steve Sarkisian decided to put the ball in the hands of Robinson (29 carries, 198 yards, two TDs).
Starting from the 25, the Longhorns went exclusively on the ground. Robinson picked up 65 yards on nine carries with Johnson ( 13 carries, 77 yards, two TDs) carrying for the balance. A one-yard TD run by Robinson with 8:25 left gave UT the 31-27 lead. The Longhorns turned back the ensuing Baylor possession with an INT by LB Jaylan Ford to start at Baylor’s 42. Robinson carried twice and Johnson followed up with the next four. On his final carry, Johnson scored from the 11 to extend the lead, 38-27. Baylor (6-6, 4-5) lost four yards on its final, futile possession before Texas went into victory formation to close the door on this one, and wait for Saturday’s outcome between Kansas State and Kansas.
Next!
No go for Texas (8-4,6-3) at TCU next week. K-State knocked of Kansas to earn the title game, 47-27. The Wildcats fell to the Horned Frogs back on October 22, 38-28. Both teams seen here on Friday await bowl bids. As for Collegefootballfan.com, we head to nearby San Marcos on Saturday for Game 651 where Texas State (4-7) hosts Louisiana (5-6) in a Sun Belt clash.
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