The injuries certainly played a role, as several players went down in the second half in addition to the starters who were already out, but for a defensive coach like Charlie Strong, the strategy was completely perplexing. “Now we have something we can build on, and we can take into the offseason”.
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But if UT holds on, Oklahoma State would get the Sugar Bowl berth on the strength of the Big 12’s tiebreaker and a head-to-head victory over TCU. Then, just as some Baylor players start heading in his direction, he quickly puts his helmet back on. But after getting inside the 10, they had to settle for a chip-shot field goal by Callahan that made it a 20-10 game with 33 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Coleman (3,009 career receiving yards) became Baylor’s 4th all-time 3,000-yard receiver, joining Kendall Wright (4,004), Terrance Williams (3,334) and Tevin Reese (3,102).
“I never thought it would depend on our fourth-string quarterback”, Coleman said. But Jefferson’s Hail Mary pass from the Texas 47 fell incomplete. “But we did it today and it’s just the start”, Doughty said.
Oh yeah, and the Bears trail Texas 20-0 at halftime.
With Texas celebrating the play and Baylor players trying to protect Hawthorne, a melee ensued.
Making matters worse for the Bears, Johnson left the field with help from the training staff. Quarterback Tyrone Swoopes found tight end Caleb Bluiett open behind the safeties for a 57-yard catch and run touchdown on the Longhorns’ third play from scrimmage. But he was only 10 of 22 for 64 yards with two interceptions after Chris Johnson had concussion-like symptoms from a hard hit when he fumbled on a run in the first quarter.
Baylor ventured into Texas territory eight times.
FILE – In this November 5, 2015, file photo, Baylor wide receiver Corey Coleman runs for a touchdown during an NCAA college football game against Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan.
“It’s really tough”, Coleman said.
“We were at Texas a couple of weeks ago and had some kids who didn’t get to play in that game, freshmen bigs”.
Committing what he referred to as quarterback “no-nos”, Hawthorne was picked off twice on his first three passes and misfired on his first five attempts. The Texas bench got a little feisty about it and someone gave Hawthorne an extra shove for his trouble.
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That’s something Strong and Texas can hang their hat on.
