Gerry Bohanon passed for 222 yards and ran for a touchdown, and Abram Smith rushed for 113 yards and a crucial 32-yard score in the fourth quarter as No. 16 Baylor came from behind to beat struggling Texas 31-24 on Saturday afternoon in Big 12 play in Waco, Texas.
Bohanon was 18-of-31 passing and uncorked two first-half interceptions but was nearly flawless after halftime as the Bears (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) pulled out all the stops in this one. Baylor scored a touchdown when a wide receiver threw a TD pass and another on a run by a tight end on an end around.
Casey Thompson passed for 280 yards and two scores for the Longhorns (4-4, 2-3 in Big 12 play), who lost their third straight game after having a double-digit lead in the third quarter. Texas rushed for just 102 yards, with star running back Bijan Robinson gaining only 43 yards on 17 carries.
The Longhorns struck first, turning in interception by an B.J. Foster on Baylor’s second snap of the game into a 10-yard touchdown pass from Thompson to Joshua Moore. The Bears answered with a 6-yard scoring pass on a wide receiver reverse by Tyquan Thornton to R.J. Sneed.
Isaiah Hankins booted a 38-yard field goal late in the second quarter to give Baylor its first lead at 10-7. Texas responded just 32 seconds later with a 63-yard TD bomb from Thompson to a wide-open Xavier Worthy to go up 14-10 at halftime.
Robinson rammed home from the 1 on Texas’s opening possession of the second half to push the Longhorns’ lead to 21-10. Bohanon countered with a 6-yard touchdown run on the Bears’ ensuing drive at the end of a 9-play, 75-yard march.
Ben Sims rumbled for a 1-yard scoring run on an tight end-around four plays after he caught a 28-yard pass as the Bears jumped to the front at 24-21 with 12:48 to play. After a failed fake punt by Texas, Baylor added to its lead with Smith’s twisting 32-yard TD run, pushing the Bears’ lead to 31-21 with 7:59 remaining.
Cameron Dicker’s 27-yard field goal with 4:40 to play brought the Longhorns back to within seven points. Texas had a final possession but had four incomplete passes and never threatened.
–Field Level Media
