The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Baylor
Texas defeats Baylor, 31-10
10.20.2007 | Football
This 10th straight victory over Baylor wasn't nearly as easy as most have been for the Longhorns (6-2, 2-2 Big 12), who won the previous nine games by an average of 41 points.
Texas led by a touchdown when Deon Beasley intercepted a pass with nine minutes left at the Baylor 43. Five plays later, including a 31-yard pass from McCoy to Jamaal Charles, Vondrell McGee scored on a 4-yard run to make it 24-10.
Michael Machen threw three interceptions while completing 25-of-44 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown in his first start for Baylor (3-5, 0-4). His only pass attempt before Saturday had been intercepted.
The Bears led 7-3 after Machen's 17-yard TD pass to Thomas White midway through the second quarter.
Texas had third-and-goal from the 1 when McCoy overthrew Peter Ullman, who leaped and couldn't come down with the ball in the back on the end zone. The Longhorns then went for it, but McCoy's pitch was behind McGee and fumbled.
The ball bounced into the hands of Brandon Stiggers, who returned it 60 yards before being dragged down by McGee and McCoy, who grabbed the returner's facemask and drew a 15-yard penalty. Baylor scored on the next play.
McCoy, who finished 25-of-34 passing, did put the Longhorns right back in front. He ran 13 yards to open the ensuing drive and then completed three straight passes, the last a 23-yard TD to Nate Jones.
Stiggers also had an interception early in the second quarter on a deflected pass, but Baylor gave it back three plays later when Machen's pass was intercepted by Jared Norton.
McCoy completed nine of his last 10 passes for 131 yards -- including five straight for 61 yards with two rushes for 17 yards on the next drive, which ended with Chris Ogbonnaya's 3-yard TD.
Machen started in place of Blake Szymanski, who was limited in practice after sustaining a concussion in last week's 58-10 loss at Kansas. But a change could have been coming anyway since Szymanski had only one TD pass in three Big 12 games after 14 in four non-conference games.
Machen's first pass was a high floater that David Gettis caught for a 43-yard gain to the Texas 27. But Baylor went backward from there and Caleb Allen's 50-yard field goal attempt went wide right.
Allen kicked a 35-yarder in the fourth quarter.
The second-team offense made up of all freshmen got Texas' first points, with quarterback John Chiles running to convert a couple of third downs before Ryan Bailey's 46-yard field goal put the Horns up 3-0 with 3:31 left in the first half.
