Football falls to No. 7/6 Baylor, 28-7

Saturday, October 4

Austin, Texas

2:30 p.m.

University of Texas

2-3 , 1-1

Baylor

5-0 , 2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Baylor

Texas

10.04.2014 | Football

Box Score

Longhorns hold Baylor to season-low offensive output.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas held Baylor's high-powered offense in check for much of the game but the Bears used two key special teams plays and a big second half to propel their way to a 28-7 win over the Longhorns Saturday afternoon at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

Baylor (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) came into the game ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring offense (56.8 points per game) and total offense (641.0 yards per game) but the Longhorns' defense slowed the Bears considerably. Texas (2-3, 1-1) held Baylor to season lows in points (28) and total offense (389 yards).

Texas totaled 334 yards on offense as Johnathan Gray rushed for 79 yards and Tyrone Swoopes completed 16 of 34 passes for 144 yards. Turnovers were costly, however, with Swoopes throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble at Baylor's 1-yard line.

Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty was stymied by Texas' defense as the senior completed just 7 of 22 passes for 111 yards, though he connected on a pair of touchdown passes. Running back Shock Linwood led the Bears offense with 148 rushing yards on 28 carries including a 1-yard touchdown run.

The Texas defense set the tone from the onset, forcing Baylor to punt on the game's opening drive as Steve Edmond became the first player to sack a Baylor quarterback this season when he took down Petty on the first possession of the game.

But a special teams miscue created an early deficit for Texas. After the Longhorns took over with good field position on their first possession of the game, Nick Rose attempted a 52-yard field goal that was blocked and returned 62 yards for a touchdown by Baylor's Terrell Burt.

The score stayed the same for the remainder of the half as Texas' defense again and again turned away Baylor, holding the Bears to just 129 yards in the first half.

Texas kept within a score by making a terrific goal-line stand midway through the second quarter. With Baylor having driven to the 1-yard line, the Longhorns made back-to-back stops on third, then fourth-and-goal to keep the score 7-0.

A 98-yard drive by the Longhorns ensued, with Swoopes connecting on 4 of 4 passes for 48 yards and Malcolm Brown and Gray leading the rushing attack. Texas had a third-and-goal from the Baylor 1-yard line, but Swoopes fumbled on a quarterback exchange, turning it back over to the Bears just before the half.

In the second half, the Longhorns held strong by forcing Baylor to punts on each of its first two possessions, but special teams again proved crucial. The Bears executed a fake punt with Spencer Roth running 19 yards up the middle for a first down, and three plays later Petty hit Antwan Goodley for a 30-yard touchdown that made it 14-0 with 7:02 left in the third quarter.

That followed a Texas drive in which the Longhorns were in decent position to tie it up after getting deep into Baylor territory. Swoopes hit John Harris for a 34-yard gain that gave Texas possession at the BU 30-yard line, but a 15-yard taunting penalty was assessed on Harris after the play and backed Texas up to the 45. Three plays later, the Horns were forced to punt.

Baylor increased its lead to 21-0 with a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter and scored its final points when Petty hit Corey Coleman for a 30-yard touchdown that made it 28-0 with 6:37 remaining.

Gray scored Texas' lone touchdown with 2:14 remaining, plunging in from 2 yards out to cap a 12-play, 92-yard drive.