Baylor Football

The No. 7 Baylor football team capped its season with a 21-7 win over No. 8 Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day in New Orleans' Caesars Superdome.

Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral left the game in the first quarter with a right leg injury and did not return after getting his leg rolled up on during a sack. Luke Altmyer replaced Corral.

Trainers helped Corral off before he was examined on the sidelines and then carted off the field. He later returned to the sidelines on crutches and without a shoe on his right foot.

As for the game, the Bears' rushing attack and defense led them to victory. Abram Smith ran 25 times for 172 yards, and wideout Monaray Baldwin's 48-yard touchdown scamper on an end-around gave Baylor a 13-7 lead early in the fourth quarter.

A great time for your first TD 😤#Sicem | #BUncommonpic.twitter.com/sCJFYamTYS

— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) January 2, 2022

On defense, Baylor sacked Ole Miss quarterbacks nine times. Linebacker Terrel Bernard had two of them en route to 17 tackles (11 solo). Safety JT Woods picked off Altmyer and Corral once each, and Al Walcott returned an Altmyer pass 96 yards for a pick-six to open the scoring:

This defense is 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩.

Baylor 7, Ole Miss 0 | 10:16 2Q#SicEm | #BUncommon pic.twitter.com/jIaKfXMd0V

— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) January 2, 2022

The Big 12 champions finished 12-2, marking the first time in program history that the Bears have won 12 games.

Ole Miss finished its season 10-3, tying a program record for wins.

    

Notable Performances

Baylor RB Abram Smith: 25 carries, 172 rushing yards

Baylor LB Terrel Bernard: 17 tackles, 2 sacks

Ole Miss QB Luke Altmyer: 15-of-29, 174 passing yards, 1 TD, 2 INT

Ole Miss WR Dontario Drummond: 9 catches, 104 receiving yards

    

Baylor's Defense Shines Again

Baylor's defense propelled the Bears from a Big 12 contender down the stretch into a conference champion and then a Sugar Bowl winner.

Along the way, the Bears held 11-win Oklahoma to 14 points, allowed just one touchdown to Kansas State, picked off Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders four times and finally held Ole Miss to seven points in the Sugar Bowl.

The Bears saved their best for last as phenomenal performances from Bernard, Woods and others guided them to a win over Ole Miss.

Granted, the Rebels were without their starting quarterback for three-plus quarters, and this game certainly could have played out far differently if Corral remained in the contest. Still, Baylor's defensive dominance can't go unnoticed as numerous stars shined.

Bernard was a big reason Ole Miss couldn't get much going. Jerrion Ealy did break loose for a 31-yard run at one point, but aside from that, the damage from Ole Miss' three running backs (Ealy, Snoop Conner and Henry Parrish Jr.) was spread out as they combined for 27 carries and 118 rushing yards.

Bernard and Jim Thorpe Award finalist Jalen Pitre were both excellent, and Thor Nystrom of NBC Sports Edge shouted them out:

I love watching Dave Aranda defenses in general

This one is especially fun

Terrel Bernard and Jalen Pitre are both stupid disruptive

Both will play in the NFL for a long time

— Thor Nystrom (@thorku) January 2, 2022

Woods came through in the clutch, as his second pick came with the Bears up 14-7 in the fourth quarter. He returned the Altmyer pass 16 yards to the Ole Miss 15-yard line, and Tyquan Thornton caught a two-yard touchdown pass from Gerry Bohanon five plays later.

In the end, credit goes to Baylor's excellent defensive talents as well as head coach Dave Aranda, who turned around a team that went 2-7 in 2020 by leading Baylor to its best season yet.

    

Ole Miss Fights Hard Until the End Without Its Leader

Simply put, Ole Miss faced a tall order to win this game without Corral, a likely first-round NFL draft pick who finished seventh in the Heisman voting this year.

He's been an invaluable member of the team en route to leading an explosive Ole Miss offense. Corral accounted for 31 touchdowns (20 passing, 11 rushing) while tossing just four interceptions.

Corral also passed for 3,333 yards and rushed for 597 more despite battling numerous ankle injuries.

Ole Miss suffered a multitude of injuries all year, to the point where nine of the team's 11 Week 1 offensive starters were unable to practice on Nov. 3. Of note, the team lost one of its top wideouts (Jonathan Mingo) for most of the season with a foot injury, and right guard Ben Brown suffered a season-ending torn biceps.

Somehow, this team still ended up with 10 wins despite playing in the brutally tough SEC, which will send Alabama and Georgia to the national championship. Corral was the most important part of that run, and his efforts to keep playing (and perform well) will not be forgotten in Oxford anytime soon.

Unfortunately, Corral and Ole Miss' season ended on a dour note after a freak injury, but that doesn't take away from the fact that the Rebels kept fighting until the end en route to a campaign filled with success.

Two high-powered offenses will do battle in New Orleans on New Year's Day when No. 6 Baylor faces No. 8 Ole Miss in a game with plenty of potential for high scores and dazzling offense.

Ole Miss is no stranger to the Sugar Bowl, having contested it nine times in school history. They are the highest-ranked SEC school not in the playoffs, and this will be the Rebels' sixth appearance in a New Year's Six bowl game in the past 18 years. They are coming off their first 10-win season in school history, which seems rather inconceivable.

Their only losses in 2021? To Alabama and Auburn.

Baylor is fresh off its first Big 12 Championship win, denying Oklahoma State by a single yard to earn its way to Caesars Superdome.

BAYLOR WINS THE BIG 12 WITH A GOAL LINE STAND 🏆#CFB

pic.twitter.com/pMqTSEwcsO

— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 4, 2021

The Bears enjoyed a bounce-back season in 2021, erasing last year's dismal 2-7 record to finish sixth in the nation. The school has competed in the Sugar Bowl twice before and has a 1-1 record in the New Year's Six game.

This will be just the second time Baylor and Ole Miss face off. The first was a 20-10 Bears win on September 6, 1975.

                    

2021 Sugar Bowl Info

Date: Saturday, January 1

Start Time: 8:45 p.m.

TV: ESPN

Location: Caesars Superdome in New Orleans

Odds: Ole Miss -2

Over/Under: 51

                    

Preview

Ole Miss under head coach Lane Kiffin oversaw one of the most explosive offenses in the country this year, ranking 18th overall.

Quarterback Matt Corral established himself as a Heisman Trophy contender with 3,339 passing yards, 20 TDs and just four interceptions. On the ground, he added 597 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was stellar while operating Kiffin's offense and was key in its efficiency this season.

Lane Kiffin on Matt Corral: "When I saw him with the band when we won the Egg Bowl, I almost got emotional. I remembered I have one more game with him. It is really neat to be a part of it. He's a leader and I'm proud to be his coach."

— Brad Logan (@BradLoganCOTE) December 5, 2021

Also key was the Rebels' improved defensive play.

A year ago, the team gave up 38.3 yards per game on average. This year, there was a steep decline to 25. 

Baylor is a veteran team, with 29 seniors on the roster, and have two quarterbacks capable of leading the team to victory in New Orleans. The question is which one will get the start in the biggest game of the year.

Starter Gerry Bohanon in a dual-threat. A hamstring injury sent him to the sideline and allowed freshman Blake Shapen to start the final two games of the season. And he took advantage of his opportunity, tossing five touchdowns while completing 69 percent of his passes with no interceptions.

If Bohanon can play, expect the junior to start. Any struggles, though, and Shapen may see time on the field as Baylor chases its second Sugar Bowl win.

The Bears, despite their recent history as a high-scoring, offensive-minded school, have seen their defense transformed under second-year head coach Dave Aranda, allowing just 19 points a game. The squad is a top 20 defense and has a knack for creating turnovers (16 INT, 16 fumble recoveries). Baylor also turned in 32 sacks this season.

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS ‼️#SicEm | #BUncommon pic.twitter.com/KMMSAj2G9s

— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) December 4, 2021

The key to the game will be whether Kiffin can devise an offensive scheme that can overcome his opponent's stingy defense. While he will have almost an entire month to do so, Aranda and his staff will have the same amount of time to put together a game plan to thwart anything Kiffin develops.

It will be a game of strategy and should be one of the most intriguing of the New Year's Day matchups as a result. It is also a showdown between two coaches of different backgrounds.

Dec. 4, 2011: Assistant Dave Aranda is fired, evicted from his apartment and financially broke.

Dec. 4, 2021: Head coach Dave Aranda leads #Baylor to a Big 12 championship.

On the meteoric rise of college football’s most stoic & cerebral man - https://t.co/9BawszRfrD

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 5, 2021

Kiffin is the son of legendary NFL defensive coordinator Monte and has had numerous, high-profile opportunities over the course of his coaching career. Aranda came from nothing, broke and evicted, to work his way into one of the most prestigious bowl games on the schedule.

The dynamics between the programs, the dichotomy between the coaches' stories and the fact that there is so little history between the teams only serve to enhance the aura of January 1's most must-watch game.

The Baylor Bears have won the Big 12 Championship Game for the first time in school history after their thrilling 21-16 victory over Oklahoma State at AT&T Stadium on Saturday.

Oklahoma State had an opportunity to take the lead in the final seconds, but Baylor's defense stepped up huge. Dezmon Jackson's attempt to turn the corner on 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line came up short when Jairon McVea stopped him short of the end zone.

BAYLOR STOPS OKLAHOMA STATE ON 4TH DOWN 😱 pic.twitter.com/9JlKW4ZLrv

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 4, 2021

That came after the Cowboys went 89 yards in 16 plays to put themselves in position to go ahead. Baylor forced a turnover on downs and was able to run out the clock on its next offensive snap.

This was the second time Baylor has played in the conference title game. Its first appearance was a 30-23 loss to Oklahoma in 2019.

Saturday's win also provides the Bears with a strong measure of revenge. They were held to a season-low 14 points in a loss to Oklahoma State on Oct. 2. Head coach Dave Aranda's team will likely be headed to the Sugar Bowl for the second time in three years.

Oklahoma State likely would have found itself in the College Football Playoff with a win. The Cowboys entered this week No. 5 in the rankings, with all four teams ahead of them playing Saturday.

One of Georgia (No. 1) and Alabama (No. 3) was guaranteed to lose since they are playing in the SEC Championship Game.

Baylor looked like it was going to roll in this game during the first half. Quarterback Blake Shapen completed his first 17 passes, three for touchdowns, to get the Bears out to a 21-3 lead with 5:29 remaining in the second quarter.

The Bears were shutout in the second half, but their defense was able to make enough plays for those 21 first-half points to be enough.

Oklahoma State was its own worst enemy for most of the game. Spencer Sanders threw four interceptions, though some were the product of bad luck. He hit Brennan Presley in the third quarter with a pass that was thrown a little off target, but Presley bobbled it, allowing Brayden Utley to pick it off.

After getting down to Baylor's 1-yard line late in the fourth quarter, Jackson fumbled a handoff by Sanders that Oklahoma State was able to recover. It settled for a field goal to cut the deficit to 21-16 with 8:17 left in regulation.

That would be the end of the scoring for both teams in the game. Oklahoma State lost for just the second time this season. Its 11 wins this season are its most since 2011 (12-1).

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Notable Game Stats

• Blake Shapen (BAY): 23-of-28, 180 yards, 3 TD
• Abram Smith (BAY): 17 carries, 63 yards
  
• Tyquan Thornton (BAY): 6 receptions, 71 yards, TD
  
• Spencer Sanders (OK State): 31-of-46, 257 yards, 4 INT; 13 carries, 33 yards
  
• Dezmon Jackson (OK State): 19 carries, 31 yards
  
• Tay Martin (OK State): 9 receptions, 88 yards

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Defensive Heroics Bail Out Bears

This game couldn't have any started any better for Baylor. Shapen was picking apart an Oklahoma State defense that came into this week ranked third in the nation in total yards allowed per game (281.4) and tied for fifth in points allowed per game (16.4).

The Bears surpassed that point total in the first 25 minutes of game time. Shapen looked to be on his way to having a historic performance.

What a first half for Blake Shapen against OKST...

- 4th QB with 3 Pass TD in the 1st half of the Big 12 title game.

- 17 straight completions to start the game. pic.twitter.com/WSpUBfSpCV

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 4, 2021

Perfect throw ✅
Beautiful catch for the TD ✅ pic.twitter.com/Q2fGYETVhT

— ESPN (@espn) December 4, 2021

The Bears did miss a golden opportunity to extend their lead before halftime. Shapen drove them 60 yards downfield with three chances from the Oklahoma State 21-yard line, but each of his passes fell incomplete to set up a field-goal attempt that was blocked.

Baylor's offense had five drives in the second half, not counting the final snap of the game. Only one of those drives lasted more than five plays and gained at least 10 yards.

Baylor offense in the second half:

23 plays
36 yards

— Max Olson (@max_olson) December 4, 2021

Despite those struggles with the ball in their hands, the Bears were able to win because their defense was able to match what Oklahoma State was doing.

The Cowboys had seven drives of their own in the second half. Two of them did end with points, including one touchdown, but the others resulted in two interceptions, one fumble, one turnover on downs and a punt.

Make that 3️⃣ INT for the Baylor defense 😮 pic.twitter.com/e5RuXAmsuQ

— ESPN (@espn) December 4, 2021

Baylor owning the line on defense all day. Bully ball.

— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) December 4, 2021

It hasn't been talked about a lot because the Big 12 isn't regarded as a defensive conference, but defense was crucial to Baylor's success this season.

Even though Oklahoma State was the best defensive team in the conference, Baylor more than held its own. The Bears ranked 17th in the nation with 19.4 points per game coming into Saturday.

TCU was the only team to score at least 30 points against Baylor.

All of the pieces came together to lead the Bears to a Big 12 title game victory for the first time in program history. They have been an elite team all year and will have a chance to end the season ranked in the Top 10 for the first time since 2014 with a win in the bowl game.

---

Mistakes Doom Cowboys in Final Playoff Audition

In their biggest game of the season, this was as bad as the Cowboys could have played. Sanders had as many interceptions today as he did in the previous seven games combined.

Baylor intercepts Spencer Sanders for the second time in the first quarter 👀 pic.twitter.com/PgL1exrTmN

— ESPN (@espn) December 4, 2021

This is a career-high INTs for Sanders. It's very hard to watch this and not immediately react with: not top four.

— Heather Dinich (@CFBHeather) December 4, 2021

The Oklahoma State defense allowed Shapen to throw for 151 yards and three touchdowns in the first half.

Whatever head coach Mike Gundy said to his team during the halftime break seemed to have resonated, especially with the defense. Shapen completed six of 11 attempts for 29 yards in the second half.

Oklahoma State's offense did move the ball better in the second half, but there was still a lack of consistency overall that wound up playing a huge role on the decisive final drive.

The defense forced a turnover on downs early in the third quarter to help set up the Cowboys' first touchdown drive. Dominic Richardson capped off an eight-play drive with a score from four yards out.

Oklahoma State punches it in for 6️⃣ to make it a one-score game! 🤠 pic.twitter.com/eoMS83Opqg

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 4, 2021

Special teams also looked like it was going to work in Oklahoma State's favor. In addition to a blocked field goal at the end of the first half, the Cowboys got a turnover when Baylor's Trestan Ebner muffed a punt return that Korie Black recovered.

Gundy continued to show tremendous confidence in his defense in crunch time. He punted the ball away on 4th-and-4 from his own 31 with 3:51 remaining, despite trailing by five points.

The strategy paid off with Oklahoma State forcing a three-and-out to get the offense back on the field with 90 yards to go and 3:14 left on the clock.

It looked like the Cowboys were going to overcome their ugly play and pull off a miraculous win. They gained 88 yards in 13 plays to set up a 1st-and-goal from Baylor's 2-yard line.

Gundy's play-calling in that situation left a whole lot to be desired:

Ball at the 1…
0 yard run inside the tackles
0 yard run inside the tackles
PAP throw to the DE
Shotgun inside zone for .5 yards

Credit the Baylor defense but my word Okie State. Y’all had nothing better when that same offense didn’t work the last drive

— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) December 4, 2021

Throughout his tenure at Oklahoma State, Gundy's teams have been defined by explosive offenses capable of putting up points in bunches. He coached a conservative game Saturday, and it wound up hurting his team.

Sanders' turnover problems may have impacted how Gundy wanted to play, but running back-to-back plays in the biggest moment of the game into the teeth of a Baylor defensive front that has been eating you alive all day was a bad strategy.

The end result is that Oklahoma State probably won't make it into the top four of the College Football Playoff rankings.

---

What's Next?

Oklahoma State and Baylor will find out which bowl game they will play in on Sunday.

The Big 12 fined Baylor $25,000 after fans rushed onto the field early during the football team's win over Oklahoma last week.

Commissioner Bob Bowlsby issued a statement on the matter Tuesday: 

“We have a duty to ensure a safe game environment that provides the visiting team secure egress from the field for players, staff and support personnel, and protection of the team bench area. I appreciate Baylor’s advance planning and communication, and although well planned, the end-of-game circumstances made its field storming plan impossible to execute, resulting in an interruption of play, impeding the visiting team from reaching their locker room and damage to OU bench area equipment.”

Baylor's student section rushed onto the field with one second remaining in the Bears' 27-14 win, resulting in Oklahoma players and coaches being swarmed by fans. Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley was incensed by the situation, both on the field and while speaking with reporters after the game.

"I don't believe the situation was handled well by a lot of people," Riley said. "But at the end of the day, doing it with class is important to me, and at the end of the day, we decided to bring 11 guys back out even though I damn well didn't want to." 

Baylor fans rushed the field with 1 second left and Lincoln Riley was HEATED 💀 https://t.co/3PHcl7wTOW

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 13, 2021

Baylor's win over Oklahoma snapped a 17-game winning streak for the Sooners, the longest in the nation. It was also Bears' first win over their Big 12 rival since 2014 and just their fourth overall in 32 meetings.

A year removed from an ugly 2-7 campaign, head coach Dave Aranda has Baylor at 8-2 with an outside shot at a Big 12 championship. 

Oklahoma, which was already looked at with some trepidation by the College Football Playoff committee, will likely fall out of the Top 10 following the loss. The Sooners entered last week ranked eighth in the country, behind four one-loss teams despite being undefeated. 

The selection committee will release its latest playoff rankings Tuesday night.

               

The No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners suffered their first loss of the season Saturday, falling to the No. 13 Baylor Bears 27-14 at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas.

Both teams struggled to get much going offensively for most of the day, and Oklahoma freshman quarterback Caleb Williams was held in check, finishing with 146 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions through the air, plus 17 yards and one score on the ground.

Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley replaced Williams with Spencer Rattler in the second half, although Williams returned in the closing minutes when Rattler proved ineffective.

While some offensive fireworks were expected, Baylor held Oklahoma to just 260 total yards, including only 78 on the ground.

Baylor's ground game dominated by comparison, as the Bears rushed for 296 yards and held the ball for 35:19, while Oklahoma only possessed it for 24:41.

By virtue of Saturday's victory, Baylor is 8-2 overall and 5-2 in Big 12 play, while OU is 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the conference.

The College Football Playoff committee was already down on Oklahoma because of its inability to dominate, and now that the Sooners have a loss, their chances at a CFP berth are likely gone.

---

Notable Stats

Gerry Bohanon, QB, BAY: 12/21 for 117 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT; 9 CAR for 107 YDS, 2 TD

Caleb Williams, QB, OU: 10/19 for 146 YDS, 0 TD, 2 INT; 10 CAR for 17 YDS, 1 TD

Spencer Rattler, QB, OU: 4/6 for 36 YDS, 0 TD, 0 INT

Abram Smith, WR, BAY: 20 CAR for 148 YDS

Kennedy Brooks, RB, OU: 13 CAR for 51 YDS, 1 TD

Tyquan Thornton, WR, BAY: 4 REC for 41 YDS, 1 TD

---

Williams Struggles Mightily in Oklahoma's 1st Loss

There was Heisman Trophy buzz surrounding Williams ahead of Saturday's clash with Baylor, but just like Oklahoma's national championship hopes, they went up in smoke.

The talented freshman never looked comfortable or in sync at any point during the game, as Baylor's swarming defense constantly gave him problems.

It started on the Sooners' second offensive drive when Williams was intercepted on an ill-advised throw in Oklahoma territory:

INTERCEPTED!

The @BUFootball defense comes up with a big time play 💪 pic.twitter.com/UoN0NZp7Ix

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 13, 2021

Williams had a great run for a first down on a 2nd-and-16 play late in the first half, but he had his hand stepped on by a Baylor defender while getting tackled:

Right hand is clearly bothering Caleb Williams as OU heads to halftime. Worth monitoring. Maybe we see a Rattler cameo today?

— Max Olson (@max_olson) November 13, 2021

He appeared to be favoring his hand when entering the locker room, and he continued to struggle when he came back out for the second half.

After having been intercepted only once this season entering Saturday's game, Williams was picked off for a second time early in the third quarter with Oklahoma trailing 10-7:

Caleb Williams INTs coming into today: 1
Caleb Williams INTs at @BUFootball: 2 pic.twitter.com/1ZTeoy9eqP

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 13, 2021

Williams seemingly tried to throw the ball away but failed to get it out of bounds, thus stalling another OU drive.

After Williams nearly lost a fumble on a sack late in the third quarter, the Oklahoma fans present in Waco began chanting for Rattler to enter the game:

"We want Spencer" 👀 pic.twitter.com/HwKnz7j2Zz

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 13, 2021

It was ironic, since OU fans chanted for Williams several weeks earlier, which led to Williams taking the starting job from Rattler.

Skip Bayless of Fox Sports was among those who weren't thrilled with Riley's decision to pull Williams:

WRONG WRONG WRONG. Lincoln Riley just made the mistake of the year, replacing a struggling Caleb Williams with preseason Heisman favorite Spencer Rattler. So much for Caleb's Heisman chances. I believe he would've snapped out of it in the 4th quarter. Caleb>>>>>>>Rattler.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) November 13, 2021

The move did not pay dividends for Oklahoma, as Rattler played poorly and was ultimately taken out of the game in the fourth quarter.

Saturday served as a reality check for Williams and the Sooners team as a whole after Oklahoma had narrowly avoided several near-upsets earlier in the season.

The loss to Baylor cost OU a chance at a national title, but a Big 12 title remains possible if the Sooners can regroup.

---

Baylor Rides Defense, Running Game to Upset Win

All eyes were on Williams and the electric Oklahoma offense entering Saturday's game, but Baylor proved why it boasts one of the best defenses in college football.

The Bears were all over Williams and the Sooners from start to finish, forcing two turnovers and preventing OU from finding any type of rhythm throughout.

Baylor set the tone from Oklahoma's first drive of the game by forcing a three-and-out and then intercepting Williams on the second drive, as it held the Sooners to just seven points in the opening half.

The dominance of Baylor's defense carried over to the second half, as the Bears put consistent pressure on Williams and nearly forced a turnover deep in Oklahoma territory late in the third quarter on a strip-sack:

Things are not looking good for Oklahoma on offense pic.twitter.com/c2EuPhGRBF

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 13, 2021

With Williams struggling and perhaps nursing a hand injury, Oklahoma turned to Rattler at the end of the third quarter in hopes of creating a spark.

That didn't happen, as the Bears continued to wreak havoc on the Oklahoma offensive line and sacked Rattler on third-and-long on his first drive to force a punt:

Doesn't matter who's in at QB for Oklahoma, @BUFootball's defense is getting after it 😤 pic.twitter.com/wSB04GwtPX

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 13, 2021

KCENTV's Niki Lattarulo made note of how hungry and aggressive the Baylor defense played throughout:

The #Baylor defense is out for blood today

— Niki Lattarulo (@NikiLattarulo) November 13, 2021

Before Oklahoma scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter during garbage time, Sam Khan Jr. of The Athletic tweeted a breakdown of the ridiculous production Baylor's defense provided Saturday:

Oklahoma averaging only 3.8 yards per play today.

Baylor's defense has 9 TFLs, 5 sacks, 2 INTs

— Sam Khan Jr. (@skhanjr) November 13, 2021

While defense was the driving force behind Baylor's biggest win of the season, the Bears' running game also thrived, especially in the second half when the team rushed for over 200 yards.

The defining offensive play of the game for Baylor came early in the fourth quarter with the Bears clinging to a 10-7 lead.

Running back Abram Smith dashed 75 yards down the field and into the Oklahoma red zone, setting the stage for a Baylor touchdown to extend the lead to 17-7:

What a run from @BUFootball's Abram Smith! pic.twitter.com/o29YppdpIv

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 13, 2021

Based on how well Baylor's defense was playing at the time, that was essentially an insurmountable lead, and it allowed the Bears to run as much clock as possible in the final quarter.

Baylor quarterback Gerry Bohanon largely struggled as a passer in the game, going just 12-of-21 for 117 yards with one touchdown and one pick, but Oklahoma couldn't handle him as a runner either, as evidenced by his 107 yards and two scores on the ground.

The Bears seemingly figured out the formula to beating Oklahoma and perhaps showed other teams the blueprint for the remainder of the season.

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What's Next?

Baylor will attempt to continue rolling next Saturday when it goes on the road to face the unranked Kansas State Wildcats.

Meanwhile, the Sooners will look to bounce back from a devastating loss next Saturday when they host the unranked Iowa State Cyclones.

Texas Tech didn't wait long to decide on its next head football coach. The Red Raiders have hired Baylor assistant Joey McGuire, according to Don Williams and Carlos Silva Jr. of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports also reported the news, noting McGuire's local ties in Texas helped him stand out in the interview process.

The move comes two weeks after Texas Tech fired Matt Wells following a 5-3 start to the 2021 season. Sonny Cumbie has served as the interim head coach.

McGuire will be the long-term replacement after spending the past five seasons at Baylor. He has been the associate head coach since 2019 while also leading the tight ends, defensive ends and outside linebackers at different points during his tenure in Waco, Texas.

Baylor has undergone a massive transformation, going 1-11 in 2017 before reaching the Sugar Bowl under Matt Rhule with an 11-3 record in 2019. McGuire stayed on staff after Rhule left for the Carolina Panthers, assisting Dave Aranda the past two seasons. The Bears are 7-2 and No. 18 in the Associated Press poll.

Prior to his time with Baylor, McGuire was the head coach at Cedar Hill High School in Texas, leading the squad to three state championships in 14 seasons. He was inducted into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor in 2020.

Texas Tech will hope this experience helps him as he takes over a program that hasn't finished a season with a winning record since 2015 under Kliff Kingsbury. 

The Red Raiders began 2021 with a 4-1 record but have lost four of the last five games and have a tough remaining schedule with games against Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Baylor.

Athletic director Kirby Hocutt discussed what he was looking for in a new coach after firing Wells last month:

The right fit for the next head coach, good question, you know I believe we, if possible, you want to see somebody that has strong state of Texas ties. Somebody who knows this state, knows the recruiting landscape, the recruiting landscape continues to change as all of you know with the transfer portal, but still the ability to go into Texas high schools and have a relationship there, and be able to recruit and sell West Texas and everything that Texas Tech has to offer would be important to us.

McGuire's time in Texas as a high school coach and Baylor assistant seemingly make him a perfect fit.

The No. 19 Oklahoma State Cowboys moved to 5-0 after beating the No. 21 Baylor Bears 24-14 at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on Saturday.

Jaylen Warren rushed 36 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns, and wide receiver Tay Martin added seven catches for 108 yards. Rashod Owens added a 32-yard second-quarter touchdown reception.

Baylor got going in the second half with two touchdowns thanks to runs from Abram Smith (55 yards) and Gerry Bohanon. A 20-yard Oklahoma State field goal buffered the scores, so Baylor trailed 17-14 with 12:04 remaining after the second touchdown.

The Bears' offense went quiet following the latter score by turning the ball over on downs and going three-and-out on its next two possessions.

Oklahoma State then shut the door with a eight-play, 56-yard drive capped by Warren's second score from four yards out on a 4th-and-2 with just over two minutes left.

Oklahoma State won despite three Spencer Sanders interceptions. However, Sanders helped lead the offense to a 402-280 yardage differential over the Bears, who had just 10 first downs on the night.

The Bears fell to 4-1 after the loss.

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Notable Performances

Oklahoma State QB Spencer Sanders: 13-of-23, 182 passing yards, 1 TD, 3 INT

Oklahoma State RB Jaylen Warren: 36 carries, 125 rushing yards, 2 TD

Oklahoma State WR Tay Martin: 7 catches, 108 receiving yards

Oklahoma State WR Rashod Owens: 3 catches, 53 receiving yards, 1 TD

Baylor QB Gerry Bohanon: 13-of-27, 173 passing yards; 9 carries, 13 rushing yards, 1 TD

Baylor RB Abram Smith: 10 carries, 97 rushing yards, 1 TD

Baylor WR Drew Estrada: 6 catches, 88 receiving yards

      

Tough Running From Warren Leads Cowboys to Win

The first play from scrimmage resulted in Warren scampering 21 yards to the Oklahoma State 46.

That set the tone for the remainder of the game as Warren wore down the talented Baylor defense en route to the 10-point win.

Each Oklahoma State touchdown drive featured a heavy dose of Warren.

The first one saw him get 51 yards and score a touchdown on seven carries.

Who else? @Nunless2 getting things started in Stilly.#LetsRide I #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/idavpzMI8W

— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) October 2, 2021

Warren began the second drive with 15 yards on three rushes. Three plays later, Sanders found Owens for a 13-0 edge.

They don't get much prettier than this.@SpenceSanders ➡️ @luxury_owens12#LetsRide I #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/5h2zzLbF0f

— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) October 3, 2021

The running back then churned out more yards in the fourth quarter before delivering the coup de grace. He added 14 more yards on four carries, ending with his aforementioned four-yard scamper.

Nail, meet coffin.#LetsRide I @Nunless2 pic.twitter.com/pzB9UjvKpy

— OSU Cowboy Football (@CowboyFB) October 3, 2021

It was a crucial rush for the Cowboys, who would have turned the ball over on downs for Baylor with just over two minutes left. Instead, Oklahoma State took a 10-point lead en route to victory.

Credit goes to Warren and the Cowboys' offensive line for a tremendous performance. On a night where the passing game had its struggles, the run game came through to keep the Cowboys undefeated.

     

Too Little, Too Late for Baylor Offense

The Bears had zero points through 41-plus minutes of game action on Saturday. Their first eight drives ended in punts. Two of them resulted in negative yardage. All told, they had just 115 yards during that time, or an average of 19.4 per drive.

They went 3-and-out five times and turned the ball over on downs a sixth time. Baylor also went 3-of-14 on third down.

Three of the drives started after interceptions, with Dillon Doyle, Bryson Jackson and JT Woods notching one pick apiece. On those three drives, the Bears combined to lose six yards.

The team's offensive struggles were evident despite a 31-29 win over Iowa State last Saturday. The Cyclones outgained the Bears 479-282 and possessed the ball for nearly 36 minutes. Baylor also didn't score an offensive touchdown in the second half.

Without counting kneeldowns to end each half last Saturday, the Bears went 14 consecutive drives without scoring a touchdown. Only one of those drives ended in points, and that was after a field goal following a drive that actually went backwards by a yard following a Trestan Ebner 41-yard punt return to the ISU 16-yard line. 

Those struggles bled into Saturday. Oklahoma State gave the Bears chances to turn it around, but the Bears did not take advantage. That gave the Cowboys' offense enough chances to put this one away.

Credit to the Baylor offense for never giving up and finding a late-game spark to make this a game down the stretch, but the Bears' scoring struggles through the first two-thirds of this game proved to be their downfall.

The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions announced Wednesday a hearing panel "could not conclude that Baylor violated NCAA rules when it failed to report allegations of and address sexual and interpersonal violence committed on its campus."

However, Baylor's football program was found in violation in other NCAA rules from 2011 through 2016, including impermissible benefits to a student-athlete, an ethical conduct rules violation by a former assistant director of football operations and the use of a "predominantly female student-host group" for football recruiting events.

The program was placed on four years of probation and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine, will incur several recruiting restrictions during the 2021-22 academic year and must provide details for a vacation of records compiled while ineligible student-athletes were active.

In May 2016, the Baylor Board of Regents announced findings from an independent investigation by the Pepper Hamilton Law Firm, which determined the school's response to sexual assault allegations was "wholly inadequate" and found "specific failings" within the leadership structure of the football program and the athletic department.

The investigation also raised "significant concerns about the tone and culture" of the Bears' football program, which led to widespread leadership changes, including the firing of head coach Art Briles and probation for athletic director Ian McCaw, who then resigned and accepted the same position at Liberty in November 2016, a role he still holds.

Richard Willis, who was chairman of the school's Board of Regents at the time, released a statement about the probe's findings:

We were horrified by the extent of these acts of sexual violence on our campus. This investigation revealed the University's mishandling of reports in what should have been a supportive, responsive and caring environment for students. The depth to which these acts occurred shocked and outraged us. Our students and their families deserve more, and we have committed our full attention to improving our processes, establishing accountability and ensuring appropriate actions are taken to support former, current and future students.

The hearing panel concluded with "tremendous reluctance" it agreed with Baylor's argument during the investigation that those failings were not violations of NCAA rules:

Baylor admitted to moral and ethical failings in its handling of sexual and interpersonal violence on campus but argued those failings, however egregious, did not constitute violations of NCAA rules. Ultimately, and with tremendous reluctance, this panel agrees. To arrive at a different outcome would require the [committee] to ignore the rules the Association's membership has adopted—rules under which the [committee] is required to adjudicate. Such an outcome would be antithetical to the integrity of the infractions process.

Meanwhile, the NCAA investigation determined the former assistant director of football operations, identified by Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel as Odell James, "did not meet his responsibility to cooperate" when he refused an interview with enforcement staff to answer questions about potential violations. James received a five-year show-cause order, which will restrict him from "athletically related duties" if hired by another school.

The impermissible benefit came after the program didn't report a student-athlete, who'd previously been suspended for a plagiarism concern but was reinstated on the basis of 100 percent future academic honesty, had been accused of cheating on a quiz. He went on to play seven games because the incident was not reported, and Baylor will vacate the results of those contests.

The hearing panel also raised concerns about how the student-host group was used by the program:

The gender-based nature of this group is especially concerning in light of the campus-wide cultural issues and Title IX deficiencies at Baylor during this time, as well as the extremely troubling assertions reported by the former Title IX coordinator, including that the Bruins were 'kind of at the disposal of football players in a very inappropriate way.'

In addition, the Division I Committee on Infractions review of the hearing panel's findings said Briles failed to meet "even the most basic expectations of how a person should react" upon hearing about sexual assault or violence involving his players:

COI on Art Briles:

- "Incurious attitude" toward potential criminal conduct by his players was "deeply troubling"

- "Failed to meet even the most basic expectations of how a person should react to the kind of conduct at issue in this case."

- Not technically an NCAA violation pic.twitter.com/bdxCPIKehC

— Max Olson (@max_olson) August 11, 2021

There were no NCAA punishments directed toward Briles in the announcement.

Briles continued his coaching career after leaving Baylor with stops as head coach of Italy's Guelfi Firenze and Mount Vernon High School in Texas. He resigned from Mount Vernon in December.

The Bears are on their third head coach since Briles' departure. Dave Aranda is heading into his second season after previous stints by Matt Rhule (2017-19) and Jim Grobe (2016).

Baylor kicks off its 2021 season Sept. 4 on the road against Texas State, and it doesn't face any restrictions related to postseason eligibility in wake of the NCAA's investigation.

Baylor announced Monday that former safety Chance Waz died.

Heartbroken.

Forever a member of the Baylor Family. 💚 pic.twitter.com/rOQAs0ZCv7

— Baylor Football (@BUFootball) December 14, 2020

Waz spent four seasons with the Bears between 2014 and '17 and appeared in 45 games. He finished his college career with 146 total tackles and two tackles for loss.

Former Baylor quarterback Seth Russell mourned Waz's death:

No words will be able to explain the loss of a teammate, friend, family, brother is Christ. Chance always had a positive attitude towards life. Prayers are lifted high for the Waz family in this time of mourning and celebration of his life. @SupermanEra_3 #BGOD

— Seth Russell (@S_Russell17) December 14, 2020

Craig Smoak of SicEm365 spoke to former Baylor offensive lineman Mo Porter about Waz.

"Chance was a guy that lit up a room. Chance was a guy with high energy all the time, stayed positive in every situation and just wanted us to be the best we can be," Porter said. "Chance was a guy that would always tell you what you meant to him."

The Pflugerville, Texas, native was a 3-star recruit in the 2014 recruiting class and sat 115th at the safety position, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

The second of Baylor's back-to-back Big 12 championships occurred when Waz was a true freshman. He played in 10 games as a backup defensive back as the Bears notched 11 victories and reached the Cotton Bowl.

His best individual season came one year later when he posted 70 total tackles, three passes defended and one forced fumble.

Baylor announced Thursday it temporarily shut down its football facility but still intends to play Oklahoma State on Saturday.

The Bears and Cowboys are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. ET at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas.

Two Big 12 games (West Virginia vs. Oklahoma and Kansas vs. Texas) have already been postponed for COVID-19-related reasons.

Today in Big 12 football:

--Oklahoma-West Virginia canceled
--Texas-Kansas canceled
--Texas Tech shuts down facilities
--Baylor shuts down facilities

— Sam Khan Jr. (@skhanjr) December 10, 2020

Dylan Buckingham of KFOR in Oklahoma City reported that some within Oklahoma State have "serious doubt" about playing its final regular-season game due to the situation at Baylor.

In September, the Big 12 laid out its minimum roster requirements for a team to step onto the field. At least 53 players need to be available. That group also must include seven offensive linemen, four defensive linemen and one quarterback.

The outcome of Baylor vs. Oklahoma State wouldn't have any implications in the Big 12 title race since Iowa State and Oklahoma have secured the top two places in the conference. The teams will face off Dec. 19 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Should Baylor fall below the 53-player limit, it would finish the regular season with a 2-6 record. The NCAA Division I Council waived the bowl eligibility standards for this year, but the Bears likely won't be earning a bowl berth.

Oklahoma State has gone 6-3 so far. ESPN's Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach projected the Cowboys to reach the Texas Bowl.