No. 11 Baylor, Shapen hang on to suffocate Kansas State in Manhattan 20-10

MANHATTAN, Kansas — No. 11 Baylor (9-2) relied on a mean defensive performance to down Kansas State (7-4) in Manhattan for Dave Aranda’s second power five road win 20-10. 

World, meet Blake Shapen. In a Big 10 style game that was low scoring and anxiety-inducing as hell, it was unlikely heroes like Shapen and Gabe Hall who stepped up when it mattered most to put Baylor’s road woes to bed. 

The opening 30 minutes were pretty much controlled by Baylor. Momentum swung the Bears’ way early with a Baylor score just four minutes into the game following a Kansas State muffed punt. Baylor struck again with a connection from Bohanon to Drake Dabney to make it 14-0. 

That’s when things took a weird turn. 

Deuce Vaughn ripped off a 65-yard score after Baylor was flagged for offsides on a Kansas Stae punt. Then, on the ensuing drive, the trajectory of the game shifted with Bohanon hitting the deck after a noncontact injury sidelined him the rest of the game. 

And thus, the legend of Blake Shapen was born. Charlie Brewer’s younger twin brother soared to a 4-4 start and 42 yards en route to a field goal to end the half. With a strange aura of uneasiness still hovering, Baylor took a 17-7 lead into the break. 

Remember like two sentences ago when I said the legend of Blake Shapen was born? Yeah, that birth spawned greatness. Shapen, comfortable in the pocket and even confident on the run, commanded the Baylor offense for the entire second half. The redshirt freshman looked like a true vet. 

With a new quarterback at the helm, the second half was a war of attrition. Both teams played smash-mouth football to gain any ground the other would let up. Even I needed an ice bath afterward. It was injury after injury for both teams as gritty play wore on. 

So, what was the difference? The Baylor defense. With Hall exploding for a couple of sacks and the usual duo of Jalen Pitre and Terrell Bernard rolling, the Bears held on. Not to mention, Al Walcott pulled down an interception on Kansas State’s backup quarterback on his first play in after a Skyler Thompson injury. 

Baylor’s backup quarterback and Kansas State’s backup quarterback had very different nights, and the Bears rolled 20-10. 

The Green and Gold held the Wildcats to 263 total yards, just 51 total plays and one score — and only three points after Bohanon exited. Shapen alone put up 170 total yards and had a pass as long as 32 yards and a carry of 28. That was all the Bears needed to solidify the win. 

Hey, maybe we will hang out in Arlington two weeks from now?