Williams has career day as Baylor holds on to beat Oklahoma, 38-35

NORMAN, OKLA. – In a high-scoring affair, the Baylor Bears (6-3, 4-2) beat the Oklahoma Sooners (5-4, 2-4) by a score of 38-35 on Saturday afternoon at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

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Williams rushed for a career-high 192 yards and two TDs on 25 carries.

Junior running back Craig “Sqwirl” Williams carried the offense in the victory, rushing for a career-high 192 yards and two touchdowns on 25 touches. Through the air, redshirt sophomore Blake Shapen went for 132 yards and an interception on 14-of-23 passing.

On a crucial third and three with 2:06 remaining in the game, Williams broke through the line of scrimmage, cut upfield for a 43-yard gain and intentionally fell down to run out the clock and clinch Baylor’s third straight victory and fourth Big 12 victory. 

The first drive of the game concluded with Sooner quarterback Dillon Gabriel scrambling for a 10-yard touchdown to put Oklahoma up 7-0 with 11:13 remaining in the first quarter.

Baylor responded with a 63-yard drive that was capped off by a Williams 11-yard rushing touchdown. On the ensuing drive, linebacker Dillon Doyle intercepted Gabriel deep in OU territory. 

Three plays later, freshman receiver Jordan Nabors perfectly executed a jet sweep to put the Bears up 14-7 with 3:50 remaining in the first.

Later in the quarter, Williams broke free for a 51-yard rush and finished off the drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown, his second of the day. Despite three first-half interceptions from Gabriel, Baylor only led 24-21 going into halftime.

The Bears received the ball to start the third quarter and instantly drove the length of the field to go up two scores, 31-21. This time, the TD came on the back of freshman running back Richard Reese, who muscled it in from the 2-yard line.

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Baylor’s defense intercepted OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel three times on the afternoon.

Oklahoma followed with a seven-play, 77-yard drive to cut it back to a one-score game, 31-28, with 4:52 remaining in the third quarter.

Both defenses picked up critical stops on the following drives, but Baylor got the ball back to start the fourth quarter and completed a masterful six-minute, 80-yard drive.

Qualan Jones and Williams combined for 62 yards on the drive, and Jones rumbled into the endzone on a 10-yard touchdown to put the Bears up 38-28 with 9:15 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Oklahoma fought back with a 75-yard, five-minute drive of their own to cut the Baylor lead to 38-35. Eric Gray, who ran for 106 yards on 23 carries, finished the drive with a 1-yard rushing TD.