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Baylor Football

Bears Can't Complete Comeback and Fall in Overtime to Houston, 25-24

November 4, 2023
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Cole Tompkins - SicEm 365
It’s been 378 days since Baylor has defeated an FBS opponent at McLane Stadium.

WACO, Texas – Despite a late comeback attempt, Baylor (3-6, 2-4) fell to Houston (4-5, 2-4), 25-24, in overtime Saturday at McLane Stadium.

Down 17-10 with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, Baylor’s offense was looking to drive the length of the field to tie the game. Instead, on the first play of the possession, quarterback Blake Shapen (RJr.) pump faked the ball and threw back across his body into double coverage into the waiting arms of UH linebacker Malik Robinson (Sr.).

Houston appeared to have the game all but won, but the Bears’ defense forced a stop, and UH kicker Jack Martin (Jr.) missed a 44-yard field goal to give Baylor’s offense one last chance.

Shapen rebounded from his mistake to lead the Bears down the field and sent the game into overtime with a one-yard passing touchdown to tight end Hawkins Polley (Fr.). On the drive, Shapen picked up 41 rushing yards, including a 27-yard scramble on fourth and 17.

Baylor opened overtime with the ball, and Shapen found tight end Drake Dabney (Sr.) on the first play for a 23-yard reception. Running back Dawson Pendergrass (Fr.) capped off the possession with a one-yard rushing touchdown to put the Bears up 24-17.

Despite a personal foul that moved Houston back to the 40-yard line to start overtime, the Cougars made quick work of the Bears' defense, and quarterback Donovan Smith (Jr.) finished the drive with a rushing touchdown. UH elected to go for two, and Smith ran up the middle unopposed to seal the 25-24 victory.

Despite winning the turnover battle and leading in total yards and time-of-possession, Baylor came away with the loss. BU’s losing streak at home against FBS opponents has reached eight games and dates back 378 days.

Cole Tompkins - SicEm 365
Baylor has been outscored 100-38 in the first half at McLane Stadium this season.

The Bears opened the game with a promising first possession, but a couple of costly penalties on the offensive line stalled the drive, and Houston then blocked a 49-yard field goal attempt from Isaiah Hankins (RSo.).

With the Cougars deep in Baylor’s territory, cornerback Caden Jenkins (Fr.) made an incredible play to intercept Smith to keep the game scoreless with just over 14 minutes remaining in the second quarter.

Later in the second, Houston scored the lone touchdown of the first half when Smith connected with wide receiver Samuel Brown (So.) for 26 yards over the middle.

Baylor’s offense looked to tie the game before the half, and on third and 14 at the UH 21-yard line, Shapen found wide receiver Josh Cameron (RSo.) in the back corner of the endzone, but upon review, the officials waived off the touchdown. On the following play, Hankins missed his second field goal of the day — this time from 38 yards out.

Baylor entered the halftime locker room trailing Houston 7-0 and had been outscored 100-38 in the first half at McLane Stadium this season. The Bears had just 145 total yards of offense despite dominating in time of possession, 19:55-to-10:05.

The Cougars opened the third quarter with a six-minute drive, but a holding penalty negated a touchdown, and UH had to settle for a 31-yard field goal and took a 10-0 lead.

Cole Tompkins - SicEm 365
Despite winning the turnover battle and leading in total yards and time-of-possession, Baylor’s losing streak at home against FBS opponents has reached eight games.

The Bears finally got on the board when the offense pulled out all the stops with a flea-flicker play that Shapen hit Dabney up the left sideline for a 38-yard touchdown. Baylor trailed 10-7 with 2:20 remaining in the third quarter.

After a stop on defense, Shapen and Baylor’s offense settled in and drove the length of the field and were on the UH two-yard line before two costly penalties forced the Bears to settle for a field goal. Hankins nailed the 27-yard chip shot, and the game was tied at ten apiece with just over eight minutes left in the fourth.

On the ensuing Houston possession, Smith led the Cougars down the field and connected with running back Tony Mathis Jr. on a 24-yard touchdown to take a 17-10 lead with five minutes left in the contest.


Passing

Name CMP ATT YDS CMP% AVG LNG TD INT RTG
Blake Shapen 29 37 263 78% 9.07 38 2 1 150.5

Rushing

Name CAR YDS AVG LNG TD
Dominic Richardson 11 51 4.6 11 0
Dawson Pendergrass 9 50 5.6 11 1
Richard Reese 3 21 7 9 0

Receiving

Name REC YDS AVG LNG TD
Drake Dabney 4 76 19 38 1
Josh Cameron 4 42 16 10.5 0
Monaray Baldwin 4 16 4 9 0
Jake Roberts 3 36 12 16 0

Defense

Name TKL SKS TFL INT FR
Caden Jenkins 5 0 0 1 0
Devyn Bobby 5 0 0 0 0
Garmon Randolph 4 0 0 0 0
Matt Jones 3 0 0 0 0

Kicking/Punting

Name XPM XPA FGM FGA FG% P AVG I20 LNG
Isaiah Hankins 3 3 1 3 33% N/A N/A N/A N/A
Palmer Williams N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2 40 0 46

 

Discussion from...

Bears Can't Complete Comeback and Fall in Overtime to Houston, 25-24

5,006 Views | 8 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by oorahpa
BUGWBBear
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And the Smoak brothers will toss Aranda softballs at the presser, then act all pissed off on their own 365 show.

Get angry at the presser, because the show is all crocodile otherwise.
Fre3dombear
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I Love how this article ends before any comments on the last 5 minutes

Like whoever wrote it just said ah Fk it
Johngaltexas
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Aranda may be intelligent and is surely smarter than me but, intelligence has little to do with leading young men on the football field. This team has lost confidence in the coaching staff and that cannot be overstated. The play calling-erratic and not aligned with the level of talent on the team. The O line coaching- non-existent. The team is unprepared for every game. No one seems to be driving the bus. How do you get a delay of game on an extra point in overtime? That's coaching!
Killing Floor
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In defense of our players they showed up for the final 9 minutes of the 4th quarter. It's not fair to judge them on the 85% of the game nobody cares about.
We won the 2nd half of the 4th quarter. Some would say "dominated".
Let’s Go!
oorahpa
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Penalty on overtime x point? Coaching non existent. Season over. Fire them all in order to save who we can from the portal. Without a new staff who would want to stay if they could leave. Adverse selection is losing the good ones and keeping the less talented. A new staff can evaluate and move into the portal. Where we are now we could use about 40 new players. Our current guys who don't make it can stay on aride for academics or leave in the portal. It will be interesting to see how many get horizontal offers and how many step down. A new staff with Texas connections and a real offense will offer hope, which we don't have now. No one wants to play the RVO.

John Heard


Reverend
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Johngaltexas said:

Aranda may be intelligent and is surely smarter than me but, intelligence has little to do with leading young men on the football field. This team has lost confidence in the coaching staff and that cannot be overstated. The play calling-erratic and not aligned with the level of talent on the team. The O line coaching- non-existent. The team is unprepared for every game. No one seems to be driving the bus. How do you get a delay of game on an extra point in overtime? That's coaching!
What about any of that makes you think he's smart? He creates meaningless word salads. He pretends to be smart. And whatever his intelligence is, his coaching "moxie" is about 10 levels below it.

Sorry Dave, the act needs to be over. You've made millions. Enjoy it and move on.
Space Cutter
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Been attending Baylor football games for the past 51 years. Sadly this will probably be my last. Clearly Baylor administration is fine with the product currently on the field. Everybody at BU smiles says nice things about our staff and believes loud blaring music, on-field awards plus on campus events will hide the poor performance weekly this staff is providing. So my time, money, & hope are gone for what Baylor leadership will do to improve this mess.

Thank God for Baylor men's basketball please let it come ASAP. SIC EM
oorahpa
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The locker room is long gone and so should this staff. Hard to believe we were Sugar Bow chats but when Joey left so did recruiting. We play like we recruit now at the bottom
John Heard


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