Recap: Baylor Upsets No. 17 SMU on Walk-Off Field Goal in Overtime

DALLAS – Baylor football (1-1) overcame a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit and upset No. 17 SMU (1-1), 48-45, in overtime on a Connor Hawkins (RFr.) walk-off field goal on Saturday afternoon at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

Quarterback Sawyer Robertson (RSr.) had another exceptional game, putting the Bears on his back and totaling 440 passing yards and four touchdowns on 34-of-50 passing. Wide receivers Ashtyn Hawkins (6Sr.) and Josh Cameron (RSr.) were unguardable on the outside, combining for 19 receptions and 296 yards.

Defensively, the Bears struggled for much of the contest, but held tough down the stretch, forcing SMU kicker Collin Rogers (Sr.) to miss a potential game-winning 57-yard field goal to send the game to overtime. Linebacker Keaton Thomas (RJr.) led the way with 10 tackles, and safety Devyn Bobby (Sr.) had eight tackles of his own.

On the first play from scrimmage, SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings (RJr.) dropped back and threw a bad pass deep down the middle of the field that bounced directly off the hands of Baylor cornerback LeVar Thornton (RSo.) and into the waiting arms of Romello Brinson (RSr.) for a 75-yard touchdown.

Baylor’s offense was able to drive down the field on its two opening drives but turned the ball over on downs both times, showing an inability to win the trench battle against the Mustangs. The Bears rushed for just 50 yards on 20 carries in the first half.

Once Baylor’s offense figured out their fourth-down woes, they took over, scoring touchdowns on their next three drives, highlighted by touchdown passes to Kobe Prentice (Sr.) and Cameron. Robertson was unstoppable in the pocket, throwing for 234 yards on 21-of-26 passing in the first half.

Baylor’s defense, however, continued its woes, allowing a 65-yard, five-minute touchdown drive as well as another score on the first play of the drive, this time, another 75-yard score where Jennings connected with a wide-open Jalen Cooper (Fr.).

The Bears were finally able to break past the SMU line of scrimmage with running back Bryson Washington (RSo.) rushing for his first touchdown of the season to keep the Bears within striking distance, 24-21, at the end of the first half.

Jennings was a perfect 10-for-10, throwing for 236 yards and two touchdowns, going into the halftime locker room with an astronomical 364.2 quarterback rating.

Baylor’s defense held tough in the third quarter, shutting out the Mustangs in the period. The Ponies were gifted a red zone trip after a fumble on a punt recovery, where Thornton pushed an SMU player into Cameron. Still, Baylor held them scoreless with an interception from safety Jacob Redding (RSo.).

In the third quarter, the Bears were moving the ball early, but were stopped on fourth and short. Penalties killed the following drive, and Baylor had to settle for a field goal.

On the second play from scrimmage, in the fourth quarter, Baylor linebacker Travion Barnes (Sr.) filled the wrong hole, allowing SMU running back TJ Harden (Sr.) to shoot up the middle for a 40-yard touchdown.

Two plays later, Washington fumbled deep in Baylor’s own territory, and SMU marched down the field and added another score from Harden, this time from five yards out. The Mustangs led 38-24 with 8:38 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Robertson carried the Bears down the field and found Cameron for an epic 48-yard score, where the former walk-on wide receiver mossed a defender and carried two guys into the end zone. Baylor’s defense got a stop, giving the offense the ball back with just over two minutes, and Robertson found Prentice over the middle for a 21-yard score to tie the game with 0:29 left in the contest.

Baylor got the ball first in overtime, and Washington broke through for a two-yard touchdown, but SMU immediately scored on a 25-yard pass from Jennings to Brinson.

In the second overtime, the Bears forced a stop, and Rogers missed a 38-yarder wide right.