Recap: Baylor Falls Inches Short in 17-16 Loss to Auburn

ATLANTA — Baylor failed to cash in on many opportunities, including falling a yard short on a two-point conversion in a season-opening 17-16 loss to Auburn on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Bears scored on a critical fourth-and-goal from the four, with quarterback DJ Lagway (Jr.) connecting with Gavin Freeman (5Sr.) for the touchdown with nine seconds left.

On the two-point conversion, Lagway hit tight end Matthew Klopfenstein (Sr.), but was stopped a yard short of the score.

On a bummed ankle throughout the majority of the game, Lagway threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns on 26 of 52 attempts, to go with one interception and one fumble.

The Baylor offense got into Auburn territory on its first four drives but failed to score on any of them, with a fumble, an interception, a missed field goal and a punt.

With a chance to tie the game with a field goal attempt in the third quarter, Baylor went for it on 4th-and-2 from the Auburn 17, resulting in an incomplete pass intended for Jadon Porter (Jr.)

Lagway, in his Bears debut, turned the ball over on the first two possessions. He fumbled while Baylor was in field goal range on a hurdle attempt on the first drive and threw an interception on the second when the Bears were inside Auburn’s 40.

Freeman was by far Lagway’s favorite target, having a career day in hauling in 12 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown.

The defense feasted on the Auburn offense with 11 tackles for loss, five sacks and three interceptions of Auburn’s Byrum Brown.

Defensive backs Reggie Bush II (RSr.), Devon Jordan (Jr.) and Micah Gifford (Sr.) each grabbed a pick.

Auburn got the scoring going with a 42-yard field goal from Alex McPherson with 8 minutes, 34 seconds left in the first quarter.

Auburn running back Jeremiah Cobb (Sr.) got the first touchdown of the game on a 15-yard run with 3:51 left until halftime.

Baylor responded with a back shoulder throw touchdown from Lagway to Louis Brown IV (5Sr.) for a 14-yard score to make it 10-7 with 1:30 left in the first half.

After having just 12 sacks all of last season, the Bears racked up four in the first half alone.

The half ended with a key takeaway as, on 3rd-and-18 from Baylor’s 30, Byrum Brown was picked off by Jordan, thanks to a deflection at the line by Devonte Tezino (5Sr.).

The Bears’ third drive moved just as well, but Rhett Armstrong missed a 42-yard field goal on his first career attempt.

The Baylor defense coming out of the half bent, but not broken, as a pass breakup by linebacker Kaleb Burns (Soph.) forced a field goal try that McPherson shanked his second 42-yarder of the game to keep the score at 10-7.

Baylor tied it up at 10 with a 21-yard field goal by Armstrong with 7:12 left in the game.

Auburn retook the lead with 3:21 left in the game on an 11-yard touchdown on 3rd and three.

After starting the game four of six on third downs, the Baylor offense went two for 14 the rest of the way.

The Bears will return home to host Prairie View A&M on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN+.

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