WACO, Texas — Baylor cornerback Xavien Howard intercepted a Kansas State pass late in the fourth quarter to preserve the Bears’ 38-27 victory on Saturday night at McLane Stadium.
With the win, sixth-ranked Baylor tied TCU for the Big 12 Conference championship. The Bears (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) will have to wait until Sunday morning to see whether the victory over the ninth-ranked Wildcats (9-3, 7-2) was impressive enough to sway the 12-man College Football Playoff committee.
As the final gun sounded, the student section swarmed the field to celebrate the championship as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” played over the stadium sound system.
Bears quarterback Bryce Petty, who suffered a mild concussion a week ago, started the game after being cleared a day earlier. He had one of his best games of the season, completing 34 of 40 passes for 412 yards and a touchdown.
Kansas State cut Baylor’s lead to 38-27 with 12:41 to go in the game with its best drive of the night. And it proved to be the Wildcats’ best defense, too, because it kept the Bears’ prolific offense off the field.
Kansas State had the ball for more than seven minutes while moving 90 yards. The key play came deep in its own territory when quarterback Jake Waters and wide receiver Tyler Lockett combined for an 18-yard completion to convert a third-and-17. Waters then threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Lockett.
The Wildcats were on the move again until Howard stepped in front of a pass intended for Deante Burton. It was one of the few times that Waters looked for someone other than Lockett, who had 14 catches for 158 yards and a touchdown.
Baylor opened a 24-14 halftime lead when kicker Chris Callahan was good from 46 yards on the half’s final play.
Petty was crisp through the first half, completing 24 of his 29 passes for 260 yards. Petty utilized seven different receivers as Baylor churned to 379 first-half yards against the Wildcats — the best defense, statistically, in the Big 12.
Petty’s one mistake was a poorly thrown pass, which Kansas State defensive back Randall Evans picked off in the end zone.
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Petty scored the opening touchdown via a zone read. Tailbacks Shock Linwood and Johnny Jefferson each had touchdowns.
Kansas State was able to cut the lead to 21-14 with two second-quarter touchdowns. Tailback Charles Jones, who lined up as a wildcat quarterback, scored a 1-yard touchdown. Then Waters found a wide open tight end Zach Trujillo for a 36-yard score.
Unlike Petty, Waters mainly zeroed in on Lockett, who caught six of Waters 10 completions in the first half.
NOTES: Kansas State FS Dylan Schellenberg suffered a leg injury, which was severe enough that trainers used an air cast to stabilize it. He was placed on a stretcher and carted off the field. … Baylor S Terrell Burt had to be helped off the field in the first half.