Longhorns complete 23-17 upset over No. 12 Baylor

Baylor quarterback Chris Johnson (13) fumbles the ball under pressure from Texas defenders Charles Omenihu (90) and Bryce Cottrell during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015, in Waco, Texas. Kevin Vaccaro then hit Hawthorne after the play was over, taking exception to his tackle, and earned an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Texas wasn’t great in the first half, but its makeshift defense was good enough to stuff Baylor’s offense that looked anemic by not being able to throw.

Remember when the area’s best football players who grew up idolizing the Texas Longhorns actually signed with the home team?

After marching down into Texas territory, Baylor was forced to go for it on fourth down. “We took it upon ourselves…” So, we have one team looking to salvage what’s left of their season and land a strong Bowl berth, and the other one trying to prove to their supporters that they will be back and even stronger next year.

“We convert there, and you don’t know what happens”, Briles said.

But the Bears would rally despite having to use wide receiver Lynx Hawthorne at quarterback after third-string quarterback Chris Johnson suffered concussion-like symptoms in the first half.

He likely would have gotten the start in the Sugar Bowl, but now Oklahoma State will get the Big 12’s second New Year’s Six bowl bid, assuming Oklahoma is in the playoff.

Not the case during the Texas-Baylor game today. “It would have been easy to do so, but we didn’t”, Swoopes said. Player of the Game: Texas QB Tyrone Swoopes completed 12-of-19 passes for 151 yards and a score, and ran ten times for 52 yards and a score.

At halftime, the No. 12 Baylor Bears trail the Texas Longhorns 20-0 at McLane Stadium.

The win over Baylor marks the first time Texas has defeated two top-15 opponents while being unranked since 1998. As a result, the Horns got a 53-yard field goal and a punt on those two possessions. It did not help matters that the play occurred right by the Texas sideline. About a third of the Bears team poured onto the field.

Baylor, which leads the country in touchdown drives of 2 minutes or less, went with a receiver screen play (8 yards) and a big 30-yard Hawthorne keeper to reach its own 42.

Head coach Charlie Strong said he told his team before the game that they need to win this game.