Strong Texas finish, 23-17 to deny Sugar for No. 12 Baylor

The Baylor offensive coaches, even the players, spent much of the second quarter in a desperate sort of fog, trying to figure out the best way to revive a game plan that was nullified by a single hit on a quarterback. Other Big 12 bowl tie-ins that could extend Baylor a bid include the Cactus Bowl, the Liberty Bowl, the Alamo Bowl and the Russell Athletic Bowl. Heard got in a few plays, but had no impact against the Bears. After missing a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter Baylor kicker Chris Callahan would connect from 24 yards out, trimming the Texas lead to 20-10 with:33 seconds left in the quarter. Houston is guaranteed a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl game – either the Fiesta or Peach – when bowl destinations are announced Sunday. “We actually had a third-and-one and then fourth-and-a-foot, and didn’t convert”. Baylor’s fourth quarterback Lynx Hawthorne was intercepted on a deep pass with less than a minute remaining in the first quarter, and at the end of the play made a hard tackle near the Texas sideline to take down Duke Thomas. But on third-and-9 at Baylor’s 25 with 4:35 left, Swoopes pitched it to Warren, who stepped out of bounds three yards short of the marker.

After the melee, Vaccaro was given a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

WACO, Texas (AP) — While Charlie Strong’s first two years at Texas are the first consecutive losing records for the Longhorns in more than a quarter century, season two ended on a positive note. We knew we were going to have to be more physical than them.

When Rose missed a 53-yard field goal midway through the second quarter, Baylor got something going with runs by Jefferson, Hawthorne and Devin Chafin, moving down to the UT 18. Michael Dickson’s pass bounced inside the 10, and Kris Boyd downed it at the 3-yard line.

Tyrone Swoopes, making his first start for Texas since the opener, threw for 151 yards with a touchdown and ran for another score.

“The realization sets in that a lot of the gameplan’s essentially out the window”, said Briles, who went to mainly wildcat formations after halftime.

For Texas, the Longhorns were playing to avoid suffering an eight-loss season, which has happened only twice in the history of the program. Jefferson spurted for the first down, but Poona Ford stripped the ball and then recovered it, giving Texas the ball back with 2:31 to go in Bears territory. But runs of 30 yards by Hawthorne and 24 by Coleman at least made things interesting.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Brandon Doughty finished off his final home game for Western Kentucky with something he didn’t believe was possible when he came to the school in 2011 – a conference championship. Baylor gained 395 rushing yards.