Baylor and Kansas State squared off in a classic Big 12 battle that carried major implications for both programs, as the Bears looked to find their rhythm in front of a home crowd while the Wildcats aimed to stay in the thick of the conference race.
It was a physical, hard-hitting matchup from the opening kickoff, featuring two teams built on toughness, discipline, and playmaking on both sides of the ball. While we’re only a few weeks into conference play, that game may very well have been the game of the year. Kansas State and Baylor went back and forth with a massive day from both offenses, but in the end, it was Dave Aranda’s Bears who emerged victorious.
With that, here are three takeaways from Baylor’s 35-34 win over Kansas State.
THAT IS BIG 12 FOOTBALL
The Big 12 may not have the mouth breathers the SEC does going to bat for consistently poor showings, but what they do have is an incredible product. Saturday’s game between K-State and Baylor had game of the year potential, and it absolutely lived up to the expectations. Sawyer Robertson and Avery Johnson went head-to-head in a shootout fashion, each throwing for nearly 350 yards through the air. Michael Trigg looked like Calvin Johnson 2.0, feasting against Kansas State’s defense, and the Bears made the big play in the end to block the kick.
Defense, not so much, but for the fan sitting in the stadium or watching on television, you got your money’s worth.
WHY CALL THAT?
The biggest gripe I have with this game comes down to one call. To get it out of the way first, Baylor did make a tremendous play, returning an Avery Johnson interception to the house with less than 4:30 to go.
That said, what Matt Wells did in Waco is about as close to a fireable offense as I could imagine. Anytime a game chart shows one team with a 98% chance of winning only for things to flip drastically, it’s safe to say things got wacky.
With the Wildcats driving across the 50-yard line and into Baylor territory, up a touchdown, Kansas State offensive coordinator Matt Wells decided that it was a good time to open up the passing game. In short, that was a really, really, really, bad choice.
IT CAME DOWN TO KICKS
While the game had plenty of incredible performances to note, none were bigger than the work of freshman kicker Connor Hawkins. The Texas native trotted onto the field with his team trailing by two points and stared up at a 53-yarder.
A key drive by the Bears got the team into Kansas State territory, but the kick was no gimme. Hawkins stepped up and laced one through the uprights with less than a minute remaining, and honestly, it may have been good from 60 yards out.
It’s hard to find a better performance anywhere in the country than the one we witnessed in Waco, and if it were up to me, Hawkins would be the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week.
