New QB, still perfect
Quarterback Jarrett Stidham, right, celebrates with receiver KD Cannon after one of Baylor’s touchdowns in a 31-24 win over Kansas State on Thursday. Stidham, replacing the injured Seth Russell, threw for 419 yards and three scores for the 8-0 Bears.
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Jarrett Stidham knew his lack of experience was probably a big reason Baylor was ranked only sixth in the initial College Football Playoff poll this week.
In his first start, the freshman showed he can keep the high-powered Bears humming.
Stidham threw for 419 yards and three scores in place of the injured Seth Russell, Corey Coleman caught two touchdown passes, and No. 2 Baylor held on for a 31-24 victory over pesky Kansas State on Thursday night to prove it isn’t going anywhere.
“I think that motivated the whole team, but especially Jarrett,” Baylor running back Devin Chafin said about the rankings. “We definitely came out here with a chip on our shoulder.”
Russell broke a bone in his neck two weeks ago against Iowa State and had surgery last Friday, and many wondered how the Bears would handle his loss. And while the Wildcats made sure Stidham’s debut wasn’t easy, the reigning Big 12 co-champions kept their playoff hopes alive.
“We feel like our team is a team of survivors,” Baylor coach Art Briles said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who have been through a lot, a lot of coaches who have been through a lot.”
They went through a lot Thursday night, too.
Kansas State closed to 31-24 on Joe Hubener’s touchdown pass to Deante Burton with 4:07 left, and Chris Callahan’s missed field goal with 51 seconds remaining gave the Wildcats a chance.
But on their next play, Hubener threw a lateral to wide receiver Cody Cook, who then threw down the sideline. The sometimes quarterback’ s pass was picked off by Terrell Burt, who managed to get his right foot down inbounds, and the interception stood after an official’s review.
Baylor (8-0, 5-0) ran out the clock to drop Kansas State (3-5) to 0-5 in conference play for the first time since 1989, the first season for coach Bill Snyder on the sideline.
Coleman finished with 11 catches for 216 yards and has a nation-leading 20 TD catches this season, making life a little easier on his 19-year-old quarterback from Stephenville.
Stidham completed his first three passes to lead Baylor on an 81-yard scoring drive to open the game. And after the Wildcats answered with a methodical, 88-yard march that took 10 minutes, Stidham hit KD Cannon with another 55yard touchdown strike.
Stidham’s performance bodes well for Baylor’s season-defining stretch, which begins Nov. 14 against 14th-ranked Oklahoma and continues with back-to-back games at No. 12 Oklahoma State and No. 5 TCU.