Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
No. 12 Baylor out of Sugar Bowl after loss to Texas
WACO, Texas — No. 12 Baylor’s season has gone from sweet to bitter and battered.
Down to a fourth quarterback because of yet another injury, the Bears lost their Sugar Bowl chance after falling 23-17 to Texas on Saturday in their regular-season finale.
Baylor (9-3, 6-3 Big 12) went into November undefeated after junior quarterback Seth Russell suffered a season-ending neck injury Oct. 24. Freshman Jarrett Stidham won his first start, but broke a bone in his ankle in his third one before Chris Johnson started the last two games — only to get hurt Saturday.
The Bears were in line to be the Big 12’s representative in the Sugar Bowl against an SEC team, with the expectation that league champ Oklahoma (11-1) will get into the College Football Playoff. That would now be Oklahoma State (10-2).
Tyrone Swoopes, making his first start for Texas since the opener, threw for 151 yards with a touchdown and ran for another score. The Longhorns (5-7, 4-5) held on after building a 20-0 halftime lead, but still have consecutive losing seasons for the first time since 1988-89 in the old Southwest Conference.
Johnny Jefferson ran for 158 yards for Baylor, and had enough yards to convert a fourth-and-4 with 2:31 left before defensive tackle Poona Ford stripped the ball loose and fell on it.
Baylor still had a chance after the Longhorns punted, but Jefferson’s pass from the Texas 47 on the last play of the game was incomplete. Jefferson, a running back with a stronger arm, attempted the pass instead of Lynx Hawthorne, the fourth quarterback.
Hawthorne, a junior receiver who last called signals in high school, ran for a touchdown. But he was only 10 of 22 for 64 yards with two interceptions after Johnson had concussion-like symptoms from a hard hit when he fumbled on a run in the first quarter.
The Bears were within 20-17 when Hawthorne scored on an 8-yard keeper with 9:40 left. He took off toward the right sideline, planted his right foot near the 3 and dived forward with the ball in his stretched-out left hand to break the plane for the score.
After being intercepted by Duke Thomas late in the first quarter, Hawthorne made the tackle along the Texas sideline and was coming up off his knees when he got shoved back to the ground by safety P.J. Locke III.
With Texas celebrating the play and Baylor players trying to protect Hawthorne, a melee ensued. The Bears came across the field from their bench, and there were several scuffles even with referees and coaches between them trying to keep the teams separated. Bears receiver Corey Coleman gave Locke a two-handed shove.
The only penalty was unsportsmanlike conduct against Kevin Vaccaro, though it appeared the Texas safety tripped over Hawthorne after Locke’s shove.
Locke also caused the fumble with the hit the knocked Johnson out of the game.
Anthony Wheeler’s recovery at the Baylor 18 led to Swoopes’ 9-yard keeper for a 17-0 lead.