Baylor vs. Kansas Notebook: Bears Prevail Over Jayhawks on Homecoming Saturday
The Baylor Bears bounced back from a lackluster loss to West Virginia with a big win over the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday to improve to 4-3 on the season.
The win also improves Baylor's Big 12 Conference record to 2-2 as the Bears' dominance over the Jayhawks continues, despite seeing a deeper and more talented Kansas team than in years past.
A handful of takeaways from Saturday's homecoming victory:
Baylor didn’t punt until late in the third quarter.
Yes, you read that properly. The Bears did not punt the ball until well over midway through the third quarter.
Up until that point, Baylor had either scored or turned the ball over on every single possession.
Dropped passes were an issue once again.
Nothing personal, but if Baylor's receivers could learn to not drop beautifully placed passes, they'd be both winning more ball games and finishing games properly.
Instead, fans and players alike are left to sweat it out until the bitter end.
Three turnovers left the door open for a Kansas comeback.
Thankfully, the Bears still prevailed. But Baylor has GOT to learn to cut down on turnovers as the season rolls on.
Having Kansas claw all the way back to down five after being down by over three touchdowns all day long just shouldn't be happening.
Pound the rock, Richard Reese.
Baylor running backs falling forward ultimately won the game for the Bears, especially when handing the ball off to Reese.
Reese made it look easy too, garnering an eye-popping 186 rushing yards on 31 carries with two touchdowns (along with two receptions for 26 yards).
Bears controlled the clock from start to finish.
Baylor ran effectively all day long, allowing the Bears to put the nail in the coffin late in the game.
Sure, they should have been able to nail that coffin shut well earlier, but a win is a win -- especially in the Big 12.
Baylor defense proved solid a week after allowing 43 points to West Virginia.
The Bears' defense looked great in Saturday's win over Kansas, regardless of the late comeback by the Jayhawks.
Baylor led 28-3 most of the game, and the Bears were in cruise control until late in the third quarter.
And even then, when the defense was needed the most, they still stepped up to the challenge as Baylor picked up a monumental and necessary win.
Want the latest in breaking and insider news for the Baylor Bears? Click Here
Follow Inside the Bears on Twitter and Facebook
Make sure to subscribe to our daily podcast @LockedOnBaylor today! Click here To Listen.
Denton Ramsey has been a journalist for over 20 years with a decade of experience as a sports writer and editor for a plethora of newspapers throughout Texas and Alabama. Growing up in Houston and attending Baylor University, Ramsey is a die-hard sports fan with a true passion for writing. He may be reached via email at denton.itb@gmail.com