Baylor Leads West Virginia at Half Behind Gavin Holmes' Explosive Play
The Baylor Bears entered Thursday's matchup in Morgantown against the West Virginia Mountaineers winless at Milan Puskar Stadium dating back to the first time these two teams met in a historic 2012 matchup.
But behind explosive plays from receiver Gavin Holmes and efficient play by quarterback Blake Shapen, the Bears led 24-17 headed into halftime.
Holmes had just four receptions on four targets in the first half, but totaled a career-high 157 yards and a touchdown through two quarters of play.
After Baylor quickly went three-and-out to begin the game, the Mountaineers used an impressive eight-play, 65-yard touchdown drive, though Baylor coach Dave Aranda was likely hardly impressed with some of the tackling effort. WVU running back Tony Mathis had four carries for 27 yards and the opening seven-yard score, which saw him stay patient behind the offensive line before scurrying in the end zone.
Nearly forced to punt again on the ensuing drive, Shapen connected with tight end Drake Dabney and receiver Monaray Baldwin for 23 and 17 yards, respectively, to get the Bears out of the shadow of their own end zone.
Dabney nearly found himself on the end of a huge gain from a double-pass trick play, but Baylor's chance at a major momentum swing fell incomplete.
Two first-down pick ups from Baylor running back Qualan Jones seemed to have the drive primed for six, but a third-down sack of Shapen at the WVU 18-yard line forced the Bears to settle for a 40-yard field goal.
But the script flipped for both teams at the turn of the second quarter. After the Bears forced a punt following WVU's six-play drive, Baylor had an strong and quick drive of its own in store.
Shapen found Holmes for a short gain before the senior did the rest, as he sprinted 56 yards down to the WVU four-yard.
Two plays later, tight end Ben Sims powered it in from a yard out to give Baylor a 10-7 lead.
Baylor and Holmes wasted little time getting the big-play action rolling again. After the Mountaineers went three-and-out, all the Bears needed was three plays behind three passes from Shapen to take a 17-7 lead. Holmes broke free through the middle of the field before streaking alone into the end zone for a 35-yard touchdown.
But after being held to a field goal to make it a 17-10 game, West Virginia hardly needed its offense to tie things up shortly after.
Despite a 46-completion to Holmes, Shapen was sacked and fumbled a play later, as linebacker Jasir Cox picked it up and returned it 65 yards for a game-changing touchdown.
The firework-filled second quarter continued a little over a minute later when Baylor running back Craig Williams took a short pass 39 yards down the left sideline for the score, making it a 24-17 game with a little over a minute to play.
The Mountaineers will receive the second-half kickoff.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
Want the latest in breaking and insider news for the Baylor Bears? Click Here
Follow Inside the Bears on Twitter
Follow Inside the Bears on Facebook
Make sure to subscribe to the our daily podcast @LockedOnBaylor today! Click here To Listen.
