About the only successful part of Baylor’s blackout Saturday night at McLane Stadium was that part of the plan was executed.
As for the game, not so much.
Kansas State backup quarterback Will Howard threw three touchdown passes as the Wildcats knocked Baylor out of the Big 12 title race with a 31-3 victory.
Baylor will not repeat as Big 12 champions.
The Bears (6-4, 4-3) had their three-game winning streak stopped as well as their four-game winning streak against the Wildcats (7-3, 5-2).
Howard entered the game early when starting quarterback Adrian Martinez left with a knee injury. He finished with 193 yards and connected with tight end Ben Sinnott on a pair of touchdowns.
The game started the right way. Baylor got a stop on the Wildcats first possession of the game when Martinez was sacked at the Bears’ 39.
Baylor marched to the Kansas State 17 before Blake Shapen’s pass Josh Cameron deflected and was intercepted by Wildcat safety Kobe Savage. Shapen threw his second interception in the fourth quarter and has committed 10 turnovers in the last six games.
It flipped after that. The Wildcats methodically marched 97 yards in 12 plays and took the lead for good, 7-0, on Howard’s 15-yard strike to Sinnott. It was a pretty good ball because he fit a tight window between three Baylor defenders.
Kansas State extended to 17-0 on Howard’s 20-yard out route to Deuce Vaughn. Baylor’s only tally of the night was John Mayer’s 37-yard field goal to close the first half.
From there, Baylor’s offense had no rhythm and was completely frustrated. Shapen’s struggles continue. He was just 22-38 for 203 yards. A running game that collected 281 at Oklahoma finished with103 for the night.
Vaughn, who went over 1,000 yards for the season, finished with 106 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards.
The Bears play their final home game of the season next Saturday against archrival TCU. It will be senior day.