Travis Taylor | Lariat Photo Editor
Sports Editor
After surviving a 35-25 road win over Kansas State earlier in the season, the Baylor Bears set out to win with authority as the away team against the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday in Lawrence, Kan.
The Bears left no doubt in this road matchup by throttling the Jayhawks 59-14 in a strong showing by the Bears on the road.
The Bears totaled over 743 yards of offense and held the Jayhawks to 308 total yards.
The convincing win boosts Baylor’s record to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in Big 12 Conference play.
Baylor’s offense is known for being explosive and starting games quickly. Against Kansas, the Bears were forced to punt on their first two possessions.
On Baylor’s third offensive possession, the offense ignited.
Junior quarterback Bryce Petty found senior receiver Tevin Reese for a 62-yard touchdown pass to put the Bears on the board, 7-0.
On the next Baylor drive, junior running back Lache Seastrunk cut against the grain on a power running play and eluded the Jayhawks’ safety in the open field to score on a 29-yard touchdown dash to make it 14-0 Baylor.
Baylor continued to emphasize the ground game and senior running back Glasco Martin scored on the next drive with a powerful 14-yard run to boost Baylor’s lead to three possessions, 21-0.
In the second quarter, Petty scored on a read-option quarterback keeper from five yards out to give Baylor a commanding 28-0 lead.
On Baylor’s next drive, senior placekicker Aaron Jones drilled a 30-yard field goal and the pro-Kansas crowd was silenced with Baylor leading 31-0.
Before the half, Petty found Reese for another touchdown pass as Reese beat his defender to the inside on a post route and Petty delivered a perfect strike to give Baylor a 25-yard score.
Baylor’s five first-half touchdowns and a field goal gave the nation’s No. 8 team a 38-0 lead to take into the locker room at half time.
In the third quarter, Petty found redshirt freshman receiver Corey Coleman for a 49-yard touchdown to give Baylor a 45-point lead.
After this score, Baylor’s starters were placed on the bench and the rest of the third and fourth quarter of the game belonged to Baylor’s second and third string players.
Kansas finally got on the board with 4:51 to play in the third quarter when junior running back Brandon Bourbon rushed down the left sideline on a sweep for a 22-yard scamper, 45-7.
Redshirt freshman Seth Russell commanded the offense down the field and redshirt freshman utility back Shock Linwood scored on a four-yard touchdown rush. Baylor’s lead escalated to 52-7.
Kansas junior quarterback Jake Heaps found junior receiver Rodriguez Coleman on a 30-yard touchdown reception for the Jayhawks’ second and final touchdown of the contest.
Linwood answered with a 68-yard touchdown run for the final score of the game, to boost Baylor to a definitive 59-14 victory.
Petty led the way offensively for the Bears by completing 20-of-32 passes for 430 yards and three touchdowns. In all of Petty’s starts this season, he has thrown for over 300 yards and at least two touchdowns. Petty also added a rushing touchdown to go along with four carries for 22 yards on the ground.
Seastrunk and Linwood each rushed for over 100 yards. Seastrunk finished the day with 109 yards on 13 carries with one touchdown. Linwood tallied 106 yards off of nine carries and added two touchdowns.
Martin carried the ball 11 times for 55 yards and a score.
Baylor’s leading receiver was Reese with four catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns.
The Bears have not played a ranked team this season, and that will change when the No. 15 Oklahoma Sooners come to Waco on Thursday, Nov. 7 in a pivotal Big 12 matchup.
The Sooners defeated No. 10 Texas Tech 38-30 on Saturday. Baylor and Oklahoma likely will rise in the rankings before meeting in one of the Big 12’s monumental regular season games at Floyd Casey Stadium in front of a national television audience on FS1.
