After two quarters at AT&T Stadium, Baylor and Teas Tech go into halftime with big numbers. The No. 5 Bears lead 49-21 at halftime.
Baylor offense’s gained 499 yards in the first half. On the ground, junior running back Shock Linwood has been a workhorse, rushing 12 times for 169 yards and two touchdowns.
OFFENSE:
Linwood has been on an absolute tear this season on the ground, rushing for 532 yards on only 54 carries. With an average of 9.8 yards per carry, Linwood has been Baylor’s factor back all year.
A reason for Linwood’s success has been the Baylor offensive line’s performance in 2015. Baylor’s line has opened up holes in the running game, allowing for Linwood to have continued success.
Baylor totaled 248 rushing yards in the first half. With the nation’s number one rushing offense, look for the Bears to continue to pound the rock.
The Bears have also been efficient in the passing game. Junior quarterback Seth Russell completed 11 of 16 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns. On the outside, junior wide receiver Corey Coleman extends his 2015 touchdown count to 11, catching five balls for 89 yards in the first half against Texas Tech.
Russell has also shown why he was praised as a dual-threat quarterback. He escaped pressure in the end zone and avoided a sack early in the second quarter to keep the Red Raiders from having a short field.
In the closing moments of the second quarter, Russell kept the ball on a bootleg play, racing into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown. Russell has rushed 10 times for 77 yards and pair of scores against Texas Tech.
DEFENSE:
In what many predicted to be an absolute scoring fest, the Baylor defense has limited the damage thus far. Early on, the Bears were looking like their old selves, giving up two quick touchdowns through the air and missing tackles. As the game settled, so too did the Bears’ defense.
Up front, the Bears pressured Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes, forcing him outside of the pocket. However, the Baylor secondary did keep their coverage well on some plays, allowing Mahomes to find receivers down-field for 255 yards and three touchdowns.
While the Bears have only given up 21 points, they have allowed 321 yards to the Red Raiders. Texas Tech dropped two passes that looked to be guaranteed touchdowns. Turnovers from Texas Tech has crippled its chances in this game, though.
Penalties have again struck the Bears’ also, as they have been penalized 6 times for 52 yards. Baylor is the highest penalized team in the Big 12.
Baylor’s defense has been a dominant second half unit this season. Look for them to come out of the gates swinging on both sides of the ball.
