By Foster Nicholas | Sports Editor
In the final week of non-conference play for three Baylor sports, the Bears combined to go 2-0-1 over the weekend, in addition to strong Olympic sports performances. Baylor football successfully blacked out McLane Stadium, but here’s everything else you may have missed in Baylor Athletics over the weekend.
Second half spark propels Baylor football past Air Force, 31-3
After forfeiting three fumbles and controlling the ball for just 5:55 in the first half, Baylor football erupted with energy for 25 second-half points as redshirt junior quarterback Sawyer Robertson propelled the Bears past Air Force, 31-3, Saturday night at McLane Stadium.
The green and gold were led by Robertson, who completed 18 of 24 passes for a career-high 248 yards. Redshirt freshman running back Bryson Washington notably recorded 106 rushing yards and a touchdown in the first start of his career. With the win, the Bears (2-1) shattered a nine-game home losing streak to FBS programs and avenged their 2022 Armed Forces Bowl loss.
Baylor will be back in action on Saturday to revive a former Big 12 Conference rivalry against Colorado (2-1). The Bears and Buffalo will clash for the first time since Oct. 16, 2010, with the green and gold holding a 7-9 record all-time against the Buffs. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo., with the Buffalo Homecoming game aired on FOX.
No. 20 Baylor volleyball sweeps 13th annual Baylor Invitational
The Bears bounced back from a pair of losses by sweeping the Baylor Invitational against LSU and Samford. Baylor (7-2) capped off the event with a 3-0 victory over Samford on Sunday. A third-set service ace by senior outside hitter Elise McGhee, the 50th of her career was the highlight of the match. Her serve bounced off a defender’s head and into the bleachers.
The Bears’ next match will be against the two-time national champion, No. 8 Texas, at 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Ferrell Center.
Last-minute goal stalls Baylor soccer, results in 2-2 draw against Texas State
After a weather delay that lasted two hours and 36 minutes, Baylor soccer landed a draw against Texas State. The Bears rattled off two second-half goals before the Bobcats scored the equalizer with just 13 seconds on the clock. Junior Tyler Isgrig scored her team-leading third goal of the season, and graduate student Kai Hayes scored her first career goal.
Now sitting at 5-3-1, the Bears will hit the heat of Big 12 play with Arizona (5-2-1, 0-1-0 Big 12) traveling to Waco on Thursday for the first time in program history. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Betty Lou Mays Field.
Cross country nets top-10 finishes at Texas A&M Invite
On Friday morning, the Bears wrapped up their second meet of the year at the Texas A&M Invite at Watts Cross Country Course. The women secured a sixth place finish out of 16 teams in the 5k, with sophomore Ruth Kimeli leading Baylor with a 15th place finish of 17:48.1 in her cross country debut.
The men finished ninth out of 14 teams in the 8k as graduate student Wisconsin transfer Nick Hruskoci landed a 26th place finish of 24:23.9 and freshman Jack Sterrett finished in 37th, 24:40.0.
Baylor will run again on Friday, Sept. 27, at the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Mo.
Men’s tennis opens fall slate with Waco Fall Kickoff Classic
Hosting the Waco Fall Kickoff Classic at the Waco Regional Tennis Center over the weekend, four Bears competed in the first tournament of the fall. Senior Marko Miladinović made it to the finals in his bracket, while junior Nebraska transfer Quintan Van Wijk also finished the weekend 2-1.
The green and gold now focus on ITA Men’s All-American Championships from Sept. 21-29 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
