By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
The Baylor faithful have left McLane Stadium hanging their heads twice this season after witnessing losses to Auburn and Arizona State.
The Bears (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) are 1-2 at home this season, with their only win coming against FCS foe Samford (0-5, 0-3 SoCon). They’ll look to turn the tide at home against Kansas State (2-3, 1-1 Big 12) in what is shaping up to be a physical battle.
“Their main goal is to just try out-physical you, wear you down, just really make you mess up,” redshirt senior wide receiver Josh Cameron said. “The main thing is just [to] bring it right back to them, just stay on top of our details and execute at a high level.”
The Bears are coming off a 45-27 win over Oklahoma State. They utilized four of their running backs against the Cowboys despite leaning heavily on redshirt sophomore running back Bryson Washington earlier in the season.
Freshman running back Caden Knighten led the team with 81 yards rushing, while Washington tallied 77 yards and a touchdown.
“It’s always super important to get the run game going because once the B-Wash and all the other backs get going, especially Caden, that gives us the one-on-one opportunities and it really makes our job easier at that point,” Cameron said. “As long as we can just keep on doing that, take the pressure off of us, it just frees us up a whole lot more.”
The defense continued to face its issues in the first half against Oklahoma State, allowing 354 yards before the break. The Bears pulled things together to give up only 94 second-half yards.
“That first half just wasn’t the standard, wasn’t what we are,” junior safety Micah Gifford said. “That second half is what we are, what we put on display. We need to go into Kansas State doing exactly what that second half was.”
With the win in Stillwater, Okla., the Bears have been road warriors this season, going 2-0 in away games with their victory over No. 17 SMU in Dallas. They’re 1-2 in Waco in that span.
“I wouldn’t necessarily call it frustrating because it is a good thing that we’re dominating on the road,” Gifford said. “It should be an emphasis that we come in and we destroy whoever comes in McLane.”
Baylor now looks to get into the win column at home against an underwhelming Kansas State team. The Wildcats are coming to Waco with a 2-3 record after being ranked No. 17 in the preseason.
“We need to prove that we can play good at McLane and that we can come and defend our stadium and just put a show on for our fans,” Gifford said.
Gifford attributed the Bears’ problems at home to their issues playing complementary football. While the offense ranks 11th in the country in yards per game, the defense stands at No. 90 with 383 yards allowed per game.
“We just haven’t put together all three sides of the ball consistently,” Gifford said. “We haven’t been able to repeat that and keep the momentum on our side.”
He believes that connecting all three phases of the game is key to securing Baylor’s first FBS win at home.
“I feel like once we’re able to do that is when we’re going to really steamroll people and show the world Baylor football,” Gifford said.
The Bears will take on Kansas State at 11 a.m. Saturday at McLane Stadium.
