[BAYLOR FOOTBALL] Turnovers Costly in Baylor’s Loss at No. 25 Kansas State

Sat Nov 11 18:27:34 CST 2023

BAYLOR ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS – Nov. 11, 2023

Turnovers Costly in Baylor’s Loss at No. 25 Kansas State
Baylor QB Blake Shapen Throws Four TDs

By Jerry Hill, BaylorBears.com | Media Materials<https://baylor.app.box.com/s/kmivkwskpgdkj2u6v7ixn774v5634pjf>

For more information contact: Brent Ingram; 210-845-8651, brent_ingram at baylor.edu<mailto:brent_ingram at baylor.edu> or Max Calderone; 254-265-1639, max_calderone at baylor.edu<mailto:max_calderone at baylor.edu> or Colin Pirtle; 940-564-0351, colin_pirtle1 at baylor.edu<mailto:colin_pirtle1 at baylor.edu>

WACO, Texas – Kansas State’s defense scored off turnovers in each half to help the 25th ranked Wildcats pull away for a 59-25 victory over the Baylor Bears Saturday afternoon at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in a matchup of the last two Big 12 champions.

Blake Shapen threw for 253 yards and a career-high four touchdowns to lead the Bears, who fell to 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the Big 12. Keeping its slim Big 12 Championship Game hopes alive, defending champion K-State improved to 7-3 and 5-2.

Will Howard accounted for four of the Wildcats’ six offensive touchdowns, completing 19-of-29 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns and also scoring on a one-yard TD run. Howard set the school record with his 45th career touchdown pass.

But the separator for KSU was a 15-yard fumble return by Desmond Purnell in the first quarter and Keenan Garber’s pick-six return near the end of the third.

In an eventful first half, K-State cashed in on a couple Baylor turnovers to go up 35-7 early in the second quarter. Purnell scored on a 15-yard return off a fumble forced by Cody Stufflebean, and then tight end Christian Moore scored on a two-yard TD pass from Howard after a muffed punt snap.

The Bears scored a touchdown on their opening drive of the game for the first time this season, capping a five-play, 72-yard drive with a 13-yard TD pass from Shapen to freshman Dawson Pendergrass that tied it up at 7-7 early.

After the Wildcats scored 28 unanswered points on two TD passes and a one-yard TD run by Howard and Moore’s fumble return, Baylor got a huge lift from a 70-yard punt return by Josh Cameron.

Three plays later, the Shapen-to-Pendergrass connection worked again from the 1-yard line to make it a three-score game, 35-13.

Devyn Bobby recovered an onside kick by fellow defensive back Reggie Bush at the Wildcats’ 47, and the Bears converted once on a fourth-down play. But on a fourth-and-eight from the 34, kicker Isaiah Hankins lined up for a 51-yard field goal and failed to connect with tight end Jake Robertson on a deep pass.

The Bears used another razzle-dazzle play to get on the board midway through the third quarter. Shapen caught a backward pass from Dominic Richardson and connected with tight end Drake Dabney for a 63-yard touchdown that got it back to a three-score game, 38-19.

Dabney had his second 100-yard day of the season and his career with 105 yards on four catches. In one of his best games in a Baylor uniform, Richardson rushed for 89 yards on 17 carries and caught one pass for eight yards.

K-State scored again late after Baylor’s fourth turnover of the day, with backup quarterback Avery Johnson connecting with tight end Garrett Oakley for a 28-yard TD pass.

Shapen led a 10-play, 77-yard fourth-quarter drive and hooked up with Monaray Baldwin for his fourth TD pass of the day with 20 seconds left in the game.

The Bears will go back on the road to face TCU (4-5, 2-4) next Saturday, Nov. 18, at a time to be announced at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth. TCU is hosting seventh-ranked Texas later Saturday night.

- BaylorBears.com -

--
Brent Ingram | Assistant AD for Communications
Men’s Tennis Sport Program Administrator
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 210-845-8651

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