K-State Leads Baylor 25-21 After Three Quarters – Baylor Football Is Losing!

John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Similar to something we’ve seen all year, Jake Waters came out to start the second half, threw incomplete, and Daniel Sams was brought in on second. A six yard run was expected, but there was a question whether his shoulder was holding up after taking a big shot in the first half. However, he threw a short rocket for first down to demonstrate that the arm is still primed to pick up yards.

A big scare happened later in the drive. Daniel Sams was nailed in the same troublesome shoulder (throwing arm) and fumbled. K-State recovered, but Jake Waters came in as Sams had a hard time getting up. He would go to the locker room a couple plays later, and neither arm moved as he jogged off the field. At that point he had 17 yards for 134 yards (eight yard average) and a touchdown.

K-State’s first drive was a mixed bag. Losing Sams was bad. The offense drove to the Baylor eight, and that was good. However, Daniel Sams ended up losing ten yards on first down, K-State squandered it’s first and goal opportunity, and came away with a field goal. Baylor has been coming up big in the red zone, and led 21-13 at this point.

K-State used an illegal man downfield penalty to help force a three-and-out, and came up with a huge punt block. Jake Waters started the drive and pitched to John Hubert on the option for 17 yards, and Daniel Sams came back onto the field for the next play, having returned from the locker room. Sams scored on a run the next play and the two-point attempt came up short when Zach Trujillo couldn’t pull off a difficult catch from Sams, but the Wildcats were within two, 21-19.

Not to be a pessimist, but once again that drive came with both good and bad. Sams had to burn another time out lining up for the two point attempt (he may not have known that Waters burned one when he was in the locker room), leaving K-State with no time outs left in the game. Additionally, Trujillo was injured on the play, having landed on his headed trying to make the catch. He was on the field for a long time, and was the second Wildcat to face a probable concussion in the game.

Fantastic play by Ryan Mueller on the Baylor drive, as he tracked down quarterback Bryce Petty as he attempted to run wide. Mueller launched himself into the air and barely knocked the ball out, falling on it and giving K-State the ball again. It’s not hyperbole to call it one of the defensive plays of the decade for K-State.

On the next K-State drive, the injuries kept mounting. John Hubert was able to stick in the game, but is hurting. Sams is still struggling with his shoulder, and Keenan Taylor had to be helped off the field as Keenan Taylor injured his hamstring while Will Ash came into the game. Tavon Rooks had a holding penalty once K-State got inside the ten. Yet Daniel Sams found Torell Miller at the two for a first down, Sams kept it for a touchdown on the next play, and your Wildcats are up 25-21 after the second two yard attempt fell just short when Hubert was stopped on the one. It’s now a four point game when it should be a six. That’s why you don’t go for two in the third quarter. However, it feels good to hold a lead.