Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports
Oh it was a great way to enter the fourth quarter. Baylor was the unstoppable force, sitting its starters early in the the third quarter of every game prior. Bryce Petty hadn’t taken a snap in the fourth quarter this year. Yet K-State was leading, 25-21. Then, on second snap this year in the final quarter, Petty let lose for a 54-yard touchdown pass. It wasn’t close, as Carl Miles Jr. was the defender to just straight up get burned this time.
Jake Waters was the engineer of K-State’s opening drive of the quarter, and was unable to move the ball past the 50 and the Wildcats punted again after some major pressure was brought on third down. Krause once again dropped Baylor inside the 20, but that was about the only positive takeaway of the drive.
Yet again, Ryan Meuller was the player of a defensive stop. On third down he bulled into the backfield and sacked Petty, forcing a punt and getting K-State the ball back on the 33. K-State brought Sams in again, and this guy is special with the ball in his hands. He moved the ball with impunity, John Hubert had a couple nice runs, and the Wildcats moved the ball to the 24. However, a holding penalty on Glenn Gronkowski nullified a first down. Bill Snyder opted for the field goal attempt, down by three and needing two yards for a first down, and Jack Cantele missed a 41-yard attempt. I was happy with the fourth down attempt in the first quarter (even though it was stuffed), and would have welcomed the gamble again. Fortune favors the bold!
Fortunately, the K-State defense came up with another huge stop. Dorrian Roberts (who I’ve been guilty of criticizing all year) dropped Petty for a loss of five, and Baylor punted with Ty Zimmerman downing it at the 20.
Sams had a tough go the next drive. After a great rush, he once again threw an interception late in the game, trying to force the ball into a spot it didn’t belong. Granted, he was under pressure and had almost single-handedly kept the offense in the game to that point. However, that doesn’t take any sting off the turnover.
The subsequent Baylor drive was frustrating. With under four minutes left and a three point lead, you knew Baylor was going to run. And K-State had shut down the rushing attack all year. However, the Bears put together a five play, 39-yard drive that took 2 and a half minutes off the clock before scoring a touchdown. It put Baylor up top 35-25, and sealed the game.
Jake Waters attempted to lead a comeback, but with a minute to play and missing its top two wide receivers, K-State faced too-steep of an uphill battle. Jake Waters was sacked towards the end of the drive and a last-second throw into the end zone fell incomplete. K-State played a helluva game, but fell short 35-25.