Texas sank the #8 Baylor Bears on the weekend

The Horns upset the #8 team in the nation, the Baylor Bears, and finally ended their losing spell.

Trent Domingue’s 39 yard field goal with 46 seconds left in the game saved Texas’ season and perhaps their coach Charlie Strong’s job.

It was a shoot out at Darrell K. Royal Stadium in the first quarter as both teams were tied 14-14 at the halfway mark. But as the game started to settle down, Texas hung out for the half, taking a 23-21 lead thanks to D’Onta Foreman and a revived defensive spirit.

The defense held the the nation’s No.4 ranked total offense to 21 points producing one turnover, two sacks, and a safety in the first half. But things started to unravel for Texas in the third quarter. Texas looked sluggish on both offense and defense which led to Baylor going up 31-26.

In the end, Texas found a way to pull out an upset over the Bears. Midway through the fourth quarter, down 34-26, Texas’ offense got on a roll. The Longhorns put together a 79-yard drive led by Lorenzo Joe’s 61 yard catch and Andrew Beck’s 7-yard touchdown.

With Texas missing the 2-point conversion opportunity, Baylor tried to produce a clock-chewing drive to seal the game, but a Bryce Cottrell sack and a couple of Seth Russell incompletions led to the Bears punting with 3:10 left to go.

With Texas trailing, the Foreman twins and Shane Buechele put together a spectacular drive that set up the game winning 39 yard FG by Trent Domingue with 50 seconds left.

This win handed Seth Russell his first career college loss. The Baylor Bears dropped to (6-1,3-1) while Texas improved to (4-4,2-3).

I believe this win for the Texas was a terrific confidence boost for the team and Charlie Strong. After the game Strong told the reporters “You could just tell the grit within this team,” “There’s no quit.” The team certainly looked like they were fighting for both their coach and to prove to the doubters that this program is on the move forward.

Strong was clearly emotional after having to deal with much adversary for much of this season. Texas’ 35-34 ‘ upset’ was a powerful statement to college football that this team is capable of anything and this up and down season has been more of a fluke.