Texas still has too many uncorrected correctables in 24-10 loss to Bears

By Steve Habel
Senior Contributing Writer

WACO, Texas — Uncorrected correctables. While that statement might not be proper English, it’s the explanation that comes from most every Texas coach and player these days as the losses begin to mount.

The phrase got put to use again when the Longhorns, facing as close to a do-or-die situation as they’ve had in coach Tom Herman’s nearly three-year tenure on the 40 Acres, failed to respond to the call to arms in a 24-10 loss to No. 13 Baylor Saturday before 49,109 fans at raucous McLane Stadium.

The Bears (10-1, 8-1 Big 12), fresh off [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]a stinging last-minute defeat Nov. 16 at the hands of Oklahoma came ready to play on Saturday.

With more-or-less of a window-dressing touchdown on the next-to-last snap of the game, Texas avoided being denied the end zone for the first time since a 31-9 loss at home to TCU that ended the 2016 campaign.

“We knew how fast and physical (the Baylor) defense was going into the game and obviously,
we didn’t respond on that side of the football,” Herman said. “These guys, I mean, they’re embarrassed. They want to play to their standard.

“You go into every game thinking you’re gonna win, thinking you got a great plan. So anytime that doesn’t happen that’s surprising, but there’s no way that that they’re going to check it in.”

This game ended up being about who wanted it more, and the Bears fit the bill from the curtain call. With the win, Baylor (10-1, 8-1 Big 12) clinched a spot in the Big 12 championship game and a rematch against Oklahoma, who handed the Bears their only loss on Nov. 16.

Meanwhile, Texas (6-5 overall, 4-4 in Big 12 play) limps home to its regular season finale against Texas Tech on Black Friday trying to clinch a winning record.

“We were fired up. We are always fired up because we know it’s our next opportunity to go out and represent the school,” Texas defensive end Malcolm Roach said. “We try to do that to the best of our ability. Unfortunately, it just didn’t go our way.”

Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer passed for 221 yards and a touchdown, and ran for 75 yards and another score before leaving after a hit to the head on a run during the Bears’ final, fourth-quarter scoring drive.

Bears wide receiver Denzel Mims caught seven passes for 125 yards in the win, Baylor’s first against Texas since 2014.

The Longhorns, who ranked in the top 10 to start the season, lost for the second straight game and for the fourth time in five games.

Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who amassed 228 total yards (177 passing, 51 rushing), was held without a touchdown either running or passing for the first time this season. He was sacked five times and threw an interception.

“I don’t know,” Ehlinger said when asked about the ineptitude of the Texas offense. “If I knew I would fix it. It is very frustrating — very frustrating.”

The Bears’ John Lovett scampered, then bulled, his way into the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown run on the first snap of the second quarter to give Baylor a 7-0 lead. The run capped a seven-play, 50-yard drive that began at midfield after a poor Texas punt.

Ehlinger was sacked three times in the first half for 11 yards in losses. The Longhorns’ offense had just 114 total yards until Keaontay Ingram reeled off a 68-yard run on the next-to-last play of the half, a run that allowed Cameron Dicker to boot a 48-yard field goal to bring Texas to within 7-3 at halftime.

Brewer propelled himself over right guard for a 1-yard touchdown keeper to push the Baylor lead to 14-3 midway through the third quarter. The score culminated an 87-yard, nine-play march for the Bears.

Mims hauled in Brewer’s 12-yard touchdown pass to expand the Bears’ advantage to 21-3 with 1:20 to play in the third. The touchdown connection came three plays after the duo combined for a 16-yard play on fourth down to keep alive the scoring drive.

John Mayers kicked a 24-yard field goal four minutes into the fourth quarter to make it 24-3 and the Bears cruised to the finish line.

Texas scored on the next to last play of the game on a 4-yard run by Daniel Young.

“There weren’t a whole lot of looks down the field,” Ehlinger explained about the Longhorns’ attack, which only penetrated the Baylor 20-yard line once, on the final drive. “They were dropping eight guys into coverage for our four guys and rushing three. So they were giving us the underneath stuff, the quarterback run stuff in the passing game and they did a great job flying to the football. They were making plays, and we didn’t execute.”

Now Texas moves on to Texas Tech and Senior Day, and the hope to build some momentum for the mid-level bowl game that awaits the Longhorns.

“You know when you’re not playing to your to the standard that we have set, you’re going to be frustrated,” Herman said, “and that’s fine. Everybody in the building is frustrated.”

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