JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Longhorns were a yard away from tying No. 7 Baylor and perhaps changing their entire season with a touchdown.
Instead, quarterback Tyrone Swoopes put the ball on the ground, the Bears recovered and a promising drive turned into a game-changing gaffe.
A week after getting coach Charlie Strong off to a good start in the Big 12, the Longhorns (2-3, 1-1 Big 12) took a big step backward Saturday with a 28-7 loss in which the offense again struggled to score and the defense wilted in the second half.
“We don’t know how to win yet. We don’t know how to finish,” Strong said after his defense held the nation’s top offense under 400 yards but still lost by three touchdowns because his offense remains punchless behind Swoopes and a patchwork line. Texas has been outscored 69-14 in its last two home games.
Terrell Burt scored on a 62-yard return of a blocked field goal and Shock Linwood rushed for 148 yards and the game-clinching score in the fourth quarter as Baylor (5-0, 2-0) overcame a rare off day by quarterback Bryce Petty.
Petty was just 7-of-22 passing for 111 yards, but threw two second-half touchdowns in Baylor’s fourth win over Texas in five years. Swoopes was 16 of 34 for 144 yards but also had three turnovers, none more critical than the fumble at the Baylor goal line.
The Longhorns defense had stuffed Petty on fourth down at the Texas 1 a few minutes earlier and Swoopes drove them 98 yards with a chance to tie it. Texas would also have the ball first in the third quarter.
“Definitely killed us,” Texas running back Malcolm Brown said of the fumbled snap between Swoopes and center Jake Raulerson. “Such a long drive and not coming out with points, that’s something we shouldn’t let happen.”
For Texas, a close game getting turned into a blowout could be a demoralizer.
Strong’s first season has been far more notable for his discipline — nine players dismissed and several others suspended — than the product on the field. The Longhorns are off to their worst start after give games since 1993 and have now lost nine in a row at home to ranked opponents.
“We’re hurting this team. We just got to score points,” wide receiver John Harris said. “If we can’t score, we’re not going to be able to compete in the Big 12, that’s the fact of the matter.”
Texas throttled Baylor’s flashy offense in the first half with a tough defense and an offense that chewed up minutes and yards but produced no points. Petty was out of sync on 4-of-11 passing in the half with only one throw deep down the field.
The Bears’ only points in the half came on special teams when Beau Blackshear blocked Texas’ 52-yard field-goal attempt and Burt scooped it up to score.
Baylor was still struggling in the third when the Bears’ special teams made another big play.
Punter Spencer Roth called his own fake and his long run set up Baylor’s second touchdown three plays later. Petty dropped a perfect strike to Antwan Goodley past defender Mykele Thompson for a 29-yard score.
Linwood took over from there, rushing for 100 yards in the second half, most of it coming straight up the middle as Texas’ defense tired. His touchdown made it 21-0 before Petty connected with Corey Coleman with a long pass into the end zone on 4th down.
Texas avoided the shutout when Johnathan Gray ran 2 yards for a touchdown with 2:14 to play.
“We can move the football,” Strong said. “We just caused our own destruction.”
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