Kansas State buried by Baylor’s game-ending field goal in 32-31 loss

WACO, Texas — John Mayers kicked a 30-yard field goal on the final play of the game and Baylor beat Kansas State 32-31 Saturday night, ending the Bears’ five-game losing streak.

Charlie Brewer completed 31 of 39 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns. The senior quarterback completed four passes in a row for 45 yards after it initially appeared he had fumbled on a run on the first play of the game-ending drive.

Kansas State (4-5, 4-4 Big 12) has lost four in a row since starting 4-0 in conference play.

The final drive for Baylor (2-5, 2-5) began from its 31 with a 5-yard run by Brewer, but with Kansas State coming up with the ball after it popped out. A long replay review determined that Brewer’s knee was down before the fumble.

Brewer also ran for 56 yards and two scores, while he was sacked seven times to lose 23 yards. He had a 1-yard TD keeper with 4:16 left, before K-State went three-and-out and punted.

Kansas State quarterback Will Howard threw a touchdown and ran for another, fellow true freshman Deuce Vaughn rushed for 102 yards with a score.

Howard’s 24-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter put K-State up 24-15, a play after his 49-yard pass to wide-open tight end Briley Moore. Vaughn’s 38-yard TD run countered a Brewer TD pass to Trestan Ebner.

Brewer had a 7-yard TD on a draw play to end Baylor’s first drive, which was set up by the first of Howard’s two interceptions. After the botched extra point, K-State went ahead when receiver Malik Knowles took a handoff on a sweep and ran 75 yards for a score.

THE TAKEAWAY

Kansas State: Howard became the starter after senior Skylar Thompson’s season-ending shoulder injury. The Wildcats haven’t won since Howard became the first K-State true freshman QB to win his first two starts. K-State can still finish with a winning conference record in each of coach Chris Klieman’s first two seasons with a win in its next game.

Baylor: After blowing two-touchdown leads in the second half of their previous two games, the Bears had talked about how to finish games. This turned out a little different than expected with 10 points in the final 4:16. This might have been their last chance to get another win this season, with No. 14 Oklahoma next before No. 17 Oklahoma State in the makeup of a home game postponed Oct. 17 when the Bears has COVID-19 issues.

UP NEXT

Kansas State plays its regular-season finale Saturday at home against No. 20 Texas.

Baylor at No. 14 Oklahoma next Saturday.