Mims has 3 TD catches for Baylor in 63-14 win over UTSA

WACO, Texas (AP) — Denzel Mims caught three touchdown passes, Grayland Arnold returned a punt 73 yards for a score and Baylor beat UTSA 63-14 on Saturday for its fourth consecutive win.

Charlie Brewer completed 12 of 16 passes for 163 yards and the three TDs to Mims while playing only the first half, when the Bears (2-0) built a 35-0 lead. Brewer also had a 5-yard touchdown run on a blistering hot day — the temperature at kickoff was 99 degrees — and it was much warmer on the playing turf.

The Roadrunners (1-1) trailed 49-0 before a 16-play drive capped by true freshman Sincere McCormick’s 2-yard TD run at the end of the third quarter. He added a 54-yard score after that.

Mims also played only the first half and had seven catches for 101 yards in his second career three-TD game. The senior was wide open in the end zone for a 9-yard TD to start the scoring when cornerback Cassius Grady fell down. Mims got behind the same defender along the sideline for a 30-yard TD and then kicked over the pylon while scoring to make it 21-0.

Arnold had Baylor’s first punt return for a touchdown since 2005 midway through the second quarter. After fielding the ball and sliding to his right, Arnold sprinted down the sideline and got a nice downfield block from linebacker Blake Lynch.

Brewer’s backup, redshirt freshman Gerry Bohanon, ran seven times for 93 yards. He gained 38 yards on his first carry and had a 2-yard TD run on the first drive after halftime.

THE TAKEAWAY

UTSA: Dual-threat quarterback Frank Harris, who was in the same Texas high school recruiting class as Baylor third-year starter Brewer, found things much tougher against a Big 12 defense in his second game. The end of Harris’ high school career and the start of his college career were hampered by injuries in both knees. After 329 total yards and three TD passes in his debut, he was 15-of-24 passing for 93 yards and had nine carries for 3 yards while being sacked three times.

Baylor: The Bears followed a season-opening 39-point win over an FCS team by scoring their most points since 2015. Handily taking care of the early part of the schedule is an indication of progress under third-year coach Matt Rhule. The Bears lost at home to UTSA two years ago early in Rhule’s first season. They have an open date and play another nonconference team from Texas before their Big 12 opener at home against No. 25 Iowa State.

UP NEXT

UTSA is home next Saturday against Army, which is coming off a double-overtime loss at No. 7 Michigan.

Baylor has an open date before wrapping up nonconference play Sept. 21 at Rice.