Sawyer Robertson tossed three touchdown passes and Baylor benefited from its suffocating defense in a 30-3 victory over UCF on Saturday afternoon in Waco, Texas.
The Bears (5-4, 3-3 Big 12) put the exclamation point on their victory with their first touchdown since the opening quarter. Robertson escaped the pocket to avoid pressure before finding a diving Kole Wilson from 9 yards out with 6:04 left for the final score of the game.
Baylor set up that touchdown with an interception that was indicative of the day. The Bears’ defense broke up five passes, forced three turnovers on downs and procured two interceptions. They also stuffed 10 of UCF’s 11 third-down conversion attempts while allowing just 225 yards of total offense.
The three points Baylor allowed are tied for the fewest they’ve given up in a conference game since 2006.
Robertson completed 29 of 40 passes for 267 yards and freshman Caden Knighten chipped in a career-high 104 yards on 21 carries.
UCF’s Tayven Jackson faced constant pressure and went 18-for-33 for 151 yards and the two interceptions. Duane Thomas Jr. caught eight passes for 77 yards for the Knights (4-4, 1-4).
Robertson came out firing on Baylor’s first drive as he completed six of his first seven passes — capped by a 13-yard touchdown strike to Michael Trigg.
The Bears followed up with another Robertson touchdown on their next drive, this time a 2-yard toss to Josh Cameron that gave Baylor a 14-0 lead less than 10 minutes into the game.
The Knights turned it over on downs at the Baylor 13, which the Bears turned into a Connor Hawkins 40-yard field goal and a 17-0 lead with 14:14 left in the half.
After another UCF turnover on downs, Hawkins drilled a 28-yarder to make it 20-0 with 2:28 left.
The Knights finally got on the board on the final play of the first half. They turned a Robertson fumble into Noe Ruelas’ 45-yard field goal to cut the score to 20-3.
This was UCF’s seventh straight road loss.
Baylor’s only second-half score — other than Robertson’s third touchdown pass — was Hawkins’ 41-yard field goal that pushed the lead to 23-3 with 4:28 left in the third.
–Field Level Media
