Sawyer Robertson celebrates his home opener with 5 touchdown passes as Baylor defeats Texas Tech 59-35

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Sawyer Robertson threw a career-best five touchdowns — three of them to Josh Cameron — on his first visit to his hometown, leading Baylor to a stunning 59-35 victory over Texas Tech on Saturday.

Bryson Washington scored two points as the Bears ended an eight-game conference losing streak and snapped the Red Raiders’ six-game home winning streak, their longest in 15 years.

Robertson, who began his career at Mississippi State as the 2020 Texas High School Player of the Year in Lubbock, was 21 of 32 for 274 yards without an interception.

The Bears (3-4, 1-3 Big 12) scored their most points against an FBS opponent since a 61-6 win over Kansas on Nov. 30, 2019.

“Obviously I had family and friends in the stands who wouldn’t normally watch me play, but other than that it was just another game,” Robertson said. “Just because I sit here and say this game was more important than the others, that means the others aren’t as important. And I know that’s not the case.”

Behren Morton finished 33 of 49 for 286 and three TDs, but set up one of Baylor’s points with his first interception at home this season as the Red Raiders (5-2, 3-1) snapped a four-game winning streak overall Home game.

“Just like the last four weeks where we were so excited and celebrating wins and really getting into the film, when you lose a game you can’t look around and blame people,” said Texas Tech- Coach Joey McGuire. “When you talk about looking in the mirror, you have to come back to the fact that the film is the mirror.”

Washington scored twice from the half-yard line after long plays that were ruled touchdowns and overturned on review. The first was his 44-yard run in the first quarter. The second was Cameron’s 73-yard punt return in the second quarter.

Cameron’s first touchdown catch was a 6-yarder for a 24-14 Baylor lead with four seconds left in the first half. The second answered a Texas Tech TD early in the second half, and the last gave the Bears a 52-21 lead early in the fourth half.

Texas Tech tight end Jalin Conyers threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Douglas after receiving an inside handoff from Morton. Douglas finished the game with nine catches for 99 yards and three touchdowns.

Washington ran for 116 yards on 10 carries and Cameron had six catches for 75 yards.

Texas Tech’s Tahj Brooks, who entered the game ranked third nationally in rushing yards per game, had 125 yards and a 31-yard TD on 25 carries.

THE TAKEAWAY

Baylor: Baylor’s best performance in a long time will take some of the pressure off fifth-year coach Dave Aranda. But the Bears have still lost their last eight Big 12 home games since a win over Kansas on Oct. 22, 2022. Aranda was retained last offseason after posting a 3-9 record.

Texas Tech: A win would have meant talk of the first top-25 finish under McGuire, who is in his third season. Instead, the question is whether the Red Raiders will return to their early season form, when they narrowly defeated FCS member Abilene Christian and lost heavily at Washington State.

NEXT

Baylor: Visit Oklahoma State next Saturday. This was the Big 12 Championship Game matchup just three years ago, and now it’s the Cowboys looking for their first conference win of 2024.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders have struggled on the road under McGuire, and the next two are next Saturday at TCU and Nov. 2 at No. 9 Iowa State.

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