Bergeron’s 5 TDs lead Texas over Baylor 56-50

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas running back Joe Bergeron ran for a career-high five touchdowns as the Longhorns claimed a 56-50 victory over Baylor Saturday evening before 101,353 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

David Ash completed 19 of 31 passes for 274 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown pass to Mike Davis early in the fourth quarter for the eventual game-winning score.

Texas (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) took the opening kickoff to its 16-yard line and struck on the first play from scrimmage, as running back Daje Johnson went untouched down the right sideline on his way to an 84-yard touchdown run.

Baylor (3-3, 0-3 Big 12) struck two possessions later after capitalizing upon a UT special teams miscue. Texas lined up to punt, but the snap sailed over the head of UT punter Alex King, who recovered on the UT 8-yard line as the Bears took over. Baylor quarterback Nick Florence found the end zone on the next play as the Bears evened the score at 7-all.

Texas regained the lead on its next possession, as the Horns drove 72 yards on nine plays. Bergeron scampered into the end zone from 15 yards out to stake Texas to a 14-7 lead with 6:58 left in the first quarter.

Baylor responded on its ensuing possession, as Glasco Martin capped a nine-play drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 4:08 remaining in the first quarter. The Bears forced a Texas punt and took the lead two plays later when Florence hit Terrance Williams for an 80-yard touchdown pass and a 21-14 cushion. But Texas responded one minute into the second quarter when Bergeron capped an eight-play drive with a two-yard touchdown plunge to even the score at 21.

Baylor assumed a 28-21 lead when Florence found Lanear Sampson for a 7-yard touchdown with 11:45 left in the first half. Texas' D.J. Monroe took the ensuing kickoff 70 yards and gave the Horns a short field at the Baylor 30. UT needed only four plays to find the end zone, as Bergeron scored inside the right pylon from 9 yards out to even the tally at 28.

UT cornerback Josh Turner intercepted Florence at the 37-yard line, and Texas cashed in five plays later to regain the lead. Texas quarterback David Ash found wide receiver Mike Davis for 35 yards to the Baylor 25. Two plays later, running back Johnathan Gray juked a defender in the left flat and cruised into the end zone from 25 yards out to give the Horns a 35-28 lead, one they did not relinquish.

Texas forced a Baylor punt and tacked on to its lead after covering 66 yards in 13 plays. Bergeron scored his third touchdown of the night, this one from 4 yards out, as Texas assumed a 42-28 lead with 1:06 left in the half. Baylor's Aaron Jones booted a 29-yard field goal to close the UT lead to 42-31 at the half.

Baylor sliced the Texas lead to 42-37 early in the third quarter. Florence fumbled the ball at the UT seven-yard line, but Baylor's Jordan Najvar recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. The Bears' subsequent two-point conversion failed. Jones later connected on a 42-yard field goal to cut the Texas lead to 42-40 with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter. The Longhorns needed just two plays to push their lead to 49-40. Ash hit Davis for 67 yards to put the Horns at the Baylor 8-yard line. Bergeron ran for his fifth touchdown of the game on the next play.

Baylor's Jones added a 44-yard field goal late in the third quarter to cut the Texas lead to 49-43, but the Horns answered two possessions later. UT linebacker Steve Edmond stripped the ball from Baylor's Glasco Martin, and safety Mykkele Thompson recovered at the Baylor 46. Seven plays later, Davis took a screen from Ash 15 yards into the end zone to give Texas a 56-43 lead.

Baylor closed within 56-50 on a Florence 1-yard touchdown run with 1:57 left in the game.

(TexasSports.com)