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Griffin shines as Baylor downs Texas

Dec 4, 2011 - 2:08 AM Waco, TX (Sports Network) - Heisman Trophy candidate Robert Griffin III threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more scores, as the 19th-ranked Baylor Bears pulled away in the second half to beat the Texas Longhorns, 48-24, in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Griffin finished with 320 yards and one interception while completing 15-of-22 passes for Baylor (9-3, 6-3 Big 12), which posted its first nine-win season since 1986.

Case McCoy had three touchdown passes, but was picked off four times and lost a fumble in the loss for Texas (7-5, 4-5).

"I don't think we played well on defense," said Texas head coach Mack Brown. "We gave up some big plays, which is something we haven't been doing."

Baylor jumped out to a 14-0 lead behind two quick-strike scores, but McCoy helped move Texas in front.

On the second play from scrimmage, Griffin threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Kendall Wright. After Justin Tucker missed a 31-yard field goal wide right on Texas' first possession, the Bears needed only 63 seconds to move 80 yards and Terrance Ganaway capped the drive with a 20-yard dash to the end zone.

The Longhorns authored another minute-munching series and produced points this time around when Blaine Irby made a nifty one-handed grab in the back of the end zone with 33 seconds left in the first quarter.

Texas' defense made a pair of stops and McCoy threw TD passes of three and 80 yards to Luke Poehlmann and Marquise Goodwin, respectively.

Now trailing 21-14, Baylor drove to the Texas five-yard line, but settled for a 22-yard Aaron Jones field goal.

The teams then traded turnovers on consecutive possessions as McCoy fumbled the ball away on the snap and Griffin was picked off in the end zone. McCoy committed another turnover on the third play of the ensuing drive when he was intercepted by K.J. Morton, whose 28-yard return set up a first-and-goal from the two. A plunge by Griffin restored the lead for Baylor with 50 seconds to go before halftime.

"I really think the key to the game was how we withstood their 21-point surge. We didn't panic," said Baylor head coach Art Briles.

Tucker opened the second half by drilling a game-tying 39-yard field goal, but Ganaway responded with his second TD run of the game to put Baylor back on top.

The Bears then capitalized on a pair of McCoy interceptions to stretch their lead to 41-24 late in the third quarter. Griffin scored on a 10-yard TD run and Jones made a 40-yard field goal.

Griffin added a 39-yard TD pass to Terrance Williams in the fourth quarter.

Game Notes

Ganaway gained 152 yards on 23 carries. He has rushed for 1,347 yards this year, a new Baylor single-season record...McCoy connected on 24-of-39 throws for 356 yards...Baylor finished a perfect 7-0 at home this season...The Bears have won two straight against Texas after losing 12 in a row.