Credit: Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
Blake Shapen passed for 316 yards and Isaiah Hankins made four field goals, including one from 54 yards, to lead Baylor to a 32-29 victory Saturday over host Cincinnati in the first meeting between the Big 12 programs.
Cincinnati, in its first season in the conference, has lost five straight games.
Baylor (3-4, 2-2) is 2-0 on the road and 1-4 at home this season.
Shapen’s passing, completing 25 of 42 attempts with a touchdown and no interceptions, Hankins’ field goals and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown by Byron Vaughns was the difference against Cincinnati (2-5, 0-4).
After Hankins made his fourth field goal of the game — a 43-yarder with 7:01 left — Cincinnati responded with a 75-yard scoring drive.
Xzavier Henderson’s 29-yard touchdown pass from Emory Jones cut Baylor’s lead to 32-29 with 5:03 remaining.
Baylor was forced to punt on its next possession.
A 51-yard punt by Palmer Williams forced Cincinnati to start from its 7 with 2:19 remaining.
The Bearcats managed a first down but then turned the ball over on downs at their 42 with 1:25 remaining after Jones was sacked and three incompletions.
Jones, formerly of Florida and Arizona State, completed 19 of 30 pass attempts with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Shapen’s 41-yard pass to Ketron Jackson Jr. set up his 3-yard touchdown run with 12:16 left in the second quarter, giving Baylor a 10-7 lead. The Bears led the rest of the way.
Vaughns scooped up Braden Smith’s fumble on the ensuing kickoff return and went 14 yards for the touchdown, putting Baylor ahead 17-7 with 12:09 left in the second quarter.
Myles Montgomery, who earlier had a 38-yard touchdown run, scored on a 1-yard run with 14:20 left in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 29-21.
Cincinnati outgained Baylor on the ground 288-80.
Corey Kiner led the Bearcats with 129 yards on 15 carries. Montgomery finished with 103 yards on 10 rushes.
–Field Level Media