By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider

Matt Rhule said it was like a movie. 

But, for most of the day, it wasn't one that kicker Connor Martin would want to watch again. Burn the film, don't even let the critics get their hands on that.

"My job as a specialist is to help bail out the offense when they're not able to get things going," said Martin, who was 9-of-11 on field goals this season and 29-of-35 for his career coming into Saturday's game against Kansas State. "I feel like our offense and defense bailed me out. I left a lot of points on the field, so I really wanted it for them. I was like, 'I've got to make it for these guys,' because they saved my butt all day."

In true Hollywood fashion, Martin got the ultimate second chance after missing three field goals and an extra point and clanging in a 28-yarder that hit the right upright and crossbar before bouncing through.

Baylor (4-2, 2-1) rallied from a touchdown deficit in the fourth quarter and won it, 37-34, on Martin's 29-yard field goal with just eight ticks left on the clock.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to kick a game winner," Martin said. "It's pretty selfish, and I'll admit that after the day I had, I owed it to those guys. I wanted to be the one to give it to them. I wanted to be the one to make it happen for those guys after the day I had and all the times they bailed me out."

Rhule, who picked up his first win at Baylor when trailing at half, said it was "poetic" that Martin booted the game-winning field goal.

"I said to the team, it's like a movie," Rhule said. "You deserve the right to go out there and take that last kick. Connor has done a lot of stuff for us, and he's made a lot of big kicks, and probably none bigger than that."

In a back-and-forth final quarter that included three ties and two lead changes, the Bears tied it on a beautiful, 21-yard TD catch by Denzel Mims on a jump ball from quarterback Charlie Brewer. And then freshman Craig "Sqwirl" Williams pushed the Bears back in front with an equally dazzling 21-yard run that made it 34-27 with 6:41 left in the game.

"I knew he was going to bust one," receiver Jalen Hurd said of Williams, who picked up 35 yards on two carries in his collegiate debut. "As soon as he got out and he was out in the open, I knew he was going to make something happen."

Williams picked up the first down and more, cutting back in when he got inside the 5-yard line and powering his way into the end zone.

"I saw the guys coming, and we're taught to never run out of bounds, fight for every yard," he said. "So, that's what I did. I cut back inside, made the defender miss and scored."

That go-ahead score was set up by Baylor's third turnover of the game, this one on a Christian Morgan interception. The freshman safety made his first career start and also got his first pick.

"I give all the credit to (cornerback) Raleigh Texada for being there," Morgan said. "That was my guy, and he got back there and got his hand on the ball. I just happened to be in the right spot. But, that was a big-time play for the defense."
 
Kansas State (2-4, 0-3) answered with a quick five play, 75-yard drive, with Skylar Thompson connecting with running back Dalvin Warmack sprinting down the left sideline for a 28-yard touchdown pass that made it 34-34. 

All five of the Wildcats' touchdowns came on explosive plays – TD runs of 55, 34 and 48 yards by Alex Barnes (22-250-3 TD), a 52-yard run by Thompson and then the scoring pass in the fourth quarter.

"I feel like it's in our DNA. If we get hit in the mouth, we can bounce back real easily," Morgan said. "It's just in our DNA. It's how we react to stuff. We don't ever get discouraged, we just keep playing football."

Baylor had a very methodical, kind of Kansas State-type drive at the end of the game, marching 76 yards in 12 plays and eating more than four minutes off the clock. Brewer started it with a 10-yard run, with 15 yards tacked on for a late hit, then connected on five straight passes to get the Bears in field goal range.

Brewer, who had a streak of 165 consecutive passes without an interception snapped by Duke Shelley's second-quarter pick, said the offense was "pretty bad a lot of the game. But, when it mattered the most, we battled it out."

After K-State called a time out with 12 seconds left, Martin trotted on the field to attempt his sixth field goal try of the day.

"This was one of those games where you kind of had a feeling it's going to come down to something like that," Martin said. "Guys were telling me all week, 'Hey, it's going to come down to you.' I felt calm and really excited for the opportunity."

Rhule said he "went back and forth in my mind," about not putting it on Martin's shoulders, "but I just think it's my job to believe in our players, and it's my job to make sound football decisions."

"We were putting him in tough positions, 45- and 50-yarders, and I was trying to show him you're my guy, I'm sticking with you until you get this all figured out," Rhule said. "At the end, I looked over, saw his body language, and he was ready to go kick the ball and win the game."

And that's exactly what he did. Martin split the uprights, right down the middle.

"It was a feeling of relief and joy," said Martin, who was tackled by holder/punter Drew Galitz after the kick went through. "I was so happy I was finally able to help those guys, because they kept it close all game, even though I kept leaving points on the field. I was happy for those guys."

Baylor finished with 557 yards total offense, including 261 yards net rushing. With John Lovett out for the game, and JaMycal Hasty sitting for most of the game after the first series, sophomore Trestan Ebner responded with his first 100-yard rushing day, finishing with exactly 100 yards on 17 carries.

"It just shows when someone goes down, or someone's having an off day, we have other guys wo can step in and play," Ebner said. "It shows me that I can take multiple carries in the game and do what I need to do for the offense."

Brewer was 30-of-44 for 296 yards, with Hurd hauling in a career-high 11 passes for 135 yards. Running out of the I-formation, the former Tennessee running back also added 56 yards on eight carries.

"Absolutely, I love it," Hurd said of the way he's being used on offense. "Anything I can do to help and just get a win. And we got it, so I'm happy."

Baylor goes back on the road to face 18^th-ranked Texas (5-1, 3-0) at 2:30 p.m. next Saturday in Austin. The Longhorns survived a shootout with Oklahoma and pulled out a 48-45 win with a clutch field goal at the end of the Red River Showdown in Dallas.