By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            Kansas State did Baylor, just better.
            Copying the blueprint that Baylor used in a three-game winning streak, the 19^th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats dominated time of possession by pounding the rock, got two defensive takeaways and finished drives in handing the Bears a "disappointing and frustrating" 31-3 loss Saturday night at McLane Stadium.
            "We just didn't do simple better," linebacker Dillon Doyle said. "You can throw as many mantras and as many mottos out as you want, we just didn't do it today. It's disappointing. Certainly, there's no way to sugarcoat it. We just didn't play good football today, we didn't play assignment football today."
            Stopped on downs on the opening series of the game, the Wildcats (7-3, 5-2) followed up a tip-passed interception with a 12-play, 97-yard drive and put the first points on the board when backup quarterback Will Howard zipped a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Ben Sinnott in between a pair of defenders.
            Coming off the bench for injured starter Adrian Martinez for the second time in the last four games, Howard completed 19-of-27 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns and led K-State to three-straight scoring drives in the second quarter to take a 17-3 halftime lead.
            "The attack is different when he's in there," Baylor coach Dave Aranda said of Howard. "If it was a second-and-long and he wasn't in there, it's probably a run. If it's second-and-long and he's in there, it's probably a pass. Then, the type of passes, too, so there's some adjustments in that. I give credit to them just for their execution. I think when we look at film . . . we're going to see a lot of misalignments, a fair amount of self-inflicted wounds by us, but not to take away from their part."
            The first of those "self-inflicted wounds" came on Baylor's opening possession. The Bears (6-4, 4-3) drove 44 yards on eight plays and were in position to strike first at the Wildcats' 17-yard line, but K-State cornerback Kobe Savage intercepted a tipped pass that was deflected by redshirt freshman receiver Josh Cameron.
            Converting twice on third down, the Wildcats stretched the lead to 10-0 with 5:57 left in the second quarter on a 31-yard field goal by Ty Zentner after Doyle made a stop on a third-down pass from Howard to Deuce Vaughn.
            Vaughn, who rushed for 106 yards on 25 carries, added eight catches for 50 yards and scored from 20 yards out on a short pass in the right flat. That completed a 17-0 run that left the Bears in a big hole.
            "With this team, every day of every week of every month has been a constant push and pull and really tug of war, to get our best selves to show up," Aranda said. "There is so much potential and a greatness that likes to stay hidden. You really have to work to get brave enough to show up. That's what we're aiming to do. Still a lot to play for in these two games."
            The Bears' only score came at the end of the first half when John Mayers booted a 37-yard field goal that cut the deficit to 17-3. Mayers is now 7-for-7 for the season and the career field goal percentage leader at 80.5%.
            Baylor had a chance to get right back in it, driving from its own 25 to K-State's 36 on the first series of the third quarter, but safety Josh Hayes broke up a fourth-down pass to Cameron that was a little behind him.
            "We emphasized it all week because they're a team that's going to go for it on third and fourth down," K-State coach Chris Klieman said. "We brought pressure, and they picked it up. And Josh Hayes makes a great play to knock the ball away on a deep crossing pattern."
            Howard and Sinnott hooked up again for a 19-yard TD pass, then put it away with a one-yard touchdown run by DJ Giddens after the Bears went for it and failed on a fourth-and-three play from their own 20.
            Despite the most-lopsided loss of the season, Aranda told the players: "I still believe in them."
            "Things like this hurt, and there's a lot to learn and grow from this," Aranda said. "We're still fighting to get out of our own way."
            Led by Richard Reese with 54 yards on nine carries, the Bears picked up 103 yards rushing. Shapen threw for 203 yards, completing 22-of-38 passes, with Monaray Baldwin ((8-75) and Cameron (6-83) both setting career highs in catches.
            Baylor returns to McLane Stadium to host fourth-ranked and Big 12-leading TCU (10-0, 7-0) at 11 a.m. next Saturday, Nov. 19, in a game that will be broadcast by FOX. The Horned Frogs clinched a spot in the Big 12 Championship game with Saturday's 17-10 win over No. 18 Texas.