Saturday, August 31
Waco, Texas
6 p.m.
Baylor
1-0 , 0-0
45
vs
3
Tarleton
1-1 , 0-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Tarleton St.
0
0
3
0
3
Baylor
21
7
7
10
45
FB Opens Season with Trouncing of Tarleton
8/31/2024 9:23:00 PM | Football
Bears defeat Texans, 45-3
WACO, Texas – Making his Baylor debut, Dequan Finn threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Bears to a season-opening 45-3 win over the Tarleton Texans Saturday night before a crowd of 42,272 on the 10th anniversary of the first game at McLane Stadium.
It was the first-ever meeting between the two in-state teams, with Tarleton (1-1) transitioning from Division II to Division I FCS over the last five years. The Texans entered the game ranked No. 21 in the FCS top-25.
Baylor exploded for 21 first-quarter points, opening the scoring on a 39-yard option run by Finn, as the Toledo transfer found a seam over the right end and outraced the Texans' defenders into the end zone for a quick 7-0 lead.
Finn went to the air for the second touchdown of the night, hooking up with Texas State transfer Ashtyn Hawkins for a 32-yard scoring strike and pushing the lead to 14-0. Hawkins, who finished with 37 yards on two grabs, caught his 12th career TD pass.
Another newcomer, linebacker Keaton Thomas picked off a Jaden Pete pass over the middle and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown, the first interception return for a TD by the Baylor defense since a 19-yard return at Texas Tech two years ago.
Through the first quarter, Baylor had a 121-0 edge in total offense, with Finn passing for 66 yards and the running game picking up 55 yards in the period.
Sophomore running back Dawson Pendergrass, a workhorse on the night with 17 carries for 62 yards, capped off a nine-play, 66-yard drive with a three-yard plunge for his sixth-career touchdown run. Besides eight runs by Pendergrass, the only other play of the drive was a 39-yard pass from Finn to former Arkansas transfer Ketron Jackson.
The Bears had a chance to put it away late in the first half, but Finn was intercepted by cornerback Kasyus Kurns in the end zone on a pass intended for tight end Michael Trigg.
Tarleton also missed a scoring opportunity in the final minute of the half when Michael James missed badly on a 24-yard field goal attempt, leaving the score at 28-0 going into intermission.
In a drive led by backup quarterback Daniel Greek, the Texans got on the board when punter Adrian Guzman replaced James and connected from 34 yards out to make it a 28-3 game.
Going back to Trigg, a transfer from Ole Miss, Finn finished off a seven-play, 63-yard drive with a 17-yard scoring strike to his tight end midway through the third quarter.
Rounding out the scoring, the Bears tacked on a 39-yard field goal by Isaiah Hankins and Sawyer Robertson's 30-yard touchdown pass to Jackson in the fourth quarter.
The Bears will go on the road next week for a non-conference matchup against No. 12/13 Utah (1-0) in Salt Lake City. The Utes opened with a 49-0 win over Southern Utah.
It was the first-ever meeting between the two in-state teams, with Tarleton (1-1) transitioning from Division II to Division I FCS over the last five years. The Texans entered the game ranked No. 21 in the FCS top-25.
Baylor exploded for 21 first-quarter points, opening the scoring on a 39-yard option run by Finn, as the Toledo transfer found a seam over the right end and outraced the Texans' defenders into the end zone for a quick 7-0 lead.
Finn went to the air for the second touchdown of the night, hooking up with Texas State transfer Ashtyn Hawkins for a 32-yard scoring strike and pushing the lead to 14-0. Hawkins, who finished with 37 yards on two grabs, caught his 12th career TD pass.
Another newcomer, linebacker Keaton Thomas picked off a Jaden Pete pass over the middle and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown, the first interception return for a TD by the Baylor defense since a 19-yard return at Texas Tech two years ago.
Through the first quarter, Baylor had a 121-0 edge in total offense, with Finn passing for 66 yards and the running game picking up 55 yards in the period.
Sophomore running back Dawson Pendergrass, a workhorse on the night with 17 carries for 62 yards, capped off a nine-play, 66-yard drive with a three-yard plunge for his sixth-career touchdown run. Besides eight runs by Pendergrass, the only other play of the drive was a 39-yard pass from Finn to former Arkansas transfer Ketron Jackson.
The Bears had a chance to put it away late in the first half, but Finn was intercepted by cornerback Kasyus Kurns in the end zone on a pass intended for tight end Michael Trigg.
Tarleton also missed a scoring opportunity in the final minute of the half when Michael James missed badly on a 24-yard field goal attempt, leaving the score at 28-0 going into intermission.
In a drive led by backup quarterback Daniel Greek, the Texans got on the board when punter Adrian Guzman replaced James and connected from 34 yards out to make it a 28-3 game.
Going back to Trigg, a transfer from Ole Miss, Finn finished off a seven-play, 63-yard drive with a 17-yard scoring strike to his tight end midway through the third quarter.
Rounding out the scoring, the Bears tacked on a 39-yard field goal by Isaiah Hankins and Sawyer Robertson's 30-yard touchdown pass to Jackson in the fourth quarter.
The Bears will go on the road next week for a non-conference matchup against No. 12/13 Utah (1-0) in Salt Lake City. The Utes opened with a 49-0 win over Southern Utah.
- BaylorBears.com -
Team Stats
TAR
BAY
Total Yards
181
442
Pass Yards
80
278
Rushing Yards
101
164
Penalty Yards
71
67
1st Downs
9
24
3rd Downs
2
10
4th Downs
0
1
TOP
31:20
28:40
1st Quarter
TAR 0, BAY 7
BAY - Finn,Dequan 39 yd run (Hankins,Isaiah kick), 5 plays, 66 yards, TOP 01:23
TAR 0, BAY 14
BAY - Hawkins,Ashtyn 32 yd pass from Finn,Dequan (Hankins,Isaiah kick) 5 plays, 46 yards, TOP 02:09
TAR 0, BAY 21
BAY - Thomas,Keaton 35 yd interception (Hankins,Isaiah kick)
2nd Quarter
TAR 0, BAY 28
BAY - Pendergrass,Dawson 1 yd run (Hankins,Isaiah kick), 9 plays, 66 yards, TOP 02:50
3rd Quarter
TAR 3, BAY 28
TAR - Guzman,Adrian 34 yd field goal 8 plays, 58 yards, TOP 03:37
TAR 3, BAY 35
BAY - Trigg,Michael 17 yd pass from Finn,Dequan (Hankins,Isaiah kick) 7 plays, 63 yards, TOP 03:08
4th Quarter
TAR 3, BAY 38
BAY - Hankins,Isaiah 39 yd field goal 8 plays, 22 yards, TOP 02:40
TAR 3, BAY 45
BAY - Jackson Jr.,Ketron 30 yd pass from Robertson,Sawyer (Hawkins,Connor kick) 9 plays, 83 yards, TOP 03:13
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
K
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ FootballQB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
TE
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