WACO, Texas (AP) — Corey Coleman set a Baylor record with four touchdown catches, all of them coming at crucial points as the fourth-ranked Bears finally shook off FCS team Lamar.
Coleman’s first three scoring plays each put the Bears in the lead, and the last gave them a quick start to the second half in a 66-31 victory Saturday night in the home opener.
Shock Linwood added 130 yards rushing and three touchdowns to help Baylor (2-0) win its 17th consecutive home game, matching second-ranked Alabama for the longest current streak.
Baylor was without offensive coordinator and play-caller Kendal Briles and receivers coach Tate Wallis, both suspended for the game by coach Art Briles after it was determined that the two committed a violation related to evaluations of prospective student-athletes during the recruiting period last spring.
The absence of the coaches didn’t slow down the Baylor offense. After 723 total yards in the opening 56-21 win at SMU, the Bears outgained Lamar 785-340 with their second-highest total in school history.
Seth Russell completed 22 of 34 passes for 342 yards, with the four TDs to Coleman, who finished with six catches for 182 yards. But the junior quarterback also had four turnovers, with three interceptions and a lost fumble.
Baylor also had three 100-yard rushers and two 100-yard receivers. Johnny Jefferson and Terence Williams each ran for 121 yards and Jay Lee, who had touchdowns on all three of his catches against SMU, had nine catches for 111 yards.
Seth Ellis intercepted Russell’s pass in the second quarter on a play when there appeared to be miscommunication with Coleman. That led to Joe Minden’s 1-yard keeper that tied the game at 21 with 4:34 left in the first half.
Less than a minute later, Baylor had a 61-yard touchdown. Russell hit Coleman in stride a couple of steps behind Ellis near the 25.
Linwood added a 13-yard touchdown just before halftime, and Coleman caught a pass in the end zone for a 34-yard play in the opening minute of the second half that stretched the lead for 42-21.
Coleman also got around Ellis for his first score, a 42-yarder in the first quarter that put the Bears up 13-7 before a botched PAT try.
Kade Harrington’s second TD run, set up by Russell’s fumble, put Lamar up 14-13. But the Bears came right back with a three-play drive which ended with Coleman’s 21-yard touchdown.
Lamar, in its sixth season since reinstating its football program, has now played a Top 25 team in three consecutive seasons. The Cardinals were outscored 132-6, with a field goal in each game the past two seasons — at Oklahoma State in 2013 and Texas A&M last season.
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AP college football website: http://www.collegefootball.ap.org
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