WACO, Texas (AP) — Connor Hawkins kicked a 53-yard field goal with 31 seconds left after Jacob Redding's go-ahead 66-yard interception return for a touchdown as Baylor rallied twice in the fourth quarter
for a 35-34 victory over Kansas State on Saturday.
Hawkins matched the longest kick of his career after Luis Rodriguez had put the Wildcats in front with a 22-yard field goal with 1:48 remaining. Kansas State (2-4, 1-2 Big 12) had to settle for the kick after having a first down at the Baylor 2-yard line.
Rodriguez had a chance for a game-winner from 56 yards, but 6-foot-4 defensive end Cooper Lanz blocked it with 2 seconds to go. The Bears (4-2, 2-1) held on two weeks after losing to Arizona State on a game-ending field goal in their previous home game.
Michael Trigg had career highs with eight catches for 155 yards and sparked Baylor's rally from a 14-point deficit with a 42-yard grab a play before making a spectacular one-handed catch while getting one foot down on the sideline.
Sawyer Robertson's 11-yard scoring pass to Bryson Washington came on the next play, and Robertson’s conversion run cut Baylor's deficit to 31-25.
Avery Johnson, who threw for touchdowns and ran for a score, had kept a potential clock-killing drive alive with two third-down conversions but he threw into traffic on first down in Baylor territory with the six-point lead.
Redding picked off the pass, ran left up the sideline and cut back inside with the speedy Johnson pursuing to finish off the score untouched.
Baylor had earlier pulled within six on quarterback Sawyer Robertson's 2-point conversion run after his TD pass to Bryson Washington, Hawkins' PAT kick put the Bears in front 32-31.
Johnson's 12-yard scoring pass to Jayce Brown broke a 17-17 halftime tie, and the Wildcats went up two touchdowns on Dylan Edwards' 5-yard run late in the third quarter.
Kansas State: It's the third time this season the Wildcats have led or been tied in the fourth quarter of a loss. They've had a one-score margin a nation-leading five times in six games.
Baylor: Robertson's streak of consecutive games with at least five touchdown passes ended at five. It was the longest since Kyler Murray had eight in a row with Oklahoma in 2018.
Kansas State: TCU at home next Saturday.
Baylor: Off next week, then at TCU on Oct. 18.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
