WACO, Texas – Matt Rhule knew taking over a Baylor program immersed in adversity due to the sexual assault scandal that rocked the program in 2017 was going to be a tall order, and one of his team's most difficult days on the field during that 1-11 campaign came in a home loss to Texas-San Antonio. The Bears rebounded with a double-digit road win against the Roadrunners last year and seek their second straight victory against them Saturday when they meet again in Waco.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Network. LINE: Baylor -25.5.
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Baylor dropped its first eight games under Rhule, including a stunning loss to then-FCS foe Liberty in the season opener and a 17-10 setback to UTSA the following week that served as the Roadrunners' first win in 10 tries against a Power Five program. The Bears avenged that defeat with a 17-point triumph last season behind three touchdown passes from Charlie Brewer, who used that game as a springboard to eventually take control of the starting quarterback job. The junior signal-caller continued to make his coach look good with another efficient three-score performance in last week's 56-17 rout of Stephen F. Austin. UTSA won its seventh opener in nine seasons of existence last weekend, holding crosstown rival Incarnate Word to 209 total yards in a 35-7 victory.
ABOUT TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO (1-0)
Making his first career start last week, sophomore Frank Harris threw for 206 yards - completing passes to 11 different receivers - and three touchdowns while adding 123 yards on the ground to break the school record for most rushing yards by a quarterback. Sincere McCormick became the first freshman to start at running back since Chris Johnson in the team's inaugural game in 2011 and churned out 92 total yards, including 74 on the ground. Lorenzo Dantzler contributed two of the team's four sacks as the defense did not allow Incarnate Word to convert on any of its 10 third-down opportunities and held the Cardinals to 209 total yards.
ABOUT BAYLOR (1-0)
Junior running back Trestan Ebner, who played a starring role in the Bears' Texas Bowl victory last season with 199 total yards and two TDs, added three more scores versus the Lumberjacks despite receiving only seven touches (two carries for 32 yards, five catches for 40). John Lovett paced the rushing attack with 108 yards and a touchdown on only eight attempts, marking the third time in the last six games he topped the century mark. Sophomore R.J. Sneed, who had been limited to five games over his first two years with the program after suffering a broken leg in 2017, nearly matched his career production entering the game, finishing with five catches for 57 yards and two scores last week.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Rhule's teams at Temple and Baylor have won each of the last 33 games when they take a lead into the fourth quarter.
2. Baylor running backs have 126 receptions during Rhule's 26-game tenure. Over the previous four seasons combined, they totaled 40.
3. One season after they led the country with seven blocked kicks, the Bears recorded two more in the opener to run their total to 11 under Rhule.
PREDICTION: Baylor 42, Texas-San Antonio 17