Baylor lost to FCS Liberty on Saturday, 48-45. The Bears were especially bad on defense, where they gave up 585 yards. That was 5.7 per play, again, to an FCS team.
The best exemplification of that struggle was Liberty running a busted play, then still scoring a touchdown after the befuddled quarterback took off and darted through the defense. Here is that play, set to “Yakety Sax” for your viewing pleasure. This is best watched with the volume turned all the way up:
The QB, Stephen Calvert, was not on the same page as his running back. Calvert was supposed to hand the ball off, run play-action, or have some kind of option read.
Either he or the runner went the wrong way, though, and Baylor should’ve had an easy tackle for loss. Instead, Calvert split two defenders who both wound up sprawled on the ground, and he beat everyone else to the right pylon for a touchdown.
How a Power 5 team lets that happen against anyone — let alone anyone not from the FBS -- is pretty far beyond me. Still, credit to Calvert, who had a huge passing game, too: 447 yards and three touchdowns on 44-of-60 passing, with no interceptions.
Calvert’s TD put the Flames up 41-31. The teams traded scores after that, but Liberty held on late. It’s not a good look for Matt Rhule to lose to an FCS team, even one about to make the FBS jump, in his first game leading the Bears.