Baylor pulls away from Air Force in the 2nd half of a 31-3 victory

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Baylor running back Bryson Washington, center, reacts with quarterback Sawyer Robertson, left, after scoring over Air Force defensive back Trey Williams (0) in the first second of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Jerry Larson/Waco Tribune-Herald, via AP

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Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson (13) runs untouched into the end zone for a touchdown in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Air Force, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald, via AP)

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Air Force defensive back Houston Hendrix battles Baylor running back Dawson Pendergrass for a fumble during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)

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Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson throws downfield over Air Force defensive end Daniel Grobe during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)

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Air Force quarterback John Busha looks for an opening in the Baylor defense during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)

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Air Force running back Aiden Calvert stiff-arms Baylor linebacker Keaton Thomas while running toward the sidelines during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)

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Air Force wide receiver Cade Harris attempts to slip past Baylor linebacker Keaton Thomas during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)

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Air Force running back Aiden Calvert hurdles over Baylor safety Caleb Parker for a short gainer during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)

WACO, Texas (AP) — Bryson Washington rushed for his first collegiate touchdown, Richard Reese ran for another and Baylor used a second-half surge to beat Air Force 31-3 on Saturday night.

Quarterback Sawyer Robertson, who started for the injured Dequan Finn, added 248 yards passing and a rushing TD as the Bears (2-1) ended a nine-game home losing streak against FBS opponents.

Robertson was 18 of 24 passing without an interception after Finn struggled in last week’s 23-12 loss to No. 12 Utah, losing a fumble and getting sacked three times.

Finn watched from the sideline in street clothes against the Falcons and had a sling on his right (throwing) arm. Coach Dave Aranda said he has a shoulder injury, and the team is hopeful that Finn will return “sooner rather than later.”

“Really happy for Sawyer,” Aranda said. “Sawyer has been in a bunch of battles. For him to have his time and to make the most of it is really cool to see. There’s a lot of fans of his in that locker room right now.”

Baylor avenged its 30-15 loss to the Falcons (1-2) in the 2022 Armed Forces Bowl when it was 13 degrees and breezy at kickoff in Fort Worth, Texas.

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Air Force, which had won five straight games against power conference foes, once again had trouble getting its vaunted rushing attack going. The Falcons still haven’t surpassed 200 yards on the ground in a game this season, finishing with 193 against the Bears.

“I think defensively, you look at the size, I mean, my goodness,” Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said of Baylor’s stout run defense. “And the experience, they have a bunch of guys that we played against tonight — there are probably six or seven of them — that got a good number of snaps when we played them two years ago.”

After Isaiah Hankins broke a 3-3 tie with a 51-yard field goal on the final play of the first half, Robertson guided the Bears to 25 unanswered points after the break.

Washington, a redshirt freshman, had 106 yards on 12 carries for a balanced Baylor offense, which produced 230 yards on the ground.

Reese had 48 yards and his first rushing TD in nearly a year. He struggled last season after being named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2022.

That was for you, Pops

Washington hadn’t played in a game since Sept. 30, 2023, and started this season sidelined by an undisclosed injury. He couldn’t help but think of his late father, who died when Washington was 3.

“A lot of people don’t know my story, but when I crossed those lines, I couldn’t think about anything but my dad,” Washington said. “That was about the only thing that really crossed my mind.”

The takeaway

Air Force: Time of possession allowed the Falcons to hang around, but their triple-option offense does not provide much opportunity to mount a quick comeback. Air Force is also still learning how to play with an entirely new lineup, as the program returned just one starter on offense and three on defense.

Baylor: Slow starts in home games have plagued the Bears since they posted an FBS-worst 1-7 record in McLane Stadium in 2023. The Bears led 6-3 at the half despite three lost fumbles and another possession ending on downs.

“The ability to hold onto the ball on offense and not get in our way is something we have to do better with,” Aranda said. “Right now that’s a big concern.”

Up next

Air Force: The Mountain West opener is at Wyoming next Saturday.

Baylor: Baylor opens Big 12 play at Colorado next Saturday.

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