By JOEL ANDERSON, AP Sports Writer
October 31, 2004
WACO, Texas (AP) -- Baylor coach Guy Morriss gathered his players around him,
took a look at his weary bunch and went with the only decision that made sense
to him.
The Bears had to end the game, win or lose, with a 2-point conversion.
``I had a gut feeling that it was right thing to do at that point to drive
the nail in the coffin,'' Morriss said. ``We wanted to teach our kids how to
drop the hammer on someone.''
Did they ever.
Shawn Bell found Dominique Zeigler in the end zone for the winning score a
play after they connected on a 12-yard touchdown pass, lifting Baylor to a
35-34 overtime victory over No. 16 Texas A&M on Saturday night.
After Texas A&M's Keith Joseph scored on a 16-yard touchdown run on the
first possession of overtime, Bell and Zeigler led the Bears (3-5, 1-4 Big 12)
to the stunning finish.
Bell completed a pass for no gain on the Bears' first play, Anthony Krieg
rushed for 13 yards on second down and then Bell rolled out to his right before
finding Zeigler just inside the goal line.
Morriss boldly decided to go for the 2-point conversion, hoping to catch the
Aggies (6-2, 4-1) by surprise.
The call stunned even Zeigler, who missed the huddle because he was getting
treated for leg cramps on the bench.
``I didn't even know we were going for 2,'' he said. ``All of a sudden they
said, 'Get in Ziggy. We're going for 2.'''
It worked to perfection.
Baylor ran the same play again, with Bell scrambling around to his right
looking for anyone in a green jersey. He zipped a pass to Zeigler just in front
of A&M defensive back Melvin Bullitt for the score, setting off a wild
celebration at a school that's had few things to party about in recent years.
Gold and green-clad students stormed the field, quickly taking down the goal
posts in the south end zone and carrying them up and out of Floyd Casey
Stadium. Loud music blared over the stadium speakers -- oddly fitting at a
Baptist university that didn't allow dances on campus until eight years ago --
and a mosh pit formed on the field.
``Beating A&M was very sweet,'' Baylor linebacker Justin Crooks said. ``I
can't describe how we feel. We can hardly believe it.''
Said Bell: ``I've never met anyone who said they beat A&M the last time.''
A&M players and fans watched the improbable scene in utter disbelief: the
Aggies had won the last 13 games against their overmatched rival, including a
73-10 rout at College Station last year.
``The coach had been telling them all week ... to remember last season,''
A&M quarterback Reggie McNeal said. ``I knew they were going to come out this
week and play of their best games.''
Baylor also ended an 11-game skid in the Big 12 and beat a ranked opponent
for the first time since 1998, a 33-30 victory over 20th-ranked North Carolina
State. The Bears are 38-143-5 against Top 25 teams.
This was an especially sweet night for Baylor after allowing a touchdown in
the final minute of a 26-25 loss to Iowa State last week. Not to mention the
years of futility against Texas A&M and nearly every other team in the Big 12
since the league formed in 1996.
With the win, Baylor improved to 6-63 in Big 12 play.
Playing in relief of injured starter Dane King, Bell came through with a
remarkable performance in his first start since the final two games of last
season.
The sophomore from nearby China Spring completed 32 of 50 passes for 262
yards and four touchdowns, two to Zeigler, who caught 12 passes for 121 yards.
``Our guys have always had confidence in Shawn,'' Morriss said. ``He's a
good leader and extremely composed in games like this. He handled that like an
old veteran.''
The loss takes much of the steam out of the Aggies' matchup with No. 2
Oklahoma in College Station next Saturday. It would have been a showdown of
unbeaten teams in the Big 12 South.
Not anymore. Baylor put an end to all the Aggies' big plans.
McNeal committed his first two turnovers of the season in the loss, throwing
an interception and losing a fumble. He had been the only starting quarterback
in Division I-A without an interception thrown this season.
McNeal finished 20-of-31 for 268 yards with two touchdowns. He was sacked a
season-high four times -- he'd only been dropped five times coming into the
game.
Baylor rallied from a 10-point deficit at halftime, and came back to tie the
game four times in the second half.
Zeigler hauled in a 32-yard catch with just under six minutes left,
streaking down the sideline for a touchdown that tied the game at 20.
McNeal responded quickly, finding Chad Schroeder way behind the Baylor
defense for a 49-yard touchdown pass just four plays and 58 seconds later.
But Willie Andrews returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards to give the Bears
excellent field position.
Bell and Co. took over from there.
The Bears went 41 yards in eight plays, with Bell capping the drive with a
6-yard touchdown pass to Trent Shelton to tie the game at 27 and send the game
into an extra period.
``I guess it really is 'on any given Saturday,''' said A&M tailback Courtney
Lewis, who ran for 100 yards. ``They just wanted it more than we did.''
Updated on Sunday, Oct 31, 2004 1:05 am, EDT
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