Sept. 21, 2007
Written by Luke Blount
On September 19, 1998, Baylor stunned No. 20 North Carolina State in a 33-30 victory at Floyd Casey Stadium.
The Bears swiftly took a 12-0 lead in the first quarter with a Matt Bryant field goal, a safety, and a 27-yard Derek Lagway touchdown run.
"His run was pretty incredible," said Baylor head coach Dave Roberts. "He and Anthony Overstreet are pretty incredible players."
The Wolfpack tried to respond in the second quarter, but three trips inside the Baylor 25 yard-line provided no results. On NC State's first possession, the Wolfpack marched to the Baylor 24 yard-line before missing a 41-yard field goal.
After a Baylor punt, NC State quickly moved to the Baylor 4 yard-line on a 57-yard reception by receiver Torry Holt. However, the Bears sacked quarterback Jamie Barnette, forcing a fumble recovered by Kenyada Parker for an 82-yard touchdown.
Baylor's Elijah Burkins rushed for a 2-yard touchdown on Baylor's next possession before the Wolfpack again marched into Bear territory to the Baylor 10 yard-line. But with time running down in the half, the Wolfpack went for the touchdown on fourth down and failed.
"We had great concentration," said NC State head coach Mike O'Cain. "Baylor may be better than we thought they were."
The Bears went to the locker room with an astonishing 26-0 lead, but it was the Wolfpack who came out on fire in the third quarter. Torry Holt caught four passes and two touchdowns for a total of 129 yards in the third quarter. Before the night was over, Holt would set a school record 255 yards receiving. Before the quarter was over, the Wolfpack had scored 23 points.
"We probably went too conservative in the third quarter," said Roberts, "but we won."
The Bears opened the final quarter with an Odell James 4-yard touchdown run to make the score 33-23. Bear quarterback Odell James threw only seven passes on the night as the Bears rushed 48 times for 207 yards.
NC State answered on their next possession, scoring on a 34-yard Ray Robinson touchdown run to bring the Wolfpack within three points. Two possessions later, Wolfpack kicker, Kent Passingham missed his second field goal from 45 yards leaving the score 33-30.
On their final possession, NC State strung together a 16-play, 52-yard drive, to the Baylor 22 yard-line where Passingham's third field goal attempt was blocked by the Bears with four seconds remaining.
"I'm thrilled for our team," said Roberts. "In the end, though, it was the kicking game that made the difference."
The Bears would finish the season a disappointing 2-9. Odell James is currently the Assistant Director of Football Operations at Baylor. Matt Bryant is now the kicker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
