Bryce Petty (14) looked sharp against SMU, but their are question marks about his health. (Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)
WACO, Texas — Baylor debuted its new home, McLane Stadium, on the north bank of the Brazos River in Central Texas, and the venue made a shining impression in Sunday night prime time.
The team that will call it home this season was pretty impressive, too.
The Baylor defense suffocated SMU as 10th-ranked Bears continued their trend of mauling early-season opponents, slamming the Mustangs 45-0 in front of 45,733.
Baylor dusted its three nonconference opponents by an average margin of 62 points last season, launching a season in which the Bears claimed their first Big 12 championship.
The Bears moved addresses to a fancy new stadium, and nothing much changed on the field. Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty passed for 161 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another score, and the Baylor offense totaled 574 yards. Petty completed 13 of 23 passes.
SMU managed just 67 total yards.
The Bears defense showed the scariest set of teeth, sacking SMU quarterbacks six times in the first half and holing the Mustangs to 10 total yards before halftime. Bears junior defensive end Shawn Oakman, starting his first game, made life miserable for the Mustangs quarterbacks with two first-half sacks and six total tackles.
Baylor began to overwhelm SMU with impact plays on defense and special teams midway through the first quarter.
Bears middle linebacker Bryce Hager popped the ball out of the hands of Mustangs wide receiver Stephen Nelson at the SMU 17. Baylor outside linebacker Aiavion Edwards scooped the loose ball, returning it to the 6.
From there, it took Baylor two plays to score its first touchdown, as running back Shock Linwood powered over the goal line from 4 yards out.
The Bears’ defense continued to enforce its will on SMU during the Mustangs’ ensuing possession. The Bears dropped SMU backs for losses on three straight plays, capped by Oakman’s sack of quarterback Matt Davis for 9 yards to the SMU 3.
That set up Baylor punt returner Levi Norwood to run downhill with the following punt. Norwood found a seam and brought the kick back 45 yards to the Mustangs’ 4.
Petty tossed his first touchdown of the season on third-and-goal from the 3, finding tight end Tre’von Armstead wide open for the score.
SMU kick returner Deion Sanders Jr. gave the Mustangs a glimmer of hope with a 58-yard kick return to the Baylor 33. However, Baylor stuffed SMU for minus-3 yards on four plays, and it was time for Petty to go to work again.
Petty threw a haymaker at staggering SMU, hitting freshman wide receiver KD Cannon over the top of the Mustangs’ defense for a 46-yard touchdown and 24-0 lead.
NOTES: As part of the inaugural pregame ceremonies at McLane Stadium, Baylor unveiled a bronze statue of 2011 Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III near the south entrance to the stadium. … Baylor won its 11th straight in the series against SMU to take the all-time series lead at 37-36-7. Baylor and SMU were members of the Southwest Conference together from 1918-1996. … SMU has not won a season-opener on the road since 1986.
