#12 Baylor Pulls Away Late to Defeat #15 UNLV 35-20, Claim 2027 Big 12 Title
Dallas, TX -- No. 12 Baylor leaned on explosive plays from quarterback Jacobe Robinson and a dominant fourth quarter to defeat No. 15 UNLV 35-20 in the 2027 Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday night, capturing the program’s first conference crown of the expanded era.
The Bears (12-1) scored 14 points in the final period and added a defensive touchdown in the closing minutes to turn a tense championship battle into a comfortable victory. UNLV (10-3) hung around into the fourth quarter but couldn’t keep pace with Baylor’s firepower down the stretch.
UNLV opened the scoring with a 19-yard Rickie Rosenfels field goal midway through the first quarter, but Baylor responded almost immediately.
With 1:52 remaining in the opening period, Robinson found Jadon Porter streaking downfield for an 81-yard touchdown strike — a momentum-swinging play that gave the Bears a 7-3 lead and set the tone for the night.
Robinson was just getting started.
The Rebels answered early in the second quarter when Treston McMillan powered in from 21 yards out to reclaim a 10-7 lead. Baylor countered with a 43-yard touchdown connection between Robinson and Jarius Moore to swing the advantage back to the Bears.
UNLV wasn’t done. In a creative wrinkle, McMillan connected with Brian Ismail on a 9-yard touchdown pass with 38 seconds left before halftime, sending the Rebels into the break with a 17-14 lead and real belief they could pull the upset.
Robinson capped a methodical drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Dodds at the 4:50 mark, putting the Bears back on top 21-17. From there, Baylor’s defense tightened, forcing UNLV into tougher down-and-distance situations and keeping the Rebels out of the end zone the rest of the way.
Rosenfels trimmed the deficit to 21-20 with a 34-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, but that would be as close as UNLV would get.
With 1:28 remaining, Dodds punched in a 16-yard touchdown run to extend Baylor’s lead to 28-20. Then came the knockout blow.
After McMillan's third fumble of the day, deep in its own territory, Rashad Rugamba scooped up a fumble and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown with just over a minute left, igniting the Baylor sideline and putting the championship out of reach.
PASSING LEADER
T. McMillan -- 20/37, 164 yds, 1 TD, 18 att, 108 yds, 1 TD
RUSHING LEADER
K. Williams -- 18 att, 87 yds, 4 rec, 49 yds
RECEIVING LEADER
B. Ismail -- 6 rec, 28 yds, 1 TD
PASSING LEADER
J. Robinson -- 18/21, 241 yds, 3 TD
RUSHING LEADER
J. Dodds -- 12 att, 72 yds, 1 TD
RECEIVING LEADER
J. Moore -- 7 att, 92 yds, 1 TD
