SOUTHWEST ROUNDUP : No. 12 Baylor Stays Unbeaten With 45-7 Victory

Baylor is off to its best start in 11 years, and quarterback J.J. Joe is one of the primary reasons for the success.

Joe passed for two touchdowns and ran for another Saturday at Dallas as the undefeated and 12th-ranked Bears opened their Southwest Conference schedule with a 45-7 victory over winless Southern Methodist.

“I thought J.J. played pretty good, but it’s not up to where I think he will eventually be,” Baylor Coach Grant Teaff said.

Joe completed eight of 10 passes for 171 yards and rushed 13 times for 55 yards.

Baylor (4-0) handed SMU, 0-3 overall and 0-2 in the SWC, its 13th consecutive loss.

The Bears hadn’t started a season 4-0 since 1980, when they won seven consecutive games en route to an SWC title.

Baylor, a 24-point favorite, cruised to a 24-0 halftime lead behind Joe, who completed his first seven passes.

It took Baylor only 34 seconds to score on its first possession.

Joe connected with Melvin Bonner on a 40-yard pass play and, two plays later, David Mims scored on a 25-yard run.

After a 50-yard field goal by Jeff Ireland made it 10-0, Frankie Smith intercepted a pass by Mike Romo to set up another touchdown early in the second quarter.

Joe capped the 54-yard touchdown drive with a four-yard run after he faked a pitch on the option.

Baylor had a 72-yard scoring pass from Joe to John Henry called back on a motion penalty, but the Bears came right back to make it 24-0 on a 49-yard pass play from Joe to Bonner.

Joe had a 41-yard run, the longest of his collegiate career, to set up Creig Stephens’ one-yard touchdown run.

Texas A&M; 34, Southwestern Louisiana 7--Cornerback Kevin Smith of Texas A&M; forced a fumble and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown to lead the Aggies (2-1) over Southwestern Louisiana (0-5) in a nonconference game at College Station, Tex.

Texas A&M; players wore “No. 30” on their helmets in memory of walk-on freshman kicker James Glenn, who collapsed and died before practice Wednesday.

Texas Christian 30, Texas Tech 16--Roosevelt Collins intercepted a pass from Jamie Gill and scored the second of three fourth-quarter TCU touchdowns as the Horned Frogs (4-0), off to their best start since 1955, defeated Texas Tech (1-3) in an SWC opener at Lubbock, Tex.

It was TCU’s first victory at Lubbock since 1972.

Louisiana Tech 42, Arkansas State 10--Louisiana Tech (3-1) rolled up 530 yards in offense, 309 on the ground for the nonconference victory over Arkansas State (0-5) at Jonesboro, Ark.