Sugar Bowl notebook: Smith breaks Baylor single-season rushing record
Baylor running back Abram Smith ascended to the top of Baylor’s single-season rushing chart with his 172 yards against Ole Miss.
NEW ORLEANS — With his 172-yard performance in Baylor’s 21-7 win over Ole Miss, fifth-year senior Abram Smith set the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,601 yards.
Smith broke the school record that was set by Terrance Ganaway with 1,547 yards rushing in 2011.
Smith’s accomplishment was even more remarkable considering he played linebacker last season after coming to Baylor as a running back from Abilene in 2015.
“All the credit goes to the men up front,” Smith said. “Without them, I can’t really do anything. I’m just thankful for them and Coach (Jeff) Grimes and Coach (Eric) Mateos offering me the opportunity just to be back in the backfield. So I give all the credit to everybody up front, because without them, I couldn’t have done it.”
A tribute to Dave Campbell was on display in the press box at the Sugar Bowl.
Sugar Bowl honors Dave Campbell
The Sugar Bowl honored the late Dave Campbell with a seat in the Superdome press box.
The seat featured pictures of Campbell and flowers. Campbell, 96, died Dec. 10 in Waco after a legendary career as the sports editor of the Tribune-Herald from 1953-93 and the founder of Texas Football Magazine in 1960.
Campbell was the Tribune-Herald sports editor when the Bears made their first Sugar Bowl appearance on Jan. 1, 1957, when they pulled off a 13-7 win over No. 2 Tennessee.
Baylor cornerback Al Walcott scores against Mississippi on his interception in the first half. The 96-yard return was the longest in Sugar Bowl history and was one of three interceptions for the Bears in the game.
Walcott sets records on 96-yard jaunt
With each rapid-fire step he traveled on his 96-yard march to the end zone, Al Walcott traveled deeper into the Sugar Bowl record books.
Walcott, a junior cornerback transfer from Butler Community College in Kansas, produced the first points of the game when he intercepted Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral in the second quarter and sprinted back 96 yards the other direction for the score. Not surprisingly, Walcott’s play marked the longest interception return in Sugar Bowl history, breaking the old record of 80 yards from Alabama’s Hugh Morrow in the 1945 Sugar Bowl against Duke.
But, get this. It also set a record for a New Year’s Six game, topping a 93-yarder from UCF’s Brandon Morris in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl versus LSU.
Those are some big-time records for a huge, game-changing play for the Bears.
Baylor defensive tackle Cole Maxwell reacts to his tackle of Mississippi quarterback Matt Corral. Corrall was forced to leave the game after the play in the first half.
Bears set new Sugar standard with 10 sacks
Tag ’em and bag ’em, that’s what the Baylor defense did all night long.
Baylor swarmed the Rebels at the line of the scrimmage and dumped quarterbacks Matt Corral and Luke Altmeyer 10 times for sacks. That sack total set records for both the Sugar Bowl and for a New Year’s Six game. Georgia had eight sacks in the 2008 Sugar Bowl against Hawaii, while Utah also tallied eight sacks in the 2009 Sugar Bowl against Alabama.
Seven different Baylor players pocketed sacks on the night. Linebackers Terrel Bernard and Bryson Jackson picked up two apiece, while Garmon Randolph, Jalen Pitre, Brayden Utley, Cole Maxwell and Qualan Jones nabbed one each.
PHOTOS — Baylor triumphs in Sugar Bowl: Jan. 1, 2022
Baylor fans cheer on the Bears during warmups before the start of the Sugar Bowl.
Baylor celebrates its Sugar Bowl win at a postgame ceremony at the Superdome in New Orleans.
Baylor linebacker Terrel Bernard celebrates his Most Outstanding Player honor after the Bears’ 21-7 win over Ole Miss in Saturday’s Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
Baylor defensive tackle Cole Maxwell reacts to his tackle of Mississippi quarterback Matt Corral. Corrall was forced to leave the game after the play in the first half.
Baylor cornerback Al Walcott scores against Mississippi on his interception in the first half. The 96-yard return was the longest in Sugar Bowl history and was one of three interceptions for the Bears in the game.
Baylor quarterback Gerry Bohanon slips past Mississippi linebacker Lakia Henry in the first haf.
Baylor running back Abram Smith slips past Mississippi defensive back AJ Finley in the first half. Smith carried the ball 25 times for 172 yards.
Baylor linebacker Terrel Bernard pulls down Mississippi quarterback Luke Altmyer in the second half. The Bears’ defense played a key role in the Sugar Bowl win.
Baylor wide receiver Monaray Baldwin scores against Mississippi in the second half.
Baylor head coach Dave Aranda talks to the media amid the Bears’ celebration of their Sugar Bowl win at a postgame ceremony at the Superdome in New Orleans.
Baylor wide receiver Tyquan Thornton reaches for a incomplete pass while being defended by Mississippi defensive back AJ Finley in the second half.
Baylor quarterback Gerry Bohanon gets rid of a pass while being pressured by the Mississippi defense in the second half.
Baylor head coach Dave Aranda reacts to a second-half play in the Sugar Bowl.
Baylor fans celebrate their Sugar Bowl win over Ole Miss on New Year’s Day.
Baylor head coach Dave Aranda reacts to the Gatorade bucket after the Bears’ win over Mississippi.
Baylor head coach Dave Aranda reacts to the Gatorade bucket after the Bears’ win over Mississippi.
Baylor linebacker Terrel Bernard celebrates the Bears’ Sugar Bowl win over Mississippi.
Baylor linebacker Terrel Bernard celebrates the Bears’ Sugar Bowl win over Mississippi.
Baylor linebacker Terrel Bernard celebrates the Bears’ Sugar Bowl win over Mississippi.
Baylor fans cheer on the Bears during warmups before the start of the Sugar Bowl.
Baylor wide receiver Monaray Baldwin scores on a 48-yard run against Mississippi in the second half.
Baylor wide receiver Monaray Baldwin scores against Mississippi in the second half.
Baylor running back Abram Smith ascended to the top of Baylor’s single-season rushing chart with his 172 yards against Ole Miss.
Baylor cornerback Al Walcott scores against Mississippi on an interception in the first half. His 96-yard return was the longest in Sugar Bowl history and one of three interceptions the Bears had in the game.
Baylor cornerback Al Walcott scores against Mississippi with a 96-yard interception return in the first half.
Baylor cornerback Al Walcott scores against Mississippi with a 96-yard interception return in the first half.
Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen takes in scene before the start of the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
Baylor quarterback Gerry Bohanon warms up at the Superdome before the start of the Sugar Bowl.
Baylor players take the field before the start of their Sugar Bowl matchup with Ole Miss at the Superdome in New Orleans.
Baylor head coach Dave Aranda runs on the field during warmups before the start of the Sugar Bowl.
A tribute to Dave Campbell was on display in the press box at the Sugar Bowl.
Get local news delivered to your inbox!