If Baylor's offensive players want someone to blame for not being able to put up more stats Friday night, they don't have to look any further than their own defense.
The Red Raiders stifled Chattanooga Christian School 42-0 in a nonregion home win, holding the Chargers to 38 yards of total offense. Baylor's defense never allowed the Chargers' offense across midfield and gave the Red Raiders' offense an average starting field position of the CCS 41-yard line.
"I was pleased with the way we played on offense, defense, and in the kicking game," Baylor coach Phil Massey said. "Hopefully we can build off the things we did positive and use that as momentum going into next week against Brentwood."
Baylor (3-3) didn't waste any time putting points on the board, scoring on a 23-yard pass from Lorenzo White to Patton Ford on the opening drive. A two-point conversion gave the Red Raiders an 8-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.
After the first of many three-and-outs by CCS (4-2), White found Ford again wide open down the middle of the field on the next play for a 34-yard touchdown as Baylor extended its lead to 15-0.
Baylor's Roope Niskanen kicked a 27-yard field goal and White added a 4-yard touchdown run for a 25-0 lead after one quarter.
"Getting out early gave us some confidence," Massey said. "We tried to get some confidence with Lorenzo (White), and it was good to do that early hitting those two quick touchdown passes."
The Chargers were without senior running back Mondo Ellison, an area standout who was injured during last week's 24-3 win against Christian Academy of Knoxville. His absence was noticeable - Baylor held CCS to just 16 rushing yards on 26 carries and one first down on an 11-yard pass, the Chargers' longest play of the game.
Another Niskanen field goal and a Gabriel Stulce 41-yard touchdown run in the second quarter gave the Red Raiders a 35-0 halftime lead and a running clock for the final two quarters.
Baylor's offense was efficient and balanced, scoring on six of its first seven possessions. The Red Raiders rushed 30 times for 184 yards, and White was 6-for-12 passing for 148 yards.
Contact Kevin Llewallyn at sports@timesfreepress.com.