Baylor coach Phillip Massey had a fundamental plan for Friday night's rivalry grudge match with McCallie.
"I told them all week," Massey said late Friday night as roughly 12,000 fans were making their way to the Finley Stadium parking lot, "if they don't let them in the end zone, we can't lose."
They didn't, and they didn't.
A dominant Baylor defense paced by Buck Ferguson and John Mackey handcuffed McCallie as the Red Raiders extended their win streak in the series to two with a 27-6 victory. The sighs of relief of a year ago when the Red Raiders ended McCallie's 11-year run were replaced Friday by overwhelming pride.
And joy.
"Last year was something that's impossible to describe because it ended such a big streak," said Ferguson, who had two tackles for loss, including a sack. "This is something we expected to do. This is one we wanted to remember."
Mission accomplished for a defense that limited McCallie to 36 rushing yards on 24 carries and 196 yards of total offense. Baylor linebacker David Helton delivered the game's first big play, falling on a McCallie first-quarter fumble to set up his offensive teammates.
Baylor freshman tailback George Porter converted the turnover into the game's first touchdown on a 2-yard run six plays later.
"We made some mistakes on both sides of the ball," McCallie defensive end Jarrod Coleman said, "and it really cost us. Whether it's turnovers or penalties, we're one or two plays away. It's frustrating."
The Blue Tornado may have been flummoxed, but they were not going away quietly. Coleman and Co. battled across each line, limiting Baylor after that first touchdown as two Arturo Rocha field goals tied the game.
With the ball near midfield in the final minute of the first half, Baylor took a final shot before the intermission and landed a knockout blow. Operating out of the shotgun, Red Raiders quarterback Jacob Huesman noticed Deosha McColley had single coverage along the home sideline. Eight seconds and 52 yards later, Baylor had what turned out to be the game-winning score.
"Yes, sir, I knew exactly where I was going with the ball before the play," said Huesman, who also rushed for a fourth-quarter score. "I'm glad the coaches had the confidence in us to give it a go there before the half."
Baylor dominated the second half on the continued strength of its defense and a heavy dose of Porter, the 160-pound dynamo that finished with 102 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries.
"My main thing is, as long as there's time on the clock, I'm not tired," Porter said through an ear-to-ear smile. "I'll be tired after the game's over."
With the impressive win over their rivals and top-ranked Brentwood Academy's loss Thursday night, the No. 2-ranked Red Raiders are in line to move to the top of the Division II-AA poll next week.
"We didn't think anything about that," Massey said after Baylor's first win over McCallie ever at Finley. "We didn't say a thing about being the top team in Tennessee. We just wanted to come out here and be the No. 1 team in Chattanooga."
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6273.