Baylor Heartbroken by Game-Winning Field Goal vs. No. 4 TCU, Loses 29-28
Waco, Texas – The No. 4 TCU Horned Frogs (11-0, 8-0) beat the Baylor Bears (6-5, 4-4) in heartbreaking fashion by a score of 29-28 on Saturday afternoon at McLane Stadium.
With no timeouts and 1:30 left remaining in the game, TCU drove 43-yards down the field to set up a game-winning field goal. Senior Griffin Kell nailed the 42-yarder as time expired to keep the Horned Frogs' perfect season alive.
In the loss, redshirt sophomore quarterback Blake Shapen finished 21-of-30 passing for 269 yards, an interception and a touchdown. Craig “Sqwirl” Williams led the ground game, rushing for 112 yards on 19 carries.
On the first drive of the game, Baylor marched 76-yard down the field on the backs of Williams and Qualan Jones. Jones capped off the drive with a 10-yard bruising touchdown to put the Bears up 7-0 with 9:15 remaining in the first quarter.
After forcing a three-and-out on TCU’s first drive, Baylor’s offense failed to put points on the board. Shapen underthrew a wide-open touchdown to Monaray Baldwin on third and long. On the ensuing down, John Mayers missed a 46-yard field goal going into the wind.
TCU took advantage and scored their first touchdown of the day. Quarterback Max Duggan led the Horned Frogs down the field and rushed for a 7-yard TD to tie the game at 7 apiece.
Shapen opened the following drive connecting with redshirt freshman receiver Josh Cameron for a 42-yard gain. With 12:05 remaining in the second, freshman tight end Kelsey Johnson gave Baylor back the lead on a 2-yard rushing touchdown.
TCU drove the length of the field and tied the game at 14 apiece on a Kendre Miller 2-yard rushing touchdown. Miller finished the day with 41 yards on 10 carries.
With 1:30 remaining in the half, Baylor got the ball back with an opportunity to score one final time. Shapen masterfully picked apart the TCU defense and had the Bears on the Horned Frogs' 11-yard line with 11 seconds left in the half before throwing a crucial interception in the endzone to kill the drive.
After several defensive stops to begin the third quarter, Duggan connected with Gunnar Henderson for a 26-yard touchdown to give TCU their first lead of the day. Despite a missed extra point, the Horned Frogs led 20-14 with 1:01 remaining in the third.
Baylor responded on the following drive by leaning on its bruising run game. On third down deep in TCU territory, Shapen connected with Johnson for a 12-yard TD to give the Bears back the lead, 21-20.
Baylor’s defense picked up a crucial stop to give the offense the ball back with 11:41 remaining in the fourth quarter. On third down, Shapen connected with Baldwin over the middle of the field for an electric 74-yard reception. Richard Reese capped off the drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown to give the Bears the 28-20 lead.
TCU went 90-yards down the field and scored on a 3-yard rush from Emari Demercado with 2:07 left in the fourth. With the potential to tie the game on the 2-point conversion, Duggan hit Demercado in stride, but the ball went right through the hands of the senior running back.