TCU nevertheless undefeated after Game-ending FG at Baylor
WACO, Texas — Fourth-ranked TCU had players shuffling on and off the sphere because the final seconds were ticking off the clock. Kicker Griffin Kell changed into the very last one to get into vicinity.
By Oculus Network
“That seemed like chaos, but we exercise it every Thursday precisely like that,” Frogs train Sonny Dykes stated.
And the Horned Frogs finished it flawlessly to live undefeated in what changed into no practice situation.
Kell kicked a 40-outside vicinity purpose on the sport’s final play, and TCU beat Baylor 29-28 on Saturday, scoring 9 elements within the final 2:07 to avoid some other functionality playoff-busting loss at the banks of the Brazos River.
Emari Demercado scored on a three-backyard TD run to cap a 90-outside pressure with 2:07 left to get the Frogs (11-zero, 8-zero Big 12) inside 28-26, however he changed into not able to drag in a skip on the 2-point conversion strive.
After kicking deep, TCU used all 3 of its timeouts even as forcing a 3-and-out, and it were given the ball again at its 31 with 1:34 left. Max Duggan had completions earlier than converting one 1/3 down with a 12-outside run on a quarterback draw.
Demercado have become short of a clock-stopping first down on a run to the Baylor 23, occurring in the center of the world with about sixteen seconds left in advance than the offensive and unique teams devices ran thru every different. The ball changed into snapped at 3 seconds, and the kick with the aid of manner of Kell, who earlier had an additional-thing try clank off the upright, went through as time ran out.
“The outstanding factor approximately that remaining force, we had been throwing all of our day one ideas,” Duggan stated. “We were throwing easy stuff that we workout and we are able to do with our eyes closed, and stuff that you believe in. … So simply going available, being confident, believing it became going to show up and Griff makes a massive kick for us.”
TCU, which already had clinched an opening inside the Big 12 Championship Game, hasn’t been undefeated this deep in a season considering that 2010, whilst it finished thirteen-0 with a Rose Bowl victory and No. 2 country wide ranking.
When the Frogs performed at McLane Stadium for the primary time in 2014, after it first opened, they misplaced 61-fifty 8. That changed into their handiest loss that season, and that they went directly to percentage the Big 12 name with Baylor. They have been the number one two groups omitted of the inaugural four-organization College Football Playoff.
Baylor (6-5, four-4) turned into coming off a 31-three domestic loss to Kansas State according to week in advance, however closing 12 months’s Big 12 champions took a 28-20 lead after a pair of actual inexperienced individuals scored TDs early in the fourth zone: tight prevent Kelsey Johnson’s 12-yard catch and Richard Reese’s 1-yard run.
“It’s a difficult locker room,” Baylor teach Dave Aranda said. “I told them that I wish that we, that I, might also want to take the ache away.”
Duggan changed into 24-of-35 passing for 327 yards and a touchdown, and he moreover ran for a score whilst important the Frogs with 50 yards rushing on eight includes. Kendre Miller had a rushing TD in his 12th consecutive sport, a 2-yarder early inside the 2d quarter that tied it at 14 earlier than he were given harm early within the second half of of.
TCU did not lead until Duggan hit a huge-open Gunnar Henderson for a 26-outside landing with 5½ mins left inside the 1/three location, one play after the 2 had associated for 20 yards. It turned into 20-14 after Kell’s overlooked PAT.
Baylor’s Blake Shapen became 21-of-30 passing for 269 yards and a rating, on the equal time as Craig “Sqwirl” Williams ran for 112 yards. Monaray Baldwin had six catches for 123 yards, which include a seventy 4-outside benefit on 1/three-and-11 that installation Reese’s TD with nine:forty seven left.
“For it to prevent that manner really harm,” Williams stated.
Table of Contents
THE TAKEAWAY
TCU: Another comeback for the Frogs, who closing month overcame double-digit deficits within the 2d 1/2 in opposition to Oklahoma State and Kansas State. They by no means faltered after numerous game enthusiasts dealt with flu-like signs and symptoms at some stage in the week, and that they completed the game without main receiver Quentin Johnston and Miller.
Baylor: The Bears in no manner virtually had a bargain hassle shifting the ball, piling up 501 overall yards, 232 on the ground. On their beginning pressure, that that they had fifty six yards dashing — two times as a whole lot Texas had the whole sport in opposition to TCU every week in advance. But they neglected a danger to take a halftime lead even as Shapen’s pass become intercepted in the end vicinity by using the usage of Bud Clark with 4 seconds left.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
TCU will live inside the pinnacle 4 of the AP poll Sunday, and have to nonetheless be in the all-essential top four of the ultra-modern CFP rankings on Tuesday.