TCU @ Baylor preview
McLane Stadium
Last Meeting ( Nov 18, 2023 ) Baylor 17, TCU 42
Something has to give when longtime rivals Baylor and TCU square off on Saturday evening in a Big 12 Conference game in Waco, Texas.
Both the Bears (4-4, 2-3) and Horned Frogs (5-3, 3-2) carry two-game winning streaks into the clash.
Saturday's meeting will be the 120th all-time in the series, making it the most-played rivalry game in the state of Texas.
Both teams are stocked with talent.
Baylor's most recent contest was a 38-28 victory at home over Oklahoma State last Saturday. Sawyer Robertson threw for 222 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 73 yards for another score to lead the Bears.
Dawson Pendergrass added 142 yards rushing on just six carries, highlighted by 55-yard touchdown with 3:06 remaining that sealed the win. Baylor amassed 565 total yards -- marking its second straight game eclipsing the 500-yard barrier -- and rushed for a season-high 343 yards.
Baylor already has bested last season's win total of three.
"(Different) skilled players have really emerged these last couple weeks, and it's led to the ball getting split in various ways," Baylor coach Dave Aranda said Monday. "When it is the way it is right now, everyone feels they've got a piece and a part of scoring points and winning games. So it's more positive and probably better environment."
TCU will roar into Waco on the heels of a thrilling 35-34 comeback win at home over Texas Tech last Saturday.
The Horned Frogs trailed by 17 points late in the third quarter but took the lead on an 84-yard scoring pass from Josh Hoover to Eric McAlister with 5:10 to play. TCU forced a fumble on its own 27-yard-line and held on for the win.
"I think we're playing hard," Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes said. "It's still not great football, but they're starting to gain some confidence from grinding out some tough wins. I really love this team; the guys are invested in each other. You don't win a game like we did against Tech if that's not the case."
Hoover passed for 344 yards and three TDs in the victory. His scoring pass to McAlister was TCU's longest scoring play of the season, supplanting a 75-yard touchdown connection from Hoover to Savion Williams earlier in the game.
--Field Level Media