TCU and Baylor met on Saturday in Week 10 in one of the best rivalries in the new-look Big 12. However, the series has been dominated by the Horned Frogs of late, with TCU winning the last four, and eight of the last nine, in the series against the Bears.
And both teams entered this one playing their best football of the season. TCU was fresh off a big comeback win over Texas Tech, while Baylor had just beaten Oklahoma State to win its second-straight game after an 0-3 start to Big 12 play.
On Saturday night in Waco, it was the Bears pulling off the 37-34 win on a last-second field goal.
Baylor’s Run Game
The Baylor Bears took advantage of TCU’s bad run defense that came into the game ranked 14th in league play in rushing yards allowed per game. The Bears racked up 257 yards on 44 carries. The rushing attack led them to a victory over the Horned Frogs in this game.
The Bears offensive line had itself a fantastic game across the board, not just leading the rushing attack, but also protecting Sawyer Robertson who finished 19/34 for 242 passing yards. He completed a huge pass on the final drive on a 4th and 9 near midfield that led to a first down to Michael Trigg. And then Bryson Washington rushed for 13 yards to set up the Isaiah Hankins 33-yard game-winning field goal as time expired. It all started with the big boys up front.
Is Dave Aranda Safe for 2025?
I said on the YouTube Channel (subscribe here) this week that if Aranda wins this game, he might be safe, barring some collapse down the stretch. After winning this game, in this fashion, and for a third-straight win, with it being over a rival, I believe that may be the case.
Aranda has shown that this team always had great talent and ability, they just hit a funk after getting shocked in Boulder earlier in the season.
When you win a game in this fashion on your biggest rival, it’s not just the win, it’s how you win. Aranda couldn’t have asked for a better way for this game to go. The Bears are now 5-4 overall and 3-3 in the Big 12.
This Rivalry
The good news is that TCU vs. Baylor is a protected rivalry in the Big 12 Conference. While the league missed a couple opportunities in the new-look league, protecting this game was a no-brainer. It’s become a great rivalry since TCU joined the Big 12. Before Saturday, four of the last six games have been decided by 10 points or less. Now make it five of seven. It’s the second time in the last three seasons it’s come down to a game-winning field goal.
And over the 14 meetings since 2010, half of those were decided by 10 points or less, with six decided by one score or less. Gary Patterson and Art Briles had some epic match ups in the early 2010’s, with the 2011, 2013 and 2014 games decided by three points or less. And now, we’re on another impressive stretch, with three of the last four games coming down to the wire (2023 being the exception when TCU won 42-17).
