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| Baylor redshirt junior kicker Isaiah Hankins (#98) kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired to give the Bears a 37-34 victory over TCU on Saturday, November 2, in McLane Stadium, in Waco, Texas. -- Photo by Tom C. "Midnite" Burke |
By Tom C. "Midnite" Burke
Field goal kickers have figured prominently in football games between TCU and Baylor over the years, especially in recent times, and especially in McLane Stadium, in Waco, Texas.
On Saturday, November 2, in McLane Stadium, Isaiah Hankins joined the Baylor kicking honor roll. The redshirt junior kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Bears to a pulsating, nauseating 37-34 victory over TCU, before a mostly delirious crowd of 44,171.
Hankins' game-winning kick earned him the Big 12 Conference's Co-Special
Teams Player of the Week honor.
See Midnite Madness photos from Baylor’s win over TCU: here
Baylor’s narrow victory over the Horned Frogs marked the fourth time that a field goal kicker has decided the final score between these two bitter rivals over the past 17 games, going back to 2006.
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| Tom C. "Midnite" Burke |
On that cold, misty November day two years ago, with the Horned Frogs trailing 28-26 and the final seconds ticking away in McLane Stadium, and Baylor fans giddy about a seemingly rare victory over the Frogs, TCU’s field goal unit ran onto the field and Griffin Kell kicked an improbable 40-yard field goal as time expired for a 29-28 win to keep the Horned Frogs undefeated at 11-0 (TCU’s play call for such a moment is Bazooka).
On October 11, 2014, in McLane Stadium, Chris Callahan kicked a 28-yard field goal as time expired and fifth-ranked Baylor wiped out a 21-point deficit in the final 11 minutes to beat ninth-ranked TCU 61-58. Prior to this past Saturday, that was the last time Baylor had won against TCU in Waco.
On October 2, 2011, in Baylor’s historic, archaic Floyd Casey Stadium, Aaron Jones kicked a 37-yard field goal with 1:04 left in the game and Baylor pulled out a 50-48 season-opening victory over 14th-ranked TCU.
With Saturday’s loss to Baylor, the Horned Frogs dropped to 5-4 overall, 3-3 in the Big 12. The Frogs remain one victory away from being bowl-eligible.
The win over the Frogs improved Baylor to 5-4 overall, 3-3 in the Big 12.
The Bears won their third game in a row, following earlier victories over Texas
Tech and Oklahoma State, and moved to within one win of being bowl-eligible
TCU and Baylor are tied with Houston for fifth place in the mediocre Big 12. BYU (5-0) is in first place, followed by Iowa State and Colorado at 4-1. Kansas State and Texas Tech are tied for third place at 4-2. Arizona State, Cincinnati and West Virginia are tied for fourth place at 3-2.
Here are results of the other Big 12 games played on Saturday, November 2:
- Texas Tech 23 (6-3, 4-2) at Iowa State 22 (7-1, 4-1)
- Kansas State 19 (4-2, 4-2) at Houston 24 (4-5, 3-3)
- Arizona 12 (1-5, 3-6) at UCF 56 (4-5, 2-4)
- Arizona State 42 (6-2, 3-2) at Oklahoma State 21 (3-6, 0-6)
- Kansas (bye) (2-6, 1-4)
- BYU (bye) (8-0, 5-0)
- West Virginia (bye) (4-4, 3-2)
- Colorado (bye) (6-2, 4-1)
- Cincinnati (bye) (5-3, 3-2)
- Utah (bye) (4-4, 1-4)
In this week’s USA TODAY Sports Week 10 Ranking of 134 Division 1 football teams, TCU is 59th, 10 spots lower than the Frogs’ 49th ranking last week. Baylor is ranked 58th.
See this week’s USA TODAY Sports Week 11 Ranking of 134 Division 1 football
teams: here
The first ranking for the 12-team College Football Playoff was revealed
Tuesday (November 5) night. The top 12 teams are:
- Oregon
- Ohio State
- Georgia
- Miami
- Texas
- Penn State
- Tennessee
- Indiana
- BYU
- Notre Dame
- Alabama
- Boise State
See the entire rankings: here
Going into the Baylor game, the Frogs had won consecutive conference games (over Utah and Texas Tech) for the first time since their undefeated 2022 regular season. The loss to the Bears broke that two-game winning streak.
The loss also broke the Frogs’ four-game winning streak over Baylor. TCU now has won eight of its last 10 games against the Bears.
This was the 120th meeting between the two programs. TCU has played Baylor more than any other opponent. It is also in the Top 15 of most-played rivalry games in FBS and is the second-longest-running rivalry in the Big 12, only behind Kansas-Kansas State, which have played each other 122 times.
TCU holds a 59-54-7 advantage in the rivalry's history, which is now called “The Bluebonnet Battle” and features a trophy that goes to the game-winner.
Since beginning Big 12 play in 2012, TCU is 9-4 versus Baylor, with a 5-2 mark in Waco.
TCU head coach Sonny Dykes and his hoard of fired head coaches now have led TCU this season to losses against the Horned Frogs two biggest rivals – SMU and Baylor. Counting the Frogs’ November 4 loss at home to the University of Houston, TCU in 2024 has lost three-of-four games against in-state foes.
Today, there is one less former, fired head coach on the Horned Frogs’ football staff. Former West Virginia and Houston head coach Dana Holgerson has joined the Nebraska football staff as an offensive consultant, after having joined TCU in the spring after being fired by Houston last season. Holgerson had been a consultant for TCU’s defense, studying opposing teams' offenses.
Holgorsen went 92-69 in 13 seasons as the head coach at West Virginia and Houston. He was let go by Houston after the Cougars went 4-8 in 2023, which was UH’s first season in the Big 12.
The Horned Frogs’ next game is a Big 12 Conference game against Oklahoma State, on Saturday, November 9, in Amon G. Carter Stadium, in Fort Worth, Texas. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 pm (Central). The game will be televised on FS1, with Eric Collins and Spencer Tillman on the call.
Unlike in wins over Utah and Texas Tech, where TCU’s defense shined and preserved the Frogs’ victories, it basically was the Horned Frogs’ defense that led to TCU's loss to Baylor. A late falter by the TCU offense and a questionable fourth-down decision by Dykes also figured into the equation.
TCU led 7-0 in the first quarter, 17-13 at halftime, 20-13, and 27-20 at the end of the third quarter.
After TCU had taken its 20-13 lead, the TCU defense allowed Baylor to score 24 points on their final four drives, including the game-winning field goal.
Not surprisingly, the Bears’ three touchdowns during their 24-point outburst were scored on the ground.
Baylor gashed the Frogs’ defense on the ground, turning 44 team carries into 257 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. It was the Bears’ third consecutive 250-yard rushing performance.
Even when taking possession with only 1:55 remaining in regulation, Baylor leaned heavily on its running game. Redshirt freshman running back Bryson Washington carried the ball five times for 30 yards on an 11-play drive that resulted in the game-winning field goal.
Overall, Washington rushed 26 times for 196 yards, an average of 7.5 yards per rush. He scored four rushing touchdowns, often running untouched through the heart of the TCU defense. He had touchdown runs of one, eight, 35 and 40 yards.
Washington's 196 rushing yards
set a career high by 80 yards and were the most by a Bear since 2016.
Washington also became the first Big 12 player to rush for four touchdowns in
Conference play this season and he became the first Baylor player to run for a
quartet of scores in a game since Terrance Ganaway reached the end zone five
times versus Washington in 2011.
For his performance against TCU, Washington won his second Big 12 Conference weekly
honor this season, being named Co-Newcomer of the Week.
Baylor’s other rushing touchdown was scored by sophomore running back Dawson Pendergrass, on a one-yard run.
The Bears added another 242 yards through the air, for a total of 499 offensive yards against an over-matched TCU defense that looked out of place on many plays.
Baylor redshirt junior quarterback Sawyer Robertson completed 19-of-34 passes against the Horned Frogs. He was sacked twice. He did not throw an interception.
TCU’s offense had one of its best games of the season, totaling 444 yards of offense; 339 passing yards and 105 rushing yards.
Josh Hoover, the Frogs’ sophomore quarterback who is on the Davey O’Brien Award watch list, had one of the best games of his career. He picked apart Baylor’s secondary, as he completed 25-of-34 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked once.
Hoover passed for at least 300 yards for the 11th time in 15 career starts and threw for at least two scores for the 12th time.
Hoover perhaps was at his finest after Baylor took a 34-27 lead with 4:54 left in the game.
Undaunted by a Baylor crowd that had been whipped into a frenzy that had not been seen along the Brazos River since Baylor football won a share of its second straight Big 12 title 10 years ago, Hoover orchestrated a nine-play drive that ended in a 24-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jack Bech, an LSU transfer who is on the Biletnikoff Award watch list.
The touchdown was Bech's second of the game and it and the extra point lifted TCU into a 34-34 tie with Baylor, with 1:55 left in the game.
On the ninth play of Baylor’s ensuing possession, the Bears faced a fourth-and-nine at the TCU 44-yard line, with 16 seconds remaining in the game.
Rather than punt and settle for the game likely heading into overtime, Baylor head coach Dave Aranda put faith in his offense, and the Bears came through. Roberston completed a routine 15-yard pass to Baylor redshirt-junior tight end Michael Trigg, who was wide open at the TCU 29-yard line. Two plays later, Baylor had its 37-34 victory.
The play was the fourth of four critical fourth-down plays in the game.
“You got to give them (Baylor) credit for going for it on fourth down to be able to kick the game-winning field goal,” Dykes said. “That could’ve gone the other way. We had opportunities on fourth down to get off the field and we couldn’t do it.”
Early in the fourth quarter, with Baylor recently having tied the score at 27-27, TCU’s offense went stagnant on a critical drive and faced fourth-and-two at the Baylor 46-yard line.
TCU head coach Sonny Dykes elected not to trust his offense to get the first down. He had his team punt the ball to Baylor, putting his faith in the defense holding Baylor, something the Frogs had had trouble doing all game.
On its resulting possession, Baylor ultimately faced its first fourth-down decision of the game. The Bears were at the TCU 29-yard line and needed two yards for a first down.
Rather than punt or attempt a field goal, Aranda trusted his offense to get a first down, which it did, via a three-yard run by Robertson. Four plays later, Baylor scored a touchdown and took a 34-27 lead.
With only seconds remaining in the third quarter, TCU faced a fourth-and-two situation at the Baylor six-yard line. Foregoing a field-goal attempt, the Frogs caught the Baylor defense flat-footed and scored a touchdown on a nifty six-yard pass from senior wide receiver Savion Williams to Bech. The extra point gave TCU a 27-20 lead.
After the game, Dykes said, in hindsight, the Horned Frogs should’ve been more aggressive in their fourth-down situation in the fourth quarter.
“I wished we would’ve gone for it now on, second thought,” Dykes said. “I thought it was on our side of the 50, but maybe it wasn’t. I don’t know, it’s probably 50-50.
“If I had to do it over again, knowing the outcome of the game, I would’ve gone for it, but I felt pretty good about punting them down and making them drive the length of the field and to their credit that’s what they did.”
Besides Hoover’s touchdown pass to Bech, he threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman wide receiver Jordyn Bailey, who is the brother of former TCU running back Emani Bailey. Bailey’s touchdown was the first of the game, his second of the season and third of his career.
Hoover also had a one-yard touchdown run shortly before halftime, which gave TCU its 17-13 lead at the intermission. The rushing touchdown was Hoover’s fourth of the season and sixth of his career.
Bech, who totaled five receptions for 98 yards, had two touchdown catches in a game for the third time this season. He has a team-high nine scoring grabs on the year. Bech's nine touchdown catches tie for fifth-most in a season at TCU.
For Williams, who is a former high school quarterback, his touchdown pass to Bech was his first career touchdown pass.
Williams is the first Horned Frog with a receiving, rushing and passing
touchdown in the same season since Kenny Hill in 2017.
Williams had a team-best eight receptions for 92 yards while topping TCU in
rushing for the third straight game with 57 yards on eight carries.
Other than Williams, the Horned Frogs had no semblance of a running game. Three other TCU running backs combined for 38 yards on 16 carries.
TCU senior wide receiver JP Richardson, a transfer from Oklahoma State, had one reception against Baylor, to give him at least one catch in 36 consecutive games, tying for the seventh-longest streak in the nation.
Freshman kicker Kyle Lemmermann had field goals of 46 and 47 yards, making him 10-of-15 on the season.
TCU scored for the 403rd consecutive game, the second-longest streak in NCAA history. Number one is Florida, at 456 games (1988-present). The Horned Frogs haven't been blanked since November 16, 1991, at Texas (32-0).
For the first time since the third game of the season, TCU did not commit a turnover. The Frogs had 16 turnovers in their preceding five games.
TCU’s defense had few highlights against Baylor, particularly when it came to stopping the Bears on the ground.
In fact, after the poor performance against Baylor, opponents are averaging 178.6 rushing yards per game against TCU’s defense, ranking it 128th nationally. TCU’s pass defense ranks 30th in the nation, allowing 181.3 passing yards per game.
Against Baylor, senior linebacker Johnny Hodges, a transfer from Navy, had a team-best eight tackles and he recorded his first sack of the season.
Junior linebacker Devean Deal, a transfer from Tulane, had a sack for the third straight game, giving him a team-best 4.5 sacks on the season.
Junior cornerback Jevon McIver, Jr., a transfer from Austin Peay, had two pass breakups.
Junior punter Ethan Craw had a career-long 59-yard punt.
- TCU-Baylor box score: here
- TCU-Baylor highlights: here
- TCU head football coach Sony Dykes discusses TCU’s loss: here
- TCU’s Josh Hoover and Johnny Hodges discuss TCU’s loss: here
- Baylor head coach Dave Aranda and players discusses Baylor’s win: here
Oklahoma State Invading Cowtown
This Saturday's game marks the 34th meeting between Oklahoma State and TCU, with the series dating to 1915.
The game is being billed as a “Hail All Heroes” Gameday, featuring:
- First responders appreciation
- TCU Police Department to lead the Frog Walk
- Mini American flags distributed at entrance gates
- Members of the Fort Worth Fire, Police, MedStar and TCU Police Department present during the National Anthem
- K9 Unit recognition
The 2024 season marks the 12th time that the Horned Frogs and the Cowboys have met in the past 13 seasons, after TCU joined the Big 12 in 2012.
OSU owns a 17-14-2 all-time series advantage. Oklahoma State has won seven of the past 12 in the series, as well as six of the 11 games played as Big 12 Conference matchups.
TCU holds a 9-5-2 advantage in games played in Fort Worth.
TCU has won four of its last six games versus Oklahoma State.
Dykes is 1-0 as a head coach against the Cowboys.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy is 6-5 against TCU.
TCU will be looking to bounce back from its gut-wrenching last-second loss to Baylor. And it appears that the Frogs’ much-maligned defense will be missing two defensive linemen, senior Hakeem Ajijolaiya, a transfer from Houston, and redshirt freshman Markis Deal.
Deal, the younger brother of junior linebacker Devean, suffered an injury in practice the last week of October and missed TCU’s game with Baylor. Ajijolaiya was hurt early against the Bears and missed the second half of the game.
The 2024 season is not going well for the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Gundy, who has spent more than half of his life either quarterbacking or coaching at Oklahoma State and has been part of more than 400 games as a Cowboy.
Coming off a Big 12 championship-game appearance last season (a 49-21 loss to Texas), the Cowboys entered this year with the fourth-highest returning production percentage in the country.
However, after winning their first three games of the season, the Cowboys have lost six straight Big 12 Conference games. OSU’s record is 3-6 overall and 0-6 in the Big 12.
Oklahoma State’s wins:
- South Dakota State, at home, to open season, 44-20
- Arkansas, at home, 39-31 (2OT)
- Tulsa, away, 45-10;
Oklahoma State’s loses:
- Utah, at home, 22-19
- Kansas State, away, 42-20
- West Virginia, at home, 38-14
- BYU, away, 38-35
- Baylor, away, 38-28
- Arizona State, at home (Homecoming), 42-21.
This marks the first time since 2005, Mike Gundy's first season as head coach, that the Cowboys are facing the possibility of a losing season.
Also, Oklahoma State needs to win its three remaining games to extend its school-record bowl streak to a 19th season.
Oklahoma State has made 18th consecutive bowl appearances and secured 18 consecutive winning seasons, both school-record streaks. OSU's bowl streak is the sixth-longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), and the is longest active streak for any school with the same head coach.
TCU and Oklahoma State last played on October 15, 2022, in Fort Worth. The 13th-ranked Frogs rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit for a 43-40 double-overtime win over the eighth-ranked Cowboys. TCU beat a top-10 opponent at home for the first time since a 27-21 double-overtime win over seventh-ranked Baylor in 2015.
Coming into Saturday’s game, Oklahoma State’s offense is averaging:
- 29.44 points per game
- 385 total offensive yards per game
- 277.11 passing yards per game
- 107.9 rushing yards per game
The Cowboys have scored 18 touchdowns through the air and 13 touchdowns on the ground.
Redshirt senior quarterback Alan Bowman (#7) has completed 184-of-306 passes. He has thrown 15 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. He has a long pass completion of 78 yards.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Garret Rangel (#13) has completed 17-of-33 passes. He has thrown two touchdown passes and one interception. He has a long pass completion of 43 yards.
Oklahoma State’s leading receiver yardage-wise is redshirt junior wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling (#1). He has caught 36 passes for 648 yards. He is averaging 72 receiving yards per game. He has caught four touchdown passes and has a long pass completion of 77 yards.
Senior wide receiver Brennan Presley (#80) has caught 62 passes for 595 yards. He is averaging 66.11 receiving yards per game. He has caught seven touchdown passes and has a long pass completion of 36 yards.
Presley leads Oklahoma State with 862 all-purpose yards, seven receiving touchdowns, six punt returns and 11 kickoff returns. He has rushed for a touchdown, thrown for a touchdown and caught three two-point conversions. He needs seven more catches to set the Oklahoma State record for career receptions.
Presley's 62 catches rank eighth in the FBS. He is
the only player in the FBS this season with at
least 500 receiving yards, 200 kickoff return yards and 50 rushing yards.
Redshirt senior wide receiver Rashod Owens (#10) has caught 26 passes for 391 yards. He is averaging 43.44 receiving yards per game. He has caught three touchdown passes and has a long catch of 58 yards.
Junior running back Ollie Gordon II (#0) has rushed 146 times for 593 yards. He is averaging 65.89 rushing yards per game and 4.1 yards per rush. He has nine rushing touchdowns and a long run of 50 yards.
Redshirt junior running back Trent Howland (#24) has run 21 times for 111 yards. He has one rushing touchdown. He has a long run of 23 yards.
Oklahoma State’s defense is allowing:
- 31.22 points per game
- 503.1 yards of total offense per game
- 255 passing yards per game
- 248.1 rushing yards per game
The Cowboys’ defense has allowed 20 rushing and 16 passing touchdowns. OSU has recorded 16 sacks and intercepted 10 passes.
Redshirt senior safety Trey Rucker (#9) leads Oklahoma State’s defense with 77 tackles, including one tackle for loss. He has intercepted two passes.
Redshirt junior linebacker Nick Martin (#4) has 47 tackles, including 7.5 tackles per loss. He has one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Redshirt senior linebacker Jeff Roberson (#22) has 42 tackles, including 5.5 tackles per loss. He has two sacks.
Redshirt junior safety Kendal Daniels (#5) has 43 tackles, including six tackles for loss. He has three sacks.
Redshirt senior defensive end Obi Ezeigbo (#33) has 32 tackles, including 7.5 tackles per loss. He has three sacks.
Senior cornerback Kori Black (#2) has three interceptions and five pass breakups.
Sophomore punter Hudson Kaak (#29) is averaging 42.9 yards per punt. He has a long punt of 51 yards. He has not had a punt blocked this season.
Redshirt senior punter Wes Pahl (#90) is averaging 48.17 yards per punt. He has a long punt of 73 yards. He has not had a punt blocked.
Redshirt junior kicker Logan Ward (#19) has made 12-of-16 field goal attempts. He has a long field goal of 52 yards. He has not had a field goal attempt blocked.
TCU is a 10.5-point favorite against the Cowboys. The over-under prediction for total points scored in the game is 66.5.
Dykes talks about the game against Oklahoma State: here
Gundy talks about the game against TCU: here
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