TCU walks it off against Baylor, keeping their Hypnotoad-fueled playoff dreams alive
Somehow, some way, the TCU Horned Frogs kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive.
Just when it looked like they were dead.
The Horned Frogs put their unblemished 10-0 record on the line against the Baylor Bears. Baylor entered play on Saturday with a 6-4 record, coming off last week’s blowout loss to Kansas State. But after trailing by six in the third quarter, the home team put 14-unanswered points on the board in the fourth to take a 28-20 lead.
That’s when TCU quarterback Max Duggan responded, as he led the Horned Frogs on an 11-play, 90-yard drive to put TCU in position to tie the game. Duggan hit on a pair of big throws on the driver, including a 22-yard completion to Savion Williams as well as a 15-yard strike to Jared Wiley, and added a big run of his own, to get the Horned Frogs deep into Bears’ territory.
Running back Emari Demercado capped off the drive with this three-yard run to pull TCU within two:
Emari Demercado 3 yard TD run! #TCU pic.twitter.com/6nR85ASmU1
— @ (@FTBeard7) November 19, 2022
The Horned Frogs needed a two-point conversion to tie the game, so they left their offense on the field with just over two minutes remaining. However, Duggar’s throw to Demercado in the flat was dropped, and the Bears maintained their two-point lead:
But the 2 point conversion was dropped!!! #4 TCU is in some trouble @ Baylor! pic.twitter.com/lPhCu4FdwC
— @ (@FTBeard7) November 19, 2022
However, the TCU defense responded, forcing a three-and-out from the Bears. They would get the ball back on their own 30-yard line, giving Duggar 1:34 to pull out the win.
Duggan’s first pass of the possession fell incomplete, as he tried to connect with Demercado again on the right side. But on second down, he hit Barber on a deep in cut on the left side to get the Horned Frogs to midfield. Then Duggar connected with Williams on a quick throw to the right, getting TCU down to the 40-yard line.
On second down, Duggar was flushed from the pocket and scrambled to the left, and managed to fight out of bounds, setting the Horned Frogs up with a 3rd and 1. They would pick that up on a quarterback draft from Duggan, inching TCU closer to field goal range.
But then, the Horned Frogs implemented some ... curious clock management. Facing a first down at the Baylor 29-yard line, they were within field goal range for Griffin Kell, who entered this season having hit from 52-yards back in 2019. Still, you would think that the Horned Frogs would like to get even closer for their kicker.
Instead, they started to run the football. They ran Demercado on first down, and after his three-yard gain they needed to spike the football to stop the clock, as they were out of timeouts. Then on third down they ran the football again, sending Demercado to the right side.
Now, facing fourth down, they could not stop the clock. That forced the Horned Frogs into a fire-drill situation, as they had to race their field goal team onto the field as time ticked away.
Somehow, amidst the chaos and the clock running down, Kell split the uprights to give TCU the 29-28 victory:
TCU REMAINS UNDEFEATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/KLRw8sJZB0
— @ (@FTBeard7) November 19, 2022
Just as they practiced it. After the game, TCU head coach Sonny Dykes was asked about how they approached the closing moments, and he outlined how the team practices that field goal situation every Thursday.
Right now, TCU fans are glad they do.
The victory keeps the Horned Frogs’ championship dreams alive. TCU closes out the regular season next Saturday at home against Iowa State, and will play in the Big 12 Championship game the following Saturday, having already clinched a berth in the conference title game.
The other thing this victory guarantees?
More Hypnotoad:
