Robert Griffin III entered Friday night’s game versus Texas Christian as owner of 30 different Baylor Bears records. He exited as owner of the Horned Frogs secondary.
RG3 got into rhythm from the start versus TCU hitting a familiar target Kendall Wright with back-to-back passes for a quick first down which then lead to the first score of the game—a 40 yard strike to junior WR Terrance Williams.
RG3 and the Baylor offense would stall the next two drives with consecutive three-and-outs however following a Matthew Tucker touchdown for TCU, the Bears would seize the moment.
On the fourth drive Senior RB Terrance Ganaway provided the solid running needed to cause TCU to pay some extra attention inside the box. RG3 does not need much space to do serious damage, especially considering he began his collegiate career with an NCAA record 209 straight passes without an Interception. However runs by Ganaway of 3, 3, and 7 were enough on the drive. RG3 hit Kendall Wright for a 35 yard pass to put Baylor up 14-13.
Coming into the game—TCU could not have expected Terrance Ganaway to pound them the way that he did. Before Friday night’s game Ganaway held career highs of 14 rushing attempts (vs Missouri in 2009) and 78 rushing yards (vs Rice in 2010). Ganaway in his third season at Baylor courtesy of the Houston Cougars came into Friday’s game versus TCU with 495 career rushing yards on 114 carries.
Terrance Ganaway not only caught TCU off guard—but he may have caught the NFL Scouts off guard as well. Keeping in mind the performance Ganaway put forth versus a nationally respected TCU defense, he also has recorded a squat of 630 pounds, a bench press of 415 yards, a hang-clean of 410 yards, and has completed 24 reps of 225-pounds. The two-time Dean’s list and four-time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll selection brings great character, great strength, and enjoyed his own “coming out party” versus the Horned Frogs.
The solid running game by Ganaway opened up the routes for wide receivers Kendall Wright and Terrance Williams. The two wide receivers combined for 18 receptions for 315 yards for the Bears.
Unlike running back Terrance Ganaway, Kendall Wright—an All-Big 12 receiver in both 2009 and 2010 was no surprise at all for the TCU Horned Frogs.
Kendall is a fourth-year starter for Baylor and owns five receiver records including single season (78, 2010) as well as career receptions (194). Wright ranks third all-time in the Baylor record books in career yards (2341) and fourth in TD receptions (16). The Biletnikoff Award watch list receiver—with many accolades in hand—still left with a career night. Wright finished the game tying a career high in receptions with 12, and topping his 2009 performance versus Missouri of 148 yards with a 189 yard performance Friday evening.
Baylor would lead at halftime 34-23 and added on in the third quarter with 13 more before a change in what had worked all night allowed TCU to storm all the way back in the fourth quarter.
Leading 47-23 going into the fourth quarter there was not a lot Baylor had all the momentum you could ever dream of having in the beautiful game of College Football. Carrying over from the third quarter TCU capped off a 14 play 80 yard drive with a TD and a 2-pt conversion to cut down the lead.
On the very next drive, Baylor would do the unthinkable—though it happens far too often in College Football—the Bears went completely away from what got them to the point of dismantling the Horned Frogs.
First down from the Baylor 22 yard line two straight runs were called, that went for a measly three yards. Then after an RG3 incomplete pass, the Bears would punt it away.
A 32 yard punt, returned by Skye Dawson for 30 yards, and then when you tack on a 15 yard personal foul penalty TCU is all-of-a-sudden sitting on the Baylor 12 yard line and can finally see the light.
Three plays later, and another TD and 2 pt conversion by TCU, the Horned Frogs then found themselves only down a single score.
Baylor continuing to play conservatively added another three-and-out-and-punt putting TCU on the Baylor 49 yard line.
It took TCU 1:29 to score again, however this time the two-point conversion failed. At this point maybe Baylor decided to go back to what had them rolling over the Horned Frogs, or maybe they didn’t. On the first play from scrimmage after the TCU TD, RG3 would fumble the ball to TCU as we all sat and believed we were witnessing the meltdown of all meltdowns.
TCU answered the turnover with a FG giving them their first lead since the second quarter, 48-47.
With 4:27 left on the game clock starting from their own 20 yard line, this was the last shot Baylor had. After two incomplete passes from RG3, the hopes of the Bears were fading fast.
On 3rd and 10 Briles reached into his bag of tricks for the second time in the game, with Kendall Wright throwing an 11 yard pass to QB RG3.
Baylor got into a good rhythm after the trick play. RG3 would rush the ball for a 7 yard pick up, and was followed by Ganaway with a first down rush of 4 yards. A strike from RG3 to Terrance Williams for 17 yards would get Baylor in scoring range. After three straight rushes by Ganaway, Aaron Jones would come to nail the go-ahead and eventual game-winning FG from 37 yards.
Though Baylor let off the pedal in the fourth quarter allowing TCU back into game, Robert Griffin III showed tremendous poise for a QB in a HUGE game.
RG3 finished the game 21-27 for 359 yards and 5 scores and proved tonight that not only is he a legitimate candidate for the Maxwell, Walter Camp, Davey O’Brien and Manning Awards but the I have a hunch that the Heisman voters will be watching RG3 a bit closer.
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