TCU @ Baylor preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 24, 2017 ) Baylor 22, Texas Christian 45

TCU will look to keep its bowl hopes alive when it plays its final road game of the regular season against Baylor on Saturday. Both teams are coming off tough road losses to ranked teams as TCU was blown out by No. 7 West Virginia last weekend while Baylor lost an emotional battle against No. 18 Iowa State.

The Bears had 505 yards of total offense in their 28-14 loss to the Cyclones but repeatedly failed to turn their drives into points, finishing 2-of-7 in the red zone that included missing two short field goals in the first half. “This was a case of us beating ourselves and not taking advantage of opportunities, most importantly in the red zone,” Baylor coach Matt Rhule told the media. “Our kids had a good mindset, but at the end of the day, we let them get too much of a lead.” In TCU's 47-10 loss to the Mountaineers, 150 of quarterback Mike Collin’s 229 passing yards were caught by sophomore wideout Jalen Reagor, who hauled in a career-high 11 receptions. A leaping grab in the back corner of the end zone in the third quarter proved to be the Horned Frogs' only touchdown but the catch extended Reagor’s run of consecutive games with a receiving TD to five straight – the nation’s third-longest active streak.

TV: Noon ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Baylor -2

ABOUT TCU (4-6, 2-5 Big 12): For a team that averaged 153.1 yards rushing through their first nine games, the West Virginia contest was forgettable as the Horned Frogs finished with minus-7 yards on 24 carries with four sacks for minus-30 yards part of the equation. TCU scored the first three points and held West Virginia scoreless in the first quarter before giving up 33 consecutive points to the Mountaineers led by their Heisman Trophy candidate, quarterback Will Grier. Senior Arico Evans set a career high and sophomore Garret Wallow tied his personal best as the linebackers shared the team lead in tackles with 11 apiece.

ABOUT BAYLOR (5-5, 3-4): Bears quarterback Charlie Brewer had a game-high 72 rushing yards and threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns before being ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct in the fourth quarter with his team trailing by 14 and looking to make it a one-score game. After the ensuing 15-yard penalty moved the Bears out of the red zone, backup quarterback Jalan McClendon came on in relief of Brewer and completed a 23-yard first-down pass to Jalen Hurd but then missed his targets on four straight end zone passes that ended any hopes of an upset victory for Baylor. The Bears' defense held the Cyclones to 355 total yards led by a career-high 11 tackles from senior safety Verkedric Vaughns.

EXTRA POINTS

1. TCU has played 113 games against Baylor, more than any opponent in its history, and leads the series 54-52-7 after winning the last three meetings.

2. The Horned Frogs top the Big 12 with 12 sacks allowed with four coming against West Virginia.

3. Baylor DE Greg Roberts will sit the first half out Saturday as punishment for a scuffle that ensued with Iowa State's David Montgomery that led to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and ejection for both players.

PREDICTION: Baylor 30, TCU 27