The TCU Horned Frogs got what they needed in Waco: a win over Baylor, and a convincing one at that. In the 122nd meeting of the “Revivalry,” TCU handled the Bears 17-6 and returned to the win column against a rival separated by less than 100 miles.
The Frogs spent the two weeks leading into the game trying to sort out their offense, and head coach Sonny Dykes had hinted that some changes were coming. One of the biggest was up front, where TCU rolled out a new offensive line of Ben Taylor-Whitfield at left tackle, Noah McKinney at left guard, Jaheim Buchanon, Witten Van Hoy at right guard and Kilian Registe at right tackle.
On paper, the idea made sense. In practice, it didn’t solve the problem.
TCU still struggled badly to run the ball, finishing with just 33 rushing yards. The protection issues were just as glaring, with the Horned Frogs allowing 10 tackles for loss and four sacks.
The line has now gone through enough shaky stretches that the problem looks bigger than simply changing the combination. The group just hasn’t looked cohesive, and too many plays are being lost because of missed assignments and beaten blocks.
Even with those issues, TCU did manage to find the end zone twice and string together a few strong drives. But the offense is still searching for something closer to consistency.
If the Frogs can get more push from the trenches, there’s at least a path to a better rhythm. That showed up in flashes against Baylor, even if it never fully came together.
What did come together again was the defense, and at the center of it was transfer edge rusher HAYWARD. The Western Kentucky transfer was quiet in camp, but he’s been impossible to ignore once the games started, and this was his biggest night yet. He posted five tackles and three sacks, both season highs, and those three sacks were the most by a Horned Frog since Dylan Horton in 2022.
That kind of impact changes everything for the unit around him. TCU’s defensive front is already the engine of a group that has been one of the best in the country, and Hayward gives it another real weapon. Once he starts getting home, it opens the door for everyone else to take turns in the backfield.
This defense has been so strong that it’s reached the point where it’s fair to say it out loud: this group really is the best in the conference. It hasn’t been a one-game fluke, either.
Coming into the Baylor game, TCU was already a top-10 defense in points allowed per game and ranked in the top 20 in almost every major statistical category. Against the Bears, it looked even sharper.
Baylor had shown it could score in bunches, but TCU made that disappear. The Bears’ offense looked ordinary, just as BYU did two weeks earlier.
That’s the kind of consistency that makes this defense feel real. At this point, if the offense can give the Frogs 14 to 17 points, they have a chance to win most nights.
So TCU walks away with a much-needed victory, and it came in a place that should make it feel even better. There’s still work to do on offense, plenty to clean up, but the fight is clearly still there. And right now, a win is a win.
In Other News...
Baylor Cross Country Heads To Big 12 With One Clear Concern
Baylors cross country teams left the Arturo Barrios Invitational in College Station with more questions than momentum, and the timing could not be more delicate with the Big 12 Championship up next. The men were paced by junior Jack Sterrett, while the women were led by transfer Khadija Ennasri, giving David Barnett a few individual bright spots to lean on even as the overall results showed there is still work to do before the conference race.
Barnett said the performances will factor into how the Bears handle the next stretch, with recovery and preparation now taking center stage. For Baylor, the trip to Big 12 is less about celebrating one meet and more about sorting out where both squads stand, especially with the women still waiting to run at full strength. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Gets A Huge Revivalry Test With Home Momentum On The Line
Baylors strong start has made this week feel bigger than a normal Big 12 checkpoint, with TCU coming into Waco for another edition of a rivalry that has carried plenty of weight in recent years. The Bears have built early momentum behind a defense that has held up well and an offense that has given the home crowd plenty to watch, while TCU arrives trying to steady itself after a rougher stretch of its own. Add the usual familiar faces on the coaching side and the history between the programs, and this one already has the feel of a game that can shape how the rest of the season is viewed.
For Baylor, the margin for error gets even tighter if injuries affect either side of the ball, especially in a matchup where small adjustments often decide what kind of night it becomes. The Bears will be looking to protect their home field and keep their rise on track, while TCU still has enough talent and rivalry familiarity to make this more complicated than the records might suggest. The setting is there for a real test, and Baylors response should tell plenty about how far this team has come. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Has A Chance To Make A Real Statement At TCU
Baylor volleyball heads into Fort Worth on Sunday with some momentum, riding a three-match winning streak and carrying the kind of recent Big 12 individual recognition that tends to travel well late in the season. It is also walking into a matchup that should tell a lot about where this group stands, because No. 10 TCU offers the Bears a chance to measure themselves against one of the leagues top teams on the road.
Head coach Ryan McGuyre and setter Isabela Haggard both framed the trip as an important test, and for Baylor the broader appeal goes beyond one Sunday result. The Bears have already shown they can string together wins, but this is the kind of meet-up that can sharpen the conversation around what they are becoming and whether that progress is ready to hold up against a ranked opponent in a hostile gym. [Read more 🡒]