TCU’s defense set the tone in Waco, and Baylor never quite found a way through it.
Saturday night at McLane Stadium ended with the Bears on the wrong side of a 17-6 result, a game that turned on TCU’s ability to clamp down after Baylor trimmed the margin to one point at halftime. The Horned Frogs held Baylor to 310 yards and snapped the Bears’ four-game winning streak.
Baylor entered the night at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the Big 12, but the offense never produced the kind of surge it needed once TCU opened up a two-score cushion. After the halftime score sat at 7-6, the Frogs grabbed control with a 10-point third quarter, highlighted by a 67-yard completion that sparked a 75-yard touchdown drive and a later 14-play, 73-yard march that ended in a field goal.
The Bears’ final seven drives, outside of the end-of-first-half sequence, told the story. Three punts, a fumble, an interception and two turnovers on downs kept Baylor from mounting a comeback.
Even with the loss, Baylor’s defense kept delivering. The Bears held TCU to 327 yards, limited the Frogs to 33 rushing yards and forced four sacks and 10 tackles for loss. It was the sixth straight game in which Baylor kept an opponent at 20 points or fewer to begin the 2026 season.
On offense, Gavin Freeman led the receiving effort with seven catches for 76 yards, while Louis Brown IV added five receptions for 74 yards. Caden Knighten carried 10 times for a team-high 35 yards, and DJ Lagway threw for 256 yards.
TCU quarterback Jaden Craig finished 21-of-36 for 294 yards and two touchdown passes. Jordan Dwyer was the biggest big-play threat, finishing with six catches for 150 yards after his 67-yard grab helped open the third quarter. Ed Small caught seven passes for 91 yards and a touchdown.
The night started with TCU striking first on its second possession. The Frogs put together a nine-play, 57-yard drive and scored when Craig hit Small on a 25-yard touchdown pass on third-and-14, giving TCU a 7-0 lead with 6:14 left in the first quarter.
Baylor had a chance to answer with a drive into TCU territory, but a 47-yard field goal attempt missed.
The Bears finally got on the board after a defensive stop, stringing together a 14-play, 66-yard drive that ended with Rhett Armstrong’s 39-yard field goal to make it 7-3 with 9:02 left in the first half. Later in the half, another 12-play, 39-yard drive produced Armstrong’s 32-yard field goal, pulling Baylor within 7-6 with 3:39 to play before halftime.
TCU wasted little time after the break. The Frogs went 75 yards in three plays, with the 67-yard catch from Dwyer setting up Craig’s eight-yard touchdown pass to Ka’Morreun Pimpton and a 14-6 lead with 14:16 left in the third quarter.
After a Baylor three-and-out, TCU answered again with a 73-yard, 14-play drive that ended in a 25-yard field goal and extended the margin to 17-6 with 6:01 remaining in the third.
Baylor returns to action Saturday in Lawrence against Kansas, which enters at 2-4 overall and 0-3 in the Big 12.
In Other News...
Dave Aranda's Game Decisions Put Baylor Fans On Edge Against TCU
A crowded home night in Waco had all the ingredients for a statement game, but Baylors offense never delivered one. The Bears were held without a touchdown for the first time this season in a 17-6 loss to TCU, and the frustration had less to do with effort than with the way the game unfolded. Even as the defense did enough to keep Baylor within reach, the offense looked stuck searching for answers it never really found.
The biggest source of second-guessing came from how Dave Aranda and the staff handled the quarterback situation and the play sheet around DJ Lagway. With Lagways mobility limited, the Bears still leaned on a plan that left fans wondering whether the offense was being put in the best position to respond. In a game where Baylor had a loud home crowd and a defense ready to compete, the lack of offensive flexibility made the loss feel even more jarring. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Volleyball Just Made The Statement Fans Have Been Waiting For
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Ksenia Rakhmanchik again gave Baylor the edge at the net, finishing with 23 kills in the win. The Bears are now 12-5 overall and 4-3 in Big 12 play, and with this kind of form building, the next stretch figures to say a lot about how far they can push it. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Faces A Bowl Pressure Test In A True Toss Up
October has brought Baylor right into the kind of game that can shape a season, with Kansas coming in on Oct. 24 still searching for its first Big 12 win and oddsmakers treating this one as just about even. FanDuel Sportsbook lists the Jayhawks as a slight underdog at +1.5, and the 53.5-point total suggests a matchup that could tilt either way if one offense finds rhythm early.
For Baylor, the concern is less about who is favored and more about whether the Bears can steady a stretch marked by inconsistent quarterback play and uneven execution. With both teams carrying the feel of a true toss-up, this has the look of a game where patience, field position and a few clean drives could matter as much as talent, which is exactly the kind of pressure test that can linger into the rest of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]