TCU’s first virtual test against Baylor did not go the Horned Frogs’ way.
In a simulation run on EA SPORTS College Football 27, Baylor outlasted TCU 46-35 in a game that stayed tight for three quarters before the Bears blew it open with 23 points in the fourth.
Jaden Craig turned in a strong passing day for TCU, finishing 34 of 48 for 311 yards and three touchdowns. He spread the ball around effectively, with Jordan Dwyer, Jeremy Scott and Ka’morreun Pimpton each catching nine passes. Jeremy Payne also gave the Frogs a boost on the ground, rushing for 108 yards on 18 carries.
But Baylor had the game’s biggest difference-maker in Dawson Pendergrass. He carried 26 times for 148 yards and three touchdowns, repeatedly giving the Bears a reliable way to move the chains and finish drives. DJ Lagway helped steady Baylor’s offense as well, going 22 of 28 for 217 yards and a touchdown while adding 43 rushing yards.
The game was even after one quarter, and Baylor took a 20-14 lead into halftime. TCU stayed within striking distance entering the fourth, down only 23-21, but the Bears separated in the final period and never let the Frogs close the gap again.
Baylor’s defense also made a major play, picking off an ill-advised cross-body throw from Craig and taking it back for a touchdown.
For TCU, the simulated box score had some encouraging signs. Payne averaged 6.0 yards per carry, Craig threw three touchdown passes, and five different receivers helped push the passing total to 311 yards. Still, that production wasn’t enough to overcome Baylor’s balance and late surge.
The result leaves the same central question hanging over the real matchup: can TCU get enough stops while keeping its offense rolling? In the virtual world, Baylor had the answer.
The simulation belongs to the Bears. The real game will have to tell the rest of the story.
In Other News...
Baylors Defense Could Decide Everything In This TCU Rivalry Test
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On the other side, TCUs own defense remains central to how this turns out, with Andy Avalos group carrying a big share of the load. This is the sort of game where character, discipline and resilience tend to matter as much as scheme, and it gives the Frogs a chance to show whether the bye week helped them reset before a pivotal stretch. Rivalry games often live on small edges, and this one should be no different. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Can Make A Statement As TCU Arrives Desperate For Answers
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The setup also comes with the usual rivalry-page buzz, from the 6 p.m. CT kickoff and broadcast details to the fan-event promotions surrounding the game. TCUs availability report added a few more layers to monitor in the lead-up, with some key names on the injury sheet and special teams help potentially in flux, leaving the Frogs with just enough uncertainty to make an already important trip feel even heavier. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Faces A TCU Showdown With Real Pressure On Aranda
The 122nd Baylor-TCU meeting carries the usual rivalry baggage, but this one also arrives with a different kind of edge. Baylor comes in trying to steady itself after a turbulent stretch, and the matchup has taken on added weight because a win would do more than just settle bragging rights for a week. For TCU fans, it is another reminder that this series rarely plays out cleanly, no matter what the records say.
What makes this installment so intriguing is how much it looks like it could come down to small margins and one or two timely plays. Baylor still has a path to improve its standing in the Big 12, and the pregame talk has centered on the kind of disciplined, physical game that often defines this rivalry. However it unfolds, the result is likely to say as much about where Baylor is headed as it does about who claims another chapter in one of college footballs most unpredictable series. [Read more 🡒]