Baylor fans packed McLane Stadium dressed in black, expecting the Bears to handle their rivals. Instead, the only spark the Bears provided came from their drone show following the third quarter.
The lights from what was billed as college football's largest drone show were impressive, but they did little to improve my mood after watching TCU control the game for more than two hours from my seat in the nosebleeds. Plenty of other fans appeared to feel the same way, heading for the exits early in the fourth quarter.
The Bears were only down 11 points entering the fourth quarter, but the game already felt out of reach. There was little reason to expect a thrilling comeback from a Baylor offense that had shown virtually no signs of life all night.
The Bears ultimately fell 17-6, snapping their four-game winning streak and suffering another frustrating loss to TCU. Here is the stock report following Saturday's performance.
Stock Up
Defensive Front Seven
Baylor's defensive front seven delivered another impressive performance, helping hold TCU to just 33 rushing yards on 30 attempts while the Bears recorded four sacks and 10 tackles for loss. The Horned Frogs averaged only 1.1 yards per carry, struggling to establish any consistency on the ground.
Kaleb Burns led the effort with four tackles, including two for loss and an eight-yard sack. He also earned a team-high 81.4 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus, while defensive tackle Traevon Mitchell (76.0) and linebacker Kyland Reed (73.0) ranked second and third, respectively. Reed added a 13-yard sack, while Ryan Davis and Hosea Wheeler also brought down TCU quarterback Jaden Craig.
The unit was especially effective in the first half, limiting TCU to one rushing yard on 12 attempts. Although the Horned Frogs found success through the air, Baylor's defensive front seven helped keep the game competitive despite the offense's struggles.
The performance continued a strong season for a Baylor defense that entered Saturday ranked among the nation's top six in sacks and tackles for loss. The Bears also held their sixth consecutive opponent to 20 points or fewer, continuing a defensive streak that has lasted throughout the season. Despite the loss, the defensive front seven remains one of Baylor's most dependable strengths.
Micah Gifford
While Baylor's offense struggled, defensive back Micah Gifford recorded an interception, a forced fumble and a tackle for loss against TCU. He also finished with three tackles and earned a 69.5 defensive grade from PFF, sixth-highest among Baylor defenders.
Gifford forced a fumble on a reception by Ed Small late in the first half, although TCU recovered the ball. On the following play, he intercepted Craig's pass on a disrupted flea-flicker, giving Baylor possession near midfield with an opportunity to take the lead before halftime.
Unfortunately for the Bears, Ryelan Morris lost a fumble three plays later, ending the possession without points. Still, Gifford's two disruptive plays on consecutive snaps were among Baylor's better defensive sequences in a game where its offense offered little support.
Gavin Freeman
Gavin Freeman continued to establish himself as the heartbeat of Baylor's offense Saturday, leading the team with seven receptions for 76 yards. The senior accounted for nearly 30% of the Bears' passing yards against a TCU defense that presented problems for Baylor throughout the night.
Freeman's longest reception went for 21 yards, matching Baylor's longest completion of the night. While the rest of the offense struggled to generate consistent production, Freeman remained DJ Lagway's most reliable option.
Coming off a seven-catch, 115-yard performance against Arizona State, Freeman has now recorded 14 receptions for 191 yards over his last two games. His production against both a struggling Arizona State defense and a formidable TCU unit suggests his success isn't simply matchup-dependent. Even when Baylor's offense struggles, Freeman continues to give Lagway a reliable target.
Stock Down
Dave Aranda and Jake Spavital
Baylor entered Saturday's rivalry matchup riding a four-game winning streak and coming off a bye week, only to deliver its worst offensive performance of the season. The Bears failed to score a touchdown, dropping Dave Aranda to 1-6 against TCU during his tenure.
TCU deserves credit for its defensive performance, but Baylor's inability to generate offense despite having two weeks to prepare raises questions about Aranda and offensive coordinator Jake Spavital's ability to succeed against stronger defenses.
The Horned Frogs were able to stop Baylor's rushing attack without committing extra defenders near the line of scrimmage, allowing them to devote more resources to pass coverage. With little threat of a productive running game, Baylor struggled to find an effective response.
The Bears converted just six of 21 third downs and failed to score a touchdown on any of their three red-zone opportunities. While poor execution contributed to those failures, Spavital's inability to adjust his offensive approach was equally concerning.
After scoring 55 points against Arizona State, Baylor's offensive collapse against TCU raises questions about whether the Bears can replicate that success against tougher competition.
Offensive Line
Baylor's offensive line struggled to create running lanes against TCU, contributing to the Bears' worst offensive performance of the season. The Bears managed just 54 rushing yards on 34 attempts, averaging 1.6 yards per carry, including 29 yards lost on four sacks. Caden Knighten led the backfield with 35 yards on 10 carries, followed by Ryelan Morris with 25 yards on eight attempts and Dawson Pendergrass with 11 yards on nine carries.
Baylor's running backs combined to average just 2.6 yards per carry. While the backs weren't blameless, the offensive line couldn't generate consistent movement at the line of scrimmage, leaving little room for the rushing attack to develop. Pass protection was also an issue, with TCU recording four sacks and consistently forcing Lagway to contend with pressure.
The performance was a significant regression from Baylor's 244 rushing yards against Arizona State, which had offered hope that the Bears were finally overcoming their season-long struggles on the ground. With several formidable defenses remaining on the schedule, Baylor's offensive line must improve to give the Bears a more balanced attack.
DJ Lagway
Two weeks after earning a spot in the stock-up category following Baylor's 55-19 victory over Arizona State, DJ Lagway finds himself on the opposite side of the list. The junior completed just 22 of 53 passes for 256 yards, no touchdowns and one interception against TCU, finishing with a season-low 41.5% completion rate.
Lagway struggled with accuracy throughout the night, frequently missing his targets when opportunities were available. His longest completion went for just 21 yards, and the Bears averaged only 4.8 yards per pass attempt. His receivers weren't blameless, either, as Jadon Porter dropped potential touchdowns on some of Lagway's best deep throws.
PFF gave Lagway a 39.5 offensive grade, the lowest among Baylor's offensive players. The performance was a sharp contrast to his four-touchdown outing against Arizona State, raising questions about whether that breakthrough reflected genuine improvement or the Sun Devils' defensive struggles. Although TCU's coverage and dropped passes contributed to his difficulties, Lagway's inconsistent accuracy remains a concern against stronger defenses.
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