TCU snaps losing skid as Josh Hoover puts away Baylor

Field Level Media|published: Sat 18th November, 18:56 2023

Nov 18, 2023; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover (10) runs with the ball against the Baylor Bears during the first half at Amon G. Carter Stadium. credits: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Hoover threw for 412 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another score to lift host TCU to a 42-17 victory over Baylor on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas.

Hoover completed 24 of 29 passes and connected on 81- and 28-yard scoring strikes to tight end Jared Wiley, who had seven catches for a career-high 178 yards.

Emani Bailey rushed for two touchdowns and Trey Sanders added another as the Horned Frogs (5-6, 3-5 Big 12) snapped a three-game losing skid and kept alive their bid to become bowl eligible. TCU will visit Oklahoma on Friday afternoon in the regular-season finale.

Baylor's Blake Shapen tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and rushed for a 2-yard score in the third. Shapen completed 20 of 30 passes for 197 yards for the Bears (3-8, 2-6), who have lost four in a row.

Baylor rode the momentum of Caden Jenkins' fumble recovery into an 11-play, 69-yard drive that was capped by Shapen's 10-yard pass to Dominic Richardson. The latter's first touchdown reception of the season gave the Bears a 7-0 lead with 5:44 remaining in the first quarter.

TCU answered with a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter, with Bailey starting the barrage by gaining the edge and scampering for a 27-yard score. The Bears failed on a fourth-and-2 play and Wiley followed up two plays with an 81-yard touchdown reception.

Baylor's Isaiah Hankins drilled a 48-yard field goal attempt just before halftime to trim TCU's lead to 14-10.

TCU regained the momentum by converting a third-and-25 play, courtesy of Hoover finding Wiley for a 28-yard score just 3:24 into the third quarter. The touchdown reception was Wiley's team-leading sixth of the season.

Shapen raced to the pylon from 2 yards out to bring Baylor within four midway into the third quarter. However, Hoover countered with a 3-yard TD run over four minutes later.

Sanders added a 2-yard run for his sixth touchdown of the season. Bailey added his team-leading seventh of the season and second of the night with a 31-yard scamper.

—Field Level Media

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