The 4th ranked undefeated TCU Horned Frogs needed a lifeline on Saturday as they went down 28-20 to Baylor in the 3rd quarter. A miraculous 4th quarter comeback saw kicker Griffin Kell save the unbeaten season with a 40-yard field goal as time expired.
It has been a few hours, since the comeback of the season, happened for the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs. Quite honestly, I don’t think I believe what happened in front of me was indeed real life. It was scripted out of a Hollywood movie.
After Kell missed an extra point, following the Gunnar Henderson score, with 5:46 left in the 3rd quarter, Baylor capitalized. The Baylor Bears scored two touchdowns, to go up 28-20 on TCU.
TCU quarterback Max Duggan had his signature Heisman hopeful moment as he led the Horned Frogs on two scoring drives in the 4th quarter. These two drives happened without star wide receiver Quentin Johnston on the field. Johnston suffered a leg injury in the 3rd quarter. Duggan was also without receiver Derius Davis, who did not play in today’s game due to injury.
TCU scored a touchdown on a 3-yard run by running back Emari Demercado, with just 2:07 left in the game. They failed to pick up the game tying two point conversion, as Duggan’s pass sailed wide of Demercado. The Frog’s defense stepped up and held Baylor to a three-and-out. Sonny Dykes used all three of his timeouts, and TCU got the ball back, with 1:34. A huge pass from Duggan to Taye Barber for 19 yards put the Frogs on the 50 yard line. Duggan had a huge 12 yard scamper on 3rd and one, as they marched deeper into Baylor territory.
17 seconds remaining, TCU called a run by Demercado that moved the ball into the middle of the field. The clock was still running and the chaos ensued. The Frogs had no timeouts and decided to run their play “Bazooka”. This is the play, they practice every Thursday, where the special teams unit sprints onto the field with no hesitation. They got lined up and field goal kicker Kell knocked home a game-winning 40-yard field goal. Redemption, for the kicker who had previously missed an extra point, that almost was the difference in the game.
Duggan deserves a spot in New York (Heisman Awards Ceremony). He had 327 yards passing yards with a passing touchdown and an interception. Duggan also led the team with 50 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. He now has 2,531 passing yards on the season with 25 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Also, he has 241 yards rushing and four rushing touchdowns.
The TCU Horned Frogs will go for an undefeated regular season, next Saturday, in Fort Worth, versus Iowa State.
More must-reads: