Jaden Craig throws 2 TDs as TCU beats Baylor 17-6 to end the Bears’ 4-game winning streak

WACO, Texas (AP) — Jaden Craig threw for 294 yards with two touchdowns and TCU beat instate Big 12 rival Baylor 17-6 on Saturday night in the Horned Frogs’ highest-scoring game against a Power Four opponent this season.

“We’re trying to go on a run,” Craig said. “Obviously didn’t start how we wanted to, but this is definitely the right step, and build some momentum to get that run going.”

Baylor (4-2, 2-1 Big 12) still hasn’t allowed more than 19 points in a game this season, but had its four-game winning streak snapped.

Craig finished 21-of-36 passing and the Horned Frogs (3-3, 1-2) ahead to stay on a 25-yard TD pass to Ed Small in the first quarter. Then in the opening minute of the second half, Craig hit Jordan Dwyer for a 67-yard catch-and-run, and on the next snap threw an 8-yard TD to Ka’Morreun Pimpton for a 14-6 lead.

“That touchdown at start of the second half I thought was huge just to create a little separation,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said.

Dwyer had six catches for 150 yards, and Small had seven for 91 yards.

TCU has held all of its opponents to 21 points or less, but had lost all three of its previous games against P4 opponents in one-score games when scoring a total of 33 points (11 per game).

“I feel like now we’ve got confidence. We know what we can do,” TCU safety Jamel Johnson said. “We’ve just got to continue to take it day by day and put it together.”

Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway completed only 22 of 53 passes for 256 yards with an interception. The Bears had a season-low 310 total yards just two weeks after Lagway’s four TD passes and 564 total yards in a 55-19 win at Arizona State before an open date.

“It’s frustrating, it’s disappointing, it’s embarrassing,” coach Dave Aranda said. “Frustrating is probably the strongest thing. … Embarrassing is right there, a close second.”

The Bears had field goal attempts on three consecutive drives in the first half that all were at least 12 plays. Rhett Armstrong missed a 47-yard attempt before making kicks of 39 and 32 yards for their only points.

There was a sloppy finish to the first half

There was an exchange of turnovers in the final 2 1/2 minutes before halftime.

Baylor safety Micah Gifford forced a fumble at the end of Small’s 31-yard catch though TCU recovered. But on the next play, Gifford got an interception when Craig threw while going backward and under pressure.

Three plays later, Bears freshman Ryelan Morris fumbled when Kylin Jackson stripped the ball out of his hands while going down.

Baylor’s defense is not allowing many points

The Bears’ streak of six games in a row to start a season not allowing 20 points is their longest since six in 1966. The last time with more was 11 in 1960, which tied the school record done two previous times.

Getting after the quarterback

Defensive end Koron Hayward had three of TCU’s four sacks.

“It’s great to have a D-lineman like him and like everybody else on that front,” Johnson said. “They’ve been doing great all year, so nothing but respect to them.”

The takeaway

TCU: A much needed win for the Frogs after starting 0-2 in the Big 12 for the first time since 2013.

“When you don’t win football games, there’s a lot of hate,” Dykes said. “And I’ve got to give our players credit for not listening to all the hate, just keeping their head down, and just believing in each other and relying on each other, and caring about each other. And I think the team got closer through it.”

Baylor: The four-game winning streak had certainly taken heat off the embattled Aranda, but he is just 40-39 overall in his seventh season. The Bears’ final six games include a closing three-game stretch at No. 8 BYU and No. 20 Houston, and their home finale against No. 10 Texas Tech between that.

Up next

TCU is home against West Virginia (4-3, 1-3) next Saturday.

Baylor plays at Kansas (2-4, 0-3) next Saturday.

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