Last year’s Baylor-TCU game was a wild 61-58 affair won by the Bears. Through two quarters of play in this year’s edition of the rivalry, and thanks in very large part to the weather, it doesn’t appear that a repeat is in order.
In a game delayed nearly 50 minutes because of lightning in the Fort Worth area and that’s currently being played in a steady downpour, the No. 7 Bears and No. 19 Horned Frogs slipped and slogged -- and fumbled and intercepted and muffed -- their way to a 14-all tie at halftime. BU turned the ball over three times -- the trifecta of a fumble, interception and muffed punt -- while TCU had one interception and one fumble. In last year’s game, which TCU was winning 31-27 at the half, the Bears had three turnovers while the Horned Frogs turned it over just once.
It actually looked as if a repeat of last year was in order as the Bears scored on their first two possessions and the Horned Frogs their first halfway through the opening quarter. However, as the rain increased, the offensive production predictably decreased as just seven points were scored on the remaining 14 possessions of the half -- and those came courtesy of a defensive score.
Even the return of Trevone Boykin couldn’t help the Horned Frogs get past the weather. After missing the Week 12 loss to Oklahoma because of a sprained ankle, Boykin, playing on a heavily-taped joint, was back under center for the Frogs, completing 7-of-15 passes for 97 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Boykin’s counterpart, QB-turned-WR-turned-QB Chris Johnson, was making his first start, and in a driving rainstorm on the road no less. He was responsible for two of the turnovers, an interception and a fumble that was returned for a touchdown, and passed for a meager 50 yards as the Bears attempted just 12 passes.
Devin Chafin was the offensive “star” of the game for both sides. While the Bears back had just eight yards rushing, he accounted for both BU touchdowns.