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Baylor Stuns TCU As Bears Top Horned Frogs 50-48

The TCU Horned Frogs can kiss a third straight trip to a BCS bowl goodbye after Friday night. The Baylor Bears, led by Robert Griffin III, upset the reigning Rose Bowl champions 50-48 in a thrilling opening to the college football season. 

Griffin shined in the national spotlight, leading the Bears to victory. Griffin truly did everything he could on offense: he was 21 of 27 passing for 359 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 38 yards and even adding a 15 yard reception on the decisive scoring drive for Baylor. 

The Bears led TCU at the half 34-23, which is a complete 180° from the defense TCU has played over the last three seasons. Baylor would take a 47-23 lead midway through the third quarter.

Casey Pachall, though, didn't let the Horned Frogs go without a fight. TCU came roaring back, scoring 25 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to take a narrow 48-47 lead on a Ross Evans 27 yard field goal with 4:27 to play.

Griffin, though, would not let the Bears be denied on Friday night. Griffin led the Bears on an 11 play, 60 yard drive, setting up Aaron Jones, who nailed a 37 yard field goal to give Baylor a 50-48 lead. 

TCU received the ball back deep in their own territory with less than a minute to go and led the Horned Frogs into Baylor territory. Pachall, though, threw an interception trying to force a pass into triple coverage to get TCU into field goal range.

With the loss, TCU's 25 game regular season winning streak was snapped and their BCS hopes entirely dashed. 

Photographs by jamesbrandon, jdtornow, phlezk, flygraphix, mcdlttx, tomasland, and literalbarrage used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.