TCU can still get bowl eligible after 42-17 win over Baylor with 2 TDs each from Wiley and Bailey

Updated Nov. 18, 2023 8:16 p.m. ET

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FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Jared Wiley is TCU's big tight end, and twice he got wide open in the middle of the field for touchdowns against Baylor.

Wiley caught seven passes for 178 yards with catch-and-run scores of 81 and 28 yards, and Emani Bailey added two long touchdown runs as the Horned Frogs snapped a three-game losing streak with a 42-17 victory over their instate rival Saturday.

“Every time I looked for him, he was like running wide open, making guys miss and running great routes,” said quarterback Josh Hoover, who was 24-of-29 passing for 412 yards with both of his touchdowns to the 6-foot-7 tight end.

TCU (5-6, 3-5), last year's national runner-up, now has a chance to finally get bowl eligible in its regular-season finale next Friday at 14th-ranked Oklahoma.

“That’s a big thing for us. Nobody in this locker room is ready for the season to be over,” Wiley said. “Nobody wants it to end on Friday. And having this momentum going into a big week to fight for bowl eligibility, that’s a really big deal.”

Baylor (3-8, 2-6), which lost its fourth game in a row, had a 7-0 lead on Blake Shapen’s 10-yard TD pass to Dominic Richardson after Bailey fumbled at the Bears 2 on TCU’s opening drive. Caden Jenkins recovered and returned it to the 31, setting up the 11-play scoring drive.

“Disappointed, frustrated, upset,” Bears coach Dave Aranda said.

“It’s been a disappointing year for them, just like it has for us,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. “Man, it feels good to get a win. It’s been a while it seems like.”

The Frogs got even on Bailey’s 27-yard TD run in the second quarter, and went ahead to stay when Hoover hit Wiley in stride alone down the seam near the TCU 40, and the 260-pound tight end went untouched to the end zone on the 81-yard score. And once he caught the ball, receiver Savion Williams had a downfield block against the only defender that had a shot at getting Wiley.

"Just missed execution by us,” Baylor linebacker Brooks Miller said. “We didn’t identify the play, the formation, pre-snap.”

Wiley was wide open again just beyond the line of scrimmage on more a set play for his 28-yard score after halftime, and Bailey added a 31-yard TD run.

GROWING HOOVER

Hoover had his fourth game with at least 300 yards passing in five starts since taking over for injured Chandler Morris. The redshirt freshman also had his first rushing touchdown with a 3-yard score that made it 28-17 late in the third quarter. It was his first game without a turnover.

“He just gets better every game. I mean more comfortable, makes better decisions, gets on the same page more with receivers,” Dykes said. ”Excited about next week and going and playing against a great Oklahoma team and a big challenge ... I’m ready to see the continued maturation and growth from Josh."

Morris, who has been out with a sprained MCL in his left knee, came in late and completed 2 of 4 passes for 19 yards. Dykes said Morris had a bit of a setback in practice this week, but is closer to being fully healthy.

THE TAKEAWAY

Baylor: The Bears dropped to 23-24 overall for fourth-year coach Aranda. They have lost 12 of their last 15 games overall.

TCU: The Horned Frogs avoided their first four-game losing streak since 1998. They have won four in a row and eight of nine in the series against Baylor that dates back to 1899, and is now the most-played in the state of Texas at 119 games — one more than Texas-Texas A&M.

UP NEXT

Baylor plays its regular-season finale at home Saturday against West Virginia. It will be the Bears' single-season record eighth home game, but they are 1-6 at McLane Stadium.

TCU takes on Oklahoma in the Sooners' final regular-season game in the Big 12 before moving to the SEC.

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