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I said before the game that Baylor would get Texas Tech's best shot-- everything they had in the bag worth throwing-- and we did. The outcome wasn't what any expected with Tech roaring back from what was, at one point, a 25-point deficit in the third quarter, and Baylor's defense won't be putting this one on the highlight film. Still, the Bears won their tenth game of the 2014 season after losing their leader and star QB in the third quarter, possibly our best RB for the duration, and one of our best WRs, to boot. If winning ugly didn't count as winning, Florida State would have about a half-dozen losses.
If we're being honest, there's no real way to say we're thrilled with how this game turned out. Our defense, lauded for the progress made this season, gave up 707 yards of offense, 604 through the air. Almost all of that went to a true freshman QB in Pat Mahomes, who we made look like Kliff Kingsbury under Mike Leach. Losing players also hurt quite a bit, since we'll have to see how those guys progress this week to know whether we'll have them back for the all-important final game this weekend against KSU. If you want to tell me that we didn't do enough to impress, I'll listen (and possibly agree). But I would still argue, as the AP's Ralph Russo did on Twitter, that us squeaking by Texas Tech in their "bowl game" is no worse, and arguably better, than going down against Kansas and having to come back. Barely beating Tech doesn't take away from owning head-to-head over TCU, blowing out OU in Norman, or, assuming we win next week, having the same number of T25 wins as the Horned Frogs such that H2H can tip the balance. But let's get back to the game:
Players of the Game:
Bryce Petty -- 18/25 for 210 yards and 2 TDs before leaving the game due to injury
Shock Linwood -- 24 carries for 158 yards and 2 TDs
And ... that's about it. Tech's Patrick Mahomes deserves recognition, even by us, for his 30/56 for 593 yards, 6 TDs, and 1 INT.
Team Stat Comparison
Boy, that's ugly. Rabble on, everyone.