.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
Texas Tech's most frustrating season had a fitting finish: A rare loss to Baylor that gave the Red Raiders their first losing season in nearly two decades.
Even with their Heisman Trophy hopeful quarterback Robert Griffin III watching from the sideline after halftime because of an apparent concussion, the 21st-ranked Bears raced to a 66-42 victory Saturday against the Red Raiders.
Tech had won 15 games in the series since the two teams became Big 12 members.
''This is as frustrating as it gets. We didn't meet the expectations we had for ourselves,'' junior quarterback Seth Doege said. ''When your season doesn't end on a high note, you feel bad for the seniors. I feel like I like I let them down personally.''
Nick Florence filled in aptly for Griffin, throwing for 151 yards and two long TDs after halftime. Terrance Ganaway ran 42 times for 246 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears.
Baylor (8-3, 5-3 Big 12) set a school mark for most points in a conference game - Big 12 or the Southwest Conference for decades before that - but was already ahead to stay when Griffin scored on a 3-yard keeper just before halftime. That score came after he was on the sideline for one play after taking an elbow to the helmet while sliding at the end of a run.
''I'm excited. I've got a smile on my face,'' Griffin said. ''I only got to play half of the game, but I tried to contribute as much as I could.''
Texas Tech (5-7, 2-7) finished with its first losing record since 1992. The Red Raiders lost their last five games after a 41-38 upset last month at Oklahoma, which Baylor beat at home last week.
''To not be able to enjoy a bowl game or a winning season is definitely some motivation going into the offseason because you definitely don't want to let that happen again,'' Doege said.
Griffin stood on the sideline after halftime holding a towel and watching as the Bears reached eight wins for the first time since 1991.
Though Griffin wanted to play, Baylor medical officials took away his helmet before the second half.
''We got in at halftime, he had a little trouble remembering what was going on,'' coach Art Briles said. ''We were going to be cautious because that's the right thing to do. Robert's a tough guy. He wanted to go. ... But he didn't need to go.''
Florence threw a 46-yard TD to Kendall Wright and a 40-yarder to Terrance Williams before Joe Williams returned an interception 90 yards to push Baylor ahead 52-28.
''It was a team win. I'm still kind of taking it all in right now,'' said Florence, the primary starter after Griffin got hurt only three games into the 2009 season.
Griffin had scrambled from one side of the field to the other and slid inside the 5 with a first down when defensive back Cornelius Douglas came in hard with an elbow that knocked Griffin's head back to the turf. The quarterback remained flat on his back for a couple of moments before coming out of the game for a play. He then returned for his second touchdown run to make it 31-21.
The two teams combined for 108 points and 1,061 total yards at Cowboys Stadium, where Baylor outgained the Red Raiders 617 to 444. The Bears had 294 before halftime with Griffin.
''It was pretty much tonight like it's gone the rest of the year. We just haven't been able to stop anybody on defense,'' said coach Tommy Tuberville, whose team also gave up 66 points against Oklahoma State earlier this month. ''They've got a good football team. We tried everything in the world to get our offense back on the field. We made a game of it for three and half quarters.''
Doege completed 41 of 55 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions. Eric Ward set a Tech single-game record with 16 catches for 151 yards.
Baylor scored on its first five drives, including Griffin's 33-yard TD pass on fourth down to Wright, who caught the ball in the middle of the field at the 25 and spun away from a defender to sprint to the end zone for a 10-0 lead.
The Red Raiders were within 17-14 after going 74 yards on 10 completions by Doege. Six were to Ward, the last for a 2-yard TD.
A couple of plays after Baylor got the ball back, officials were blowing the whistle for a false start when safety Terrance Bullitt came from Griffin's blindside and undercut his legs, knocking the quarterback to the ground. That drew a personal foul penalty, and the drive eventually ended with a 4-yard TD by Ganaway.
Tech then used a little trickery to score quickly. Backup quarterback Jacob Karam, wearing a No. 85 jersey instead of his normal No. 3, lined up as a receiver and went in motion. He took a pitch from Doege and then threw a 43-yard TD to Darrin Moore, who later caught a 1-yard TD from Doege.
The Red Raiders then recovered an onside kick. But they failed to get a first down and punted.
That led to the wild 12-play drive on which Griffin got hurt. Both teams called a timeout before a fourth-and-7 play, but Tech was called for delay of game - and Tuberville was then flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct when he protested, giving Baylor a first down without having to snap the ball.
