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By Travis Cram l Avalanche-Journal
In Baylor’s eyes, there are no moral victories in a defeat, but in Saturday’s 35-28 loss to No. 7 Texas Tech, it summed up the way nearly an entire season has gone for the Bears.

Freshman quarterback Robert Griffin amazed his teammates and opponents once again in leading his offense as he and new head coach Art Briles nearly took out a top 10 team on its home turf in a familiar West Texas region for the new head coach.

“It says we played a real good game against a real good football team on its home court,” Briles said. “It’s just like we’ve said all year long, We don’t have to hit a driver to get to where everyone else is.’ We’re close. We’re real close.”

Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin rushed for 99 yards and passed for 91, but it wasn't enough against Texas Tech.

It was the third time this season the Bears lost by a touchdown or less – losing two of those games by three points to Missouri and Connecticut.

Baylor (4-8, 2-8 in Big 12) took a 14-point lead in the third quarter, scoring two straight touchdowns after being down 14-13 in the second quarter.

Griffin found open spots on the field with scrambles and option-reads, rushing for 84 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries while hitting 9-of-10 passes for 56 yards and a score to take the 28-14 lead.

Griffin tied Steve Beaird’s 1973 record of 13 rushing touchdowns in a season with his second score.

Then something changed, and Baylor never found the end zone again.

“(Tech’s defense) took more chances,” Griffin said. “They were taking (linebackers) from the inside and rolling them all the way to the outside. That’s unconventional, but they did it and we couldn’t counter for a little bit. Both teams came to play and (Tech) scored when it counted.”

Tech (11-1, 7-1) scored on the ensuing drive to cut down the lead to 28-21, giving the ball back to Baylor with 5:52 to go in the third quarter.

Baylor got a first down after a 24-yard run by Griffin, but was forced to punt for the first time. Its remaining two possessions did not have any other success as well, with one ending in Griffin’s only mistake – an interception to Brian Duncan that bounced off wide receiver Thomas White’s chest – and a turnover on downs on the Bears’ final possession.

Baylor only had three first downs for the remainder of the game after racking up 16 first downs leading up to the 14-point lead.

“I tried to blitz them in the second half and that’s when the long run came,” Tech defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill said. “After that I told the guys, I’m just going to settle down and let y’all play.’”

Griffin only rushed for 15 more yards the rest of the game, finishing with 99 rushing yards and 91 passing.

Tech defensive players said it was no easy task trying to contain Baylor’s freshman phenom.

“He has crazy speed,” Tech defensive end McKinner Dixon said. “That was amazing. I’ve never seen a guy that fast, period.”

Griffin said he’s not one to measure himself up, but hopes his play and improvements on the field speak to the rest of the country about what he and Briles are beginning to put together at Baylor.

“Players don’t usually talk about gaining respect with Baylor football,” he said. “But when we get on that field now, they know we’re coming to play.”