Baylor left little doubt Friday night at Heywood Stadium.
The Red Raiders took control from the opening possession and never let go, rolling past longtime rival McCallie 49-7 to remain unbeaten on the season.
The victory improved Baylor to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in TSSAA Division II-AAA East Region play, with the Red Raiders combining an explosive offense with another strong defensive performance.
Quarterback Keegan Croucher was outstanding in his first Baylor-McCallie rivalry game, completing 9 of 12 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns. Croucher also added 35 yards rushing before giving way to freshman Marshall Manning later in the game.
Senior running back David Gabriel Georges continued his remarkable career against the Blue Tornado. DGG carried 11 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns in the first half and added two receptions for 50 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown.
Baylor wasted no time establishing control.
The Red Raiders marched 61 yards in five plays on their opening possession, with Gabriel Georges finishing the drive with a 20-yard touchdown run.
Croucher then connected with Antwaun "Cornbread" Adams for a 70-yard touchdown to push the advantage to 14-0.
Baylor kept its foot on the gas with a perfectly executed surprise onside kick by Jean-Pierre Eto'o, giving the Red Raiders another possession and keeping the early momentum firmly on the home sideline.
The lead grew to 21-0 when Croucher found Gabriel Georges for a 29-yard touchdown with 4:53 remaining in the opening quarter.
Croucher and Adams connected again for a 40-yard touchdown as Baylor continued to build its advantage. By halftime, Croucher had already thrown for 255 yards and three touchdowns while Gabriel Georges had surpassed 100 yards on the ground.
Baylor quickly put the game away after the break. Less than two minutes into the third quarter, Croucher connected with tight end Brady Lewis for a 32-yard touchdown, giving the Red Raiders a 42-7 advantage and putting the running clock into effect for the remainder of the game.
Baylor finished the night with a 463-247 advantage in total offense.
The performance was another memorable chapter for Gabriel Georges in the rivalry. Barring a playoff rematch, he finishes his Baylor career against McCallie with 95 carries for 1,175 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns in five games, an average of 12.4 yards per carry.
For Croucher, Friday night provided his first opportunity to experience the rivalry from the field, and the senior quarterback made the most of it with four touchdown passes while helping Baylor remain perfect through seven games.
The Red Raiders will have an open date next week before returning to action as they continue the second half of the regular season.
Go Big Red!
READ MORE:
Baylor in control from start to finish while racing past McCallie | Chattanooga Times Free Press
Baylor Blasts McCallie In Rivalry Matchup, 49-7 - Chattanoogan.com
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