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Play of the Year: Runner Up

It was a long and cold night in November and tempers ran hot.

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2) The overtime win against Baylor

There are moments in life that you will remember until the day you die. These moments are few and far between. However, college football has a tendency to create these types of moments and put them on display, like a cinematic masterpiece, year after year. The games where these moments are most common? Rivalry games, of course. Nothing comes close to the feeling of stepping over your most hated opponent and claiming the title of victor. That feeling lasts all the way until the next time you and your rival meet again.

That being said, few things are more painful than when the opponent that you want to beat more than anything, manages to deny you the satisfaction in the most heartbreaking manner, and steals the win out of your grasp. In the second week of October of 2014, we felt this pain. Would our rival let us forget it for the next 413 days? Absolutely not.

Say what you will about those fans in green and gold, but they know how to make the whole, saying nothing nice about your rival part of the rivalry...easier than most.

Earlier this year, I wrote a piece about how the Frogs had to rise up to finish the season strong and on a high note, despite the odds being stacked against them. While we came the length of an index finger away from beating Oklahoma, you won't find a single Frog fan that would prefer a loss to Baylor than to OU.

This game was hyped up to be the de facto Big 12 Championship game way back in August, but by the time November had come around, injuries for both teams sadly derailed that from happening. We still got one hell of a game out of it, though.

I arrived at the gates of Amon G. Carter stadium two and a half hours early so that I could get as close to the front of the student section as possible. Even though a lot of students went home for the Thanksgiving break, the student section was still packed (before the lightning). It started out as a light drizzle, but about thirty minutes before kick off, mother nature turned it up to 11.

Then came the lightning delay. Even though it postponed the game by about an hour, it was awesome seeing a majority of the student section refuse to leave, despite the voice from the stadium speakers telling us to do so for our own safety. Was it a foolish decision? Of course. However, I had waited in the cold rain for over 3 hours at this point and there was no way I was going to give up my seat now.

Then finally, the game started at around 7:40 pm. The rain had settled, but of course this game had to both physically and mentally suck the life out of me, as the heavy rain returned about 10 minutes later. First drive, Baylor scores after Josh Carroway's "late hit" on the passer cancelled a beautiful interception by Julius Lewis. Of course the Frogs wouldn't go quietly in this one, with Trevone Boykin finding Jarrison Stewart (swoon) for the answering touchdown. Baylor scores again, but then Josh Carroway ignites the Carter into a bonfire with his 56 yard scoop and score at the start of the second quarter. Nobody scored on the next 7 drives, 2 of which saw both teams lose a fumble, and then it was half time.

The second half was ugly and for a majority of unbiased viewers that couldn't tell it was a torrential downpour, it was probably really boring. EIGHTEEN. CONSECUTIVE. SCORELESS. DRIVES. If I'm looking at this from an unbiased fan's point of view this game was moderately entertaining in the first half. However, by the time the 3rd quarter was halfway over it had become similar to one of those worst case scenario Big 10 games that you never wanted to watch, but it's the only other thing on at 11 am CT because the other game is already a 30 point blowout.

Fast forward through the punt-ageddon and the occasional Baylor fumble and we finally reach the end of regulation. Now that some of us had been standing for 6 hours, we had to emotionally prepare ourselves for the heart-stopping overtime that was about to happen. Eight plays later, Chris Johnson throws a pop pass over the middle to Devin Chafin for a TD. All Baylor had to do was get the stop. It's 3rd down and 6 to go, and TB throws an incomplete to Listenbee in the back of the end zone. 4th down, but wait for it...DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE TO PUT US INTO A GOOD POSITION TO SCORE. While this drive was not the game winner, the irony here should be lost on none of us.

Turpin then gets denied a second touchdown by the refs and is called out at the one yard line. However, Boykin scores on the next play with the keeper. I knew we would get 6 on that drive, again I was incredibly confident that we were going to win this game, but the thought of the weather messing up Oberkrom's extra point attempt did cross my mind and cause me a moment of panic. I was mentally preparing myself for the surrender cobra, but of course Jaden booted it through to tie it up.

The Frogs get the ball back at the start of 2OT. Same end zone, with the starting line of scrimmage right in front of me at the 25 yard line. On the 5th play TB found Kavontae Turpin in the back of the end zone and the crowd went nuts. It took 3 times, but Turpin finally scored and the Frogs took their first lead of the game. 4 plays later Ty Summers, who was having himself a record day (night), broke through the Bears' offensive line and wrapped up Chafin up top as Julius Lewis did the same down low. The game was finally over. I don't know what else you could ask for in a game between two rivals.

At 4:30 pm on Black Friday I left my apartment to walk over to Amon G. Carter stadium to watch TCU play its last game of the regular season. 7 hours later I finally left the Carter's soaking wet bleachers, with hands that had no feeling in them from the cold and shoes that were essentially ruined. But we beat Baylor and it was 7 of the greatest hours of my freakin life.

- Revenge is a dish truly best served cold. Go Frogs.