The hole was too deep. But perhaps something could change for the long term in this Baylor program.

A 30-0 deficit was too much to overcome. However, Baylor made things interesting in the fourth quarter before falling to archrival TCU, 33-23, at McLane Stadium.

Baylor (1-3, 1-3) couldn’t get out of its own way in the first half with poor execution, lack of energy and a special team’s gaffe that to a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown.

However, the Bears put together arguably their half of football of the season in the second half. They outscored the Horned Frogs, 16-3 and had a key fourth down stop in the third quarter and a couple of third down stops that gave them some hope.

Senior quarterback Charlie Brewer overcame a poor first half (7-16-1 76) and finished with 203 yards and a pair of short touchdown tosses to tight end Ben Sims. Craig Williams gave a suffering running game a boost with 82 yards including a 32-yard scamper that narrowed the gap to 33-23.

McLane Stadium may have looked strange to the Bears who were playing in their home confines for the first time since Sept. 26.

It was a tumultuous week for the program filled with locker room discord after running backs Trestan Ebner and John Lovett both were on the verge of leaving the program before being convinced to stay. Lovett left the game in the first half with an upper body injury and did not return.

Defensively, the Bears yielded a couple of huge running plays between a Darwin Barlow 74-yard run and a Zach Evans 30-yard touchdown run. TCU rushed for 247 yards.

TCU (2-3, 2-3) has won five of the last six meetings and extends its lead in the series to 56-53-7. The Bears travel to Iowa State for a 6:00 p.m. meeting with the No. 23 Cyclones.