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With its College Football Playoff hopes all but dashed with a stunning 35-34 loss at Texas last week, Baylor tries to refocus and make a run for another Big 12 Conference championship when it hosts TCU on Saturday (3:30 p. Bryant Young Jersey .m. ET, FOX).The No. 17 Bears (6-1, 3-1 Big 12), who play conference leading Oklahoma (6-2, 5-0) next week in Norman, had what might best be described as a rough 48 hours last weekend.Last Friday, on the eve of the Bears game at Texas, the Wall Street Journal reported specific numbers that have come out of the schools investigation of its Title IX problems which cost coach Art Briles his job last May. The story attributed Baylor regents in reporting that 19 football players were involved in 17 reports of sexual or domestic violence, a statistic that included four alleged gang rapes.Then on Saturday in Austin, Texas defeated the Bears to put an end to any CFP hopes.Acting coach Jim Grobe, whose key job function it seems this season is to smile during press conferences and attempt to say the right thing, did more of the same at his weekly presser Monday.What we try to do, as much as anything, is just stay positive, Grobe said. Going forward, we can only control day-to-day and week-to-week and try to get ready every week. Try to avoid distractions and stay focused on winning.To Grobes credit, hes stuck to his role, keeping focus on the positive aspects of the Bears program, sidestepping tricky questions and maintaining his smile. Its not his fault that the Baylor athletic department hasnt shown contrition among ever-worsening reports.Really, really disappointed. Really down, Grobe said of his teams mood after its first loss. Its funny (but) I think players bounce back a little quicker than coaches do. Coaches might have been a little bit more down even than the players. I just told the guys, I thought we lost our focus a little bit. I think we got concerned with officiating and thats not our job. Our job is just to play.The good news for the Bears is that they get to return home to McLane Stadium, where they are 14-2 with an average scoring margin of 27 points. And they face a TCU (4-4, 2-3) squad that has its own share of issues after losing three of four games, including surprisingly at quarterback.Starting quarterback Kenny Hill was pulled in favor of sophomore Foster Sawyer from last weeks 27-24 double-overtime loss to Texas Tech after throwing his 10th interception of the season and coach Gary Patterson confessed that it wasnt he who brought the hook.I didnt pull him, Patterson said at a press conference. Sonny did.Sonny would be co-offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie, who doubles as quarterbacks coach.Scoring has been a problem of late as the Horned Frogs are averaging just 19.3 points over their last three games. Hill was 16-of-29 passing for 160 yards with a long of 19 when he was removed against the Red Raiders. Sawyers accuracy was even worse as he completed 6 of 17 passes for 86 yards and one touchdown.We werent playing very well, Patterson said of the quarterback switch. Both guys have got to play better. When they turn you loose, youve got to make plays.Hill is expected to remain the starter this week.The Horned Frogs got some good news on the injury front. Running back Kyle Hicks, who injured his left ankle in the loss to Texas Tech, was listed as probable by Patterson. Hicks has carried the ground game with 597 yards and seven touchdowns so his absence would have been a huge blow for the Horned Frogs. Hicks also is tied for the team lead with 31 receptions.Baylor quarterback Seth Russell also expects to play Saturday but will continue to be monitored for potential concussion-like symptoms throughout the week.Russell began feeling nauseous and groggy about 90 minutes after the loss to Texas. His CT scan for concussion-like symptoms was negative.I feel great, Russell told the Waco Tribune. (Sunday) I felt a little groggy just from a hard fought game for the most part. But I woke up this morning with a lot of energy. I definitely feel like Im going to play. Im going through concussion protocol, thats what everybody wants me to do.Russell, who missed the last six games of the 2015 season with a broken neck, took numerous hard hits from the Texas defense. In 15 career starts he has thrown 52 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions while compiling a 14-1 record.The series is tied 52-52-7. Bruce Taylor Jersey . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Antone Exum Jersey . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. https:///...on-jersey-49ers.html .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Vanderbilt Commodores and coach Derek Mason know only too well just how big an opportunity they have in their season opener.The can kick off the year with a win at home, and against a Southeastern Conference opponent to boot.Its something theyve failed to do in each of the past two seasons under Mason, and now they get to try again Thursday night when they host South Carolina on national television.We need momentum, and I think thats what were talking about, Mason said. Were talking about a chance to see something we havent had an opportunity to do since Ive been here.Vanderbilt hasnt opened the season with a victory since 2011 against Elon. The Commodores bounced back nicely the last time they opened a season losing to an SEC team, going 9-4 in 2013 after losing to Mississippi. But Mason, whos revamped his coaching staff almost entirely since arriving on campus in 2014, is just 7-17 and is expecting to build on last years 4-8 record.Were a team thats got to earn respect, Mason said. That drives this team.South Carolina has won seven straight in this series and even got its lone SEC win against Vandy last season after Steve Spurrier stepped down. Now Will Muschamp is in charge trying to turn around the Gamecocks after a 3-9 record that was the leagues worst. It doesnt help that the schedule has the Gamecocks on the road for their first three SEC games to kick off the season, making this opener even more crucial.As all first ball games, you go in expecting anything and making sure your players are able to adjust to all the different things that pop up throughout the game, Muschamp said. There are going to be some new things and youve got to be able to adjust as the games goes. Thats going to be really important, especially for us.---Here are some things to watch Thursday night:QB SHUFFLE: Muschamp has held off on naming a quarterback starter until game-time with nobody rising up to grab the job, and the coach says the Gamecocks could use at least two quarterbacks against the Commodores. John Taylor Jersey. Senior Perry Orth has the most experience, starting eight games a year ago with a 78-yard TD pass helping beat Vandy 19-10 in Columbia. Freshman Brandon McIlwain enrolled in January, while freshman Jake Bentley arrived in June.VANDYS QB: For a change, quarterback is not a question for the Commodores. The 6-foot-4 Kyle Shurmur won the job after starting both of Vandys two SEC wins last season as a freshman.GROWING UP: Mason keeps calling this an older team, and he has eight juniors or seniors on offense with the age difference most noticeable on defense where all 11 starters are at least juniors. Thats in addition to eight returning starters on offense and as many as 11 who started multiple games on defense last season.YOUNG RECEIVERS: Needing to replace play-making receiver Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina is looking at its youngest wide-outs. Sophomore Deebo Samuel and freshman Bryan Edwards will both start against the Commodores. Backups include Chavis Dawkins, Korey Banks and Radrecous Davis, all freshmen. I think they are all talented guys and in different ways, Muschamp said. Edwards enters with the most hype, a 6-3 leaper who earned a game-breaking reputation in high school.DEFENSIVE VANDY: Mason is running the defense for a second straight season, and the Commodores expect to improve after ranking 28th in yards allowed in 2015. That was just a taste of what we can do defensively, linebacker and safety Oren Burks said. Weve gotten a taste of that, and were hungry for more.---Online:AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org and AP-Top 25 Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/AP-Top25---Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker ' ' '