Robert Griffin's amazing season is likely going to end in a banquet room in New York next month, but whether Baylor's rising star takes another snap between now and then is in the air after a frightening hit tonight by Texas Tech defensive back Cornelius Douglas.
Douglas delivered a shoulder to Griffin's helmet after Griffin was well into a slide to give himself up after a run that started on one side of the field and resulted in Griffin lying motionless — seemingly unconscious - on the sideline inside the Tech 5-yard line.
Griffin started to move a couple minutes later and removed his helmet before members of the Baylor athletic training staff got to him and helped him off the field.
At that point, everyone thought Griffin might be done for the game. Well, everyone, but Griffin, who trotted onto the field a couple plays later and actually ran in a 3-yard score to give the Bears a 31-21 lead with about 2 minutes remaining before halftime.
That's where it got weird.
When the Bears returned for the second half, Griffin was on the sideline, helmetless and out for the game. The team didn't announce why he was out, just that he would not be returning. This wouldn't have been a big deal had the Bears been up by a significant margin, but a touchdown pass by Tech's Seth Doege cut the Bears' lead to 31-28 at halftime.
Griffin was even caught on camera explaining to his father, who had come down from his seat to the railing of the stands, why he wasn't in the game.
Luckily for the Bears, Griffin's presence wasn't missed as backup Nick Florence threw two long touchdown passes right out of the gate and Baylor went on to win 66-42.
Griffin, who is a finalist for the Davey O'Brien award given to the nation's best quarterback, seemed to show no ill effects from the hit. He was on the sideline the entire half, greeted teammates after good plays and gave Florence encouragement. That has to bode well for the regular season finale against Texas next week. A win there would give the Bears their first nine-win season since 1986, and wouldn't hurt Griffin's Heisman credentials, either.
- - -
Graham Watson is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow her @Yahoo_Graham.