Photos by Tom C. "Midnite" Burke
TCU-Oklahoma State: Saturday, November 24, 2018, Amon G. Carter Stadium.
The Frogs beat the Cowboys, 31-24, to raise their 2018 regular-season record to 6-6 (4-5, Big 12) and become bowl-eligible.
It was a beautiful November night for a football game in Fort Worth!
-- Photo by Mary Burke
TCU co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Sonny Cumbie encourages tight end Cole Novak (#84) during warmups.
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy (left) and TCU head coach Gary Patterson talk during pregame activities of the TCU-Oklahoma State game.
Jay Favors, a 19-year-old from Round Rock who was paralyzed in a high school football game, was a special guest of the Horned Frogs at Saturday night's game against Oklahoma State. Head coach Gary Patterson and Make-A Wish North Texas collaborated to make Favors a member of the TCU family. In the TCU locker room after the game, Favors got to lead the players in their victorious chant.
TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini was the featured "celebrity" in the traditional Riff-Ram video. Watch on TCU Athletics Facebook: here
TCU players wore a black jersey, purple pants and a purple helmet.
Here come the Horned Frogs!
Here come the Cowboys (photos above and below)!
TCU's captains were L.J. Collier (#91), Ridwan Issahaku (#31), Lucas Niang (#77) and Ben Banogu (#15). It was the first time for Collier and Issahaku to be captains. Honorary captain was former TCU defensive end Chance McCarty (between Issahaku and Niang), who in the 1998 NFL Draft was selected in the seventh round by Tampa Bay.
With second-string quarterback Michael Collins (#10, photo above) on crutches, on the sideline, TCU's third-string quarterback and fifth-year senior, Grayson Muehlstein (#17, photo below), made his first career start, as did running back Emari Demercado (#21), since running backs Darius Anderson and Sewo Olonilua were hampered by injuries.
(photo above) TCU starting quarterback Grayson Muehlstein received motivation and guidance from injured second-string quarterback Michael Collins (#10), sophomore backup quarterback Karson Ringdahl (#15) and student coach Kenny Hill, a former TCU standout quarterback.
(bottom photo) Injured TCU senior linebacker/defensive end Ty Summers (#42) provides encouragement to Grayson Muehlstein.
In leading the Horned Frogs to a 31-24 victory over Oklahoma State and bowl eligibility, Grayson Muehlstein completed 16-of-25 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. He threw no interceptions, but lost a fumble on the second play of the game deep in TCU territory. The Frogs' defense set the tone of the game by limiting the Cowboys to a field goal.
TCU starting quarterback Grayson Muehlstein added 47 yards rushing on 13 carries. He had a career-long 21-yard run in becoming the fourth TCU quarterback out of the last five to win his first start.
TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor (#1) displayed his superior athletic skills from several positions, including quarterback, during the victory over Oklahoma State. Reagor totaled 233 all-purpose yards (121 rushing, 91 receiving, 21 kickoff returns) and two touchdowns.
Jalen Reagor (#1, photos above and below) had an 83-yard touchdown run as part of a team-best 121 yards rushing on five carries. The 83-yard scoring run was the sixth-longest in TCU history. Reagor also had a six-yard scoring reception, which gave him a TCU record seven consecutive games with a touchdown reception. He broke Josh Doctson's previous school mark of six, set in 2015.
TCU's Jalen Reagor was interviewed by Fox after TCU's 31-24 victory over Oklahoma State. Reagor's 91 yards receiving gave him 1,061 on the season, marking just the fourth time a Horned Frog has reached the 1,000-yard-receiving mark. He's the third different player (Josh Doctson, 2014, 2015; Reggie Harrell, 2003). Reagor's touchdown catch in the game was the 17th of his career, tying him with
Cory Rodgers (2003-05) and Mike Renfro (1974-77) for third place on
TCU's all-time list. Reagor has at least one catch in his last
17 games for the longest current streak by a Horned Frog. He has
a reception in 25 of his 26 games at TCU. Reagor's seven receptions gave him 104 in his career. Reagor's 1,061 yards receiving trail only Doctson (1,327, 2015) for a single season in TCU history.
TCU freshman wide receiver Derius Davis (#12, photos above and below) caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Grayson Muehlstein. The touchdown reception was his second of the season.
TCU running back Sewo Olonilua (#33) was not expected to play against Oklahoma State because of an injury he suffered in the previous week's game against Baylor. However, Olonilua rushed for 70 yards on 14 carries against the Cowboys. For the game, TCU had a 39:06-to-20:54 edge in time of possession. The Frogs' nearly 40 minutes in time of possession was their most in a game since a 41:52 mark in a 49-21 win at Baylor in 2012.
TCU junior field goal kickers Cole Bunce (#37) and Jonathan Song (#46) discuss their performances during the Oklahoma State game. Song made one of two field goal attempts. Bunce missed his only field goal attempt.
TCU field goal kicker Jonathan Song (#46) kicked a 26-yard field goal in the third quarter to give TCU a 24-3 lead. Song's field goal made him 8-of-11 on the season and 16-of-19 in his TCU career.
Under head coach Gary Patterson's guidance, the TCU defense, playing without four injured defensive starters, held Oklahoma State, the nation's No. 9 offense entering the game at 520 yards per game, to 280 yards. TCU ended up being number one in total defense in Big 12 games.
(photo above) Oklahoma State redshirt senior starting quarterback Taylor Cornelius (#14) only completed 17 of 41 passes for 181 yards. He threw no touchdown passes, was intercepted once and was sacked once.
(photo below) Cornelius ran for 52 yards against the Horned Frogs and scored two rushing touchdowns.
Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard (#30, photos above and below) was held to 42 yards rushing on 14 attempts. He had one rushing touchdown.
Oklahoma State scored 21 points on three rushing touchdowns and three points on this 39-yard field goal in the first quarter by Matt Ammendola (#49).
Following his performance in the Oklahoma State game, TCU linebacker Juwuan Johnson (#1) was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week. Johnson had 12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Based on his performance throughout the season, TCU defensive end Ben Banogu (#15) was named first-team All-Big 12.
Oklahoma State fumbled this backwards pass. The fumble was scooped up by TCU linebacker Jawuan Johnson (#1, photo below) and returned for a TCU touchdown. On the bench after the play, Johnson received congratulations from teammates.
Although he had been injured for much of the season and still was not 100 percent, TCU senior safety Niko Small suited up on Senior Day and contributed to the Horned Frogs' bowl-qualifying victory over Oklahoma State. Small had three tackles and one pass breakup.
TCU punter Adam Nunez (#29) punted six times for an average of 40.3 yards per punt. He had a clutch 56-yard punt that pinned Oklahoma State deep in their territory late in the game, as the Cowboys were attempting to come back against the Frogs.
(photos above and below) Celebrating a monumental victory!
