Trying to decide whether Bram or Grayson is the better name, while awaiting the Frogs' battle for bowl eligibility against Oklahoma State in The Carter this Saturday ...
Move over Bram Kohlhausen.
Horned Frog Nation has a new hero.
His name is Grayson Muehlstein.
Last Saturday, November 17, in Waco, against arch-rival Baylor University, TCU's beleaguered football season seemed to be headed over the edge when in the first quarter quarterback Michael Collins exited the game, and McLane stadium, with an injury.
Collins was the Frogs' second-string quarterback, who was starting his fourth consecutive game because starting quarterback Shawn Robinson's season was prematurely ended weeks earlier by a shoulder injury that required surgery.
With Muehlstein replacing Collins, TCU would be led by its third-string quarterback, a fifth-year senior making the first, first-half appearance of his TCU career and who during his career only had appeared in seven games and completed one of three passes for 11 yards.
The Bears were licking their chops. Their fans were dreaming about bowl destinations. And George's was preparing to serve "Big O's" well into the early morning hours.
Muehlstein, however, had other ideas.
Doing his best Kohhausen impression, Muehlstein unbelievably led TCU to a stunning 16-9 victory (Midnite had predicted a 31-17 Baylor win).
The win improved the Frogs' record to 5-6 and preserved their opportunity to qualify for a bowl game, which will be achieved with a win over Oklahoma State this Saturday, November 24, in Fort Worth.
The win was the Frogs' fourth straight over Baylor. It is TCU's longest stretch of success in the series since winning eight straight from 1964-71. The Frogs now lead the longtime series 55-52-7.
Interestingly, on this sunny Saturday afternoon, on the campus of the world's largest Baptist university, McLane Stadium was decorated with signs proclaiming "Never Forget: 61-58," referring to Baylor's epic comeback win over the Frogs in McLane in 2014.
There's an obvious reason Baylor fans don't want to forget that game. It is the last time the Bears beat the Frogs.
Impressed by the Horned Frogs' resiliency during this trying season, TCU head coach Gary Patterson penned a song after the dramatic win over Baylor. Listen: here
TCU's win, which was met with dismay and anger by Baylor fans, meant that the Bears were not able to clinch a bowl berth at the expense of the Frogs. Baylor dropped to 5-6. The Bears must defeat Texas Tech in Arlington on the 24th to qualify for a bowl.
As a result of the crushing loss and the predicament it created for him and his Bears, second-year Baylor head coach Matt Rhule penned a song after the game. Listen: here
It was a bowl game that propelled Kohlhausen to Horned Frog fame. Specifically, the Alamo Bowl, in San Antonio, on January 2, 2016.
At halftime of that game, the Frogs trailed the Oregon Ducks, 31-0. The battle was so one-sided that even Jim Bowie would have sheathed his knife and waved the white flag.
But, with Kohlhausen under center, the Horned Frogs executed a flawless second half to stun Oregon, 47-41, in three overtimes and win the Alamo Bowl.
As a result of the remarkable comeback victory, the name of TCU's Bram Kohlhausen was etched into Texas lore, alongside the names of Bowie, Sam Houston, David Crockett and William Barrett Travis, and into TCU lore, alongside the names of Trevone Boykin, Andy Dalton, Davey O'Brien, Sammy Baugh and LaDainian Tomlinson.
Kohlhausen was a redshirt senior walk-on who made his first TCU start in the Alamo Bowl game because during the early morning hours of December 31, TCU starting quarterback Trevone Boykin was arrested by San Antonio police after an altercation in San Antonio's Pat O'Brien's sports bar. As a result, Boykin was suspended from the Alamo Bowl by head coach Gary Patterson.
Muehlstein didn't direct a big comeback against Baylor, so his accomplishment was a bit less dramatic than Kohlhausen's achievement in the Alamo Bowl, but Muehlstein's performance was just as unexpected, impressive and important.
In the victory, Muehlstein completed 11 of 15 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown. Displaying the composure of a fifth-year senior, he had no turnovers and he directed the Frogs to a game-wining touchdown in the third quarter after Baylor had tied the game at 9-9.
In addition to Collins, during the game the Frogs lost several other offensive players to injury, including first- and second-string running backs Darius Anderson and Sewo Olonilua, and starting offensive tackle Austin Myers.
Helping to carry the offensive load with Muehlstein was third-string running back Emari Demercado and star wide receiver Jalen Reagor.
Demercado had a team-high 60 rushing yards on 15 carries, both of which were career-highs for him.
Reagor, the Frogs' most valuable offensive player this season, had four catches for 86 yards, including a "missle screen", during which he impressively twisted, churned and sprinted his way to a dazzling 65-yard touchdown that gave the Frogs a 9-6 lead over the Bears in the second quarter.
Horned Frog Nation has a new hero.
His name is Grayson Muehlstein.
Last Saturday, November 17, in Waco, against arch-rival Baylor University, TCU's beleaguered football season seemed to be headed over the edge when in the first quarter quarterback Michael Collins exited the game, and McLane stadium, with an injury.
Collins was the Frogs' second-string quarterback, who was starting his fourth consecutive game because starting quarterback Shawn Robinson's season was prematurely ended weeks earlier by a shoulder injury that required surgery.
With Muehlstein replacing Collins, TCU would be led by its third-string quarterback, a fifth-year senior making the first, first-half appearance of his TCU career and who during his career only had appeared in seven games and completed one of three passes for 11 yards.
The Bears were licking their chops. Their fans were dreaming about bowl destinations. And George's was preparing to serve "Big O's" well into the early morning hours.
Muehlstein, however, had other ideas.
Doing his best Kohhausen impression, Muehlstein unbelievably led TCU to a stunning 16-9 victory (Midnite had predicted a 31-17 Baylor win).
The win improved the Frogs' record to 5-6 and preserved their opportunity to qualify for a bowl game, which will be achieved with a win over Oklahoma State this Saturday, November 24, in Fort Worth.
The win was the Frogs' fourth straight over Baylor. It is TCU's longest stretch of success in the series since winning eight straight from 1964-71. The Frogs now lead the longtime series 55-52-7.
Interestingly, on this sunny Saturday afternoon, on the campus of the world's largest Baptist university, McLane Stadium was decorated with signs proclaiming "Never Forget: 61-58," referring to Baylor's epic comeback win over the Frogs in McLane in 2014.
There's an obvious reason Baylor fans don't want to forget that game. It is the last time the Bears beat the Frogs.
Impressed by the Horned Frogs' resiliency during this trying season, TCU head coach Gary Patterson penned a song after the dramatic win over Baylor. Listen: here
TCU's win, which was met with dismay and anger by Baylor fans, meant that the Bears were not able to clinch a bowl berth at the expense of the Frogs. Baylor dropped to 5-6. The Bears must defeat Texas Tech in Arlington on the 24th to qualify for a bowl.
As a result of the crushing loss and the predicament it created for him and his Bears, second-year Baylor head coach Matt Rhule penned a song after the game. Listen: here
It was a bowl game that propelled Kohlhausen to Horned Frog fame. Specifically, the Alamo Bowl, in San Antonio, on January 2, 2016.
At halftime of that game, the Frogs trailed the Oregon Ducks, 31-0. The battle was so one-sided that even Jim Bowie would have sheathed his knife and waved the white flag.
But, with Kohlhausen under center, the Horned Frogs executed a flawless second half to stun Oregon, 47-41, in three overtimes and win the Alamo Bowl.
As a result of the remarkable comeback victory, the name of TCU's Bram Kohlhausen was etched into Texas lore, alongside the names of Bowie, Sam Houston, David Crockett and William Barrett Travis, and into TCU lore, alongside the names of Trevone Boykin, Andy Dalton, Davey O'Brien, Sammy Baugh and LaDainian Tomlinson.
Kohlhausen was a redshirt senior walk-on who made his first TCU start in the Alamo Bowl game because during the early morning hours of December 31, TCU starting quarterback Trevone Boykin was arrested by San Antonio police after an altercation in San Antonio's Pat O'Brien's sports bar. As a result, Boykin was suspended from the Alamo Bowl by head coach Gary Patterson.
Muehlstein didn't direct a big comeback against Baylor, so his accomplishment was a bit less dramatic than Kohlhausen's achievement in the Alamo Bowl, but Muehlstein's performance was just as unexpected, impressive and important.
In the victory, Muehlstein completed 11 of 15 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown. Displaying the composure of a fifth-year senior, he had no turnovers and he directed the Frogs to a game-wining touchdown in the third quarter after Baylor had tied the game at 9-9.
In addition to Collins, during the game the Frogs lost several other offensive players to injury, including first- and second-string running backs Darius Anderson and Sewo Olonilua, and starting offensive tackle Austin Myers.
Helping to carry the offensive load with Muehlstein was third-string running back Emari Demercado and star wide receiver Jalen Reagor.
Demercado had a team-high 60 rushing yards on 15 carries, both of which were career-highs for him.
Reagor, the Frogs' most valuable offensive player this season, had four catches for 86 yards, including a "missle screen", during which he impressively twisted, churned and sprinted his way to a dazzling 65-yard touchdown that gave the Frogs a 9-6 lead over the Bears in the second quarter.
The touchdown catch was the 16th of Reagor's career, tying him with Stanley Washington (1979-82) for fifth place on TCU's all-time list. Reagor has a touchdown catch in a career-best six consecutive games, tying Josh Doctson's school record from 2015.
Reagor also had a 37-yard scoring run in the third quarter. The run resulted from a brilliant call by TCU co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Sonny Cumbie.
Reagor also had a 37-yard scoring run in the third quarter. The run resulted from a brilliant call by TCU co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Sonny Cumbie.
With the game tied, 9-9, late in the third quarter and the Frogs facing fourth-and-one at the Baylor 37-yard line, TCU lined up in the Wildcat formation.
Baylor defenders and everybody else in the stadium expected the Frogs to conservatively crash the center of the line in an attempt to gain the necessary yard for a first down.
Instead, Demercado took the snap and completely fooled the Baylor defense. He perfectly pitched to a reversing Reagor, who streaked around left end untouched into the end zone. It was Reagor's first career touchdown run and proved to be the game-winning touchdown.
Not to be outdone by Cumbie, early in the fourth quarter Patterson dialed up a brilliant defensive play.
With Baylor driving and facing fourth-and-three at the TCU 37-yard line, Patterson gambled and called for a linebacker blitz. Senior linebacker Jawuan Johnson sacked Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer for an eight-yard loss. That play sealed the Bears' fate, with the Frogs taking over the football at their 45-yard line.
The Johnson sack was one of many sterling defensive plays made by TCU against Baylor.
The Frogs held Baylor to 303 total yards of offense, and the defense blocked an extra-point kick and had three takeaways -- two fumble recoveries and an interception.
TCU defensive end Ben Banogu had a TCU career-high and team-best 10 tackles, including four stops for a loss, a sack and a forced fumble, his second of the season and fifth of his two-year TCU career. Banogu's performance earned him the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Week honor.
Banogu's forced fumble was recovered by TCU sophomore defensive tackle Corey Bethley. It was the first fumble recovery of Bethley's career.
Freshman safety Trevon Moehrig made his first career interception. Linebacker Arico Evans had the first solo sack of his career. Safety Ridwan Issahaku recorded his second sack of the season and fourth of his career. Issahaku also was the Frog who blocked the extra-point kick after Baylor's only touchdown of the game.
TCU linebacker/defensive end Ty Summers, who was injured during the Kansas loss on October 27, returned to action against Baylor, but he re-injured himself and had to be helped off the field. While in the game, Summers had a sack. It was his 315th career tackle, tying Jason Phillips (2005-08) for second place for most stops in the Gary Patterson era.
Not to be outdone by Cumbie, early in the fourth quarter Patterson dialed up a brilliant defensive play.
With Baylor driving and facing fourth-and-three at the TCU 37-yard line, Patterson gambled and called for a linebacker blitz. Senior linebacker Jawuan Johnson sacked Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer for an eight-yard loss. That play sealed the Bears' fate, with the Frogs taking over the football at their 45-yard line.
The Johnson sack was one of many sterling defensive plays made by TCU against Baylor.
The Frogs held Baylor to 303 total yards of offense, and the defense blocked an extra-point kick and had three takeaways -- two fumble recoveries and an interception.
TCU defensive end Ben Banogu had a TCU career-high and team-best 10 tackles, including four stops for a loss, a sack and a forced fumble, his second of the season and fifth of his two-year TCU career. Banogu's performance earned him the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Week honor.
Banogu's forced fumble was recovered by TCU sophomore defensive tackle Corey Bethley. It was the first fumble recovery of Bethley's career.
Freshman safety Trevon Moehrig made his first career interception. Linebacker Arico Evans had the first solo sack of his career. Safety Ridwan Issahaku recorded his second sack of the season and fourth of his career. Issahaku also was the Frog who blocked the extra-point kick after Baylor's only touchdown of the game.
TCU linebacker/defensive end Ty Summers, who was injured during the Kansas loss on October 27, returned to action against Baylor, but he re-injured himself and had to be helped off the field. While in the game, Summers had a sack. It was his 315th career tackle, tying Jason Phillips (2005-08) for second place for most stops in the Gary Patterson era.
TCU's win over Baylor gives added importance to the Frogs' final regular-season game, this Saturday, the 24th, at 7 pm, when TCU will be hosting Oklahoma State in Amon Carter Stadium. The Frogs will be seeking their sixth win and bowl eligibility.
TCU will be playing OSU in Fort Worth for just the third time in its seven seasons in the Big 12. Upon entering the conference in 2012, TCU inherited Texas A&M's league schedule in which the Aggies owed the Cowboys an extra home game. TCU played at Oklahoma State in consecutive seasons in 2012 and 2013, before hosting the Cowboys for the first time in 2014.
The game will feature the all-time winningest coaches at both schools. Patterson has 165 victories at TCU. Mike Gundy has 120 wins at Oklahoma State.
Prior to the game, TCU's seniors will be honored. This senior class has posted a 33-18 record and been part of 2016 and 2018 Valero Alamo Bowl championships. The seniors have six wins against ranked opponents the last four years and have posted two perfect seasons at home.
To end the regular season on a winning note and qualify for a 16th bowl in Patterson's 18 years as TCU head coach, the Frogs will need another stellar defensive effort against offensive-minded Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys' offense is led by redshirt senior quarterback Taylor Cornelius and sophomore wide receiver Tylan Wallace.
Cornelius has completed 245 of 401 passes and run for an additional 333 yards. Twenty-eight of his passes and eight of his runs have produced touchdowns.
The game will feature the all-time winningest coaches at both schools. Patterson has 165 victories at TCU. Mike Gundy has 120 wins at Oklahoma State.
Prior to the game, TCU's seniors will be honored. This senior class has posted a 33-18 record and been part of 2016 and 2018 Valero Alamo Bowl championships. The seniors have six wins against ranked opponents the last four years and have posted two perfect seasons at home.
To end the regular season on a winning note and qualify for a 16th bowl in Patterson's 18 years as TCU head coach, the Frogs will need another stellar defensive effort against offensive-minded Oklahoma State.
The Cowboys' offense is led by redshirt senior quarterback Taylor Cornelius and sophomore wide receiver Tylan Wallace.
Cornelius has completed 245 of 401 passes and run for an additional 333 yards. Twenty-eight of his passes and eight of his runs have produced touchdowns.
Cornelius leads the Big 12 and ranks fourth nationally with 3,461 passing yards. His 344.9 yards of total offense per game ranks second in the Big 12 and fourth nationally and ranks as the third-most productive season for a quarterback in OSU history.
Cornelius is the reigning Walter Camp National Player of the Week after passing for 338 yards, rushing for 106 and accounting for six total touchdowns in the Cowboys' 45-41 upset win over West Virginia on Saturday, November 17, in Stillwater. Cornelius became only the third player in Big 12 history to have 300 yards passing, 100 yards rushing and five passing touchdowns in a game, as well as the first player in OSU history to pass for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in the same game.
A native of Fort Worth (South Hills High School), Wallace is one three national finalists for the 2018 Biletnikoff Award, which is presented to the nation's outstanding receiver.
A native of Fort Worth (South Hills High School), Wallace is one three national finalists for the 2018 Biletnikoff Award, which is presented to the nation's outstanding receiver.
Wallace also is one of 13 semifinalists for The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. The award is given annually to the top offensive player in FBS who also exhibits integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity. In addition, the nominee must have been born in Texas, have graduated from a Texas high school or have played at a Texas-based junior college or FBS college.
After 11 games, Wallace leads the nation in 10-yard catches, yards per reception, 100-yard games and 200-yard games. He also leads all Power Five conference players with 59 first-down catches.
The Cowboys have accounted for over 500 yards of offense in each of their last four games, averaging 567.3 total yards in that stretch. Oklahoma State has won two of those four games. The 'Pokes beat Texas, 38-35, and West Virginia, 45-41. They lost to Baylor, 35-31, and Oklahoma, 48-47. The Cowboys are bowl-eligible at 6-5. They are 3-5 in the Big 12.
By comparison, TCU has scored 28 or fewer points in 10 consecutive games. That hasn't happened in more than two decades.
Thus, the odds again are heavily stacked against the Horned Frogs.
Who will be the next Bram Kohlhausen or Grayson Muehlstein?
The Cowboys have accounted for over 500 yards of offense in each of their last four games, averaging 567.3 total yards in that stretch. Oklahoma State has won two of those four games. The 'Pokes beat Texas, 38-35, and West Virginia, 45-41. They lost to Baylor, 35-31, and Oklahoma, 48-47. The Cowboys are bowl-eligible at 6-5. They are 3-5 in the Big 12.
By comparison, TCU has scored 28 or fewer points in 10 consecutive games. That hasn't happened in more than two decades.
Thus, the odds again are heavily stacked against the Horned Frogs.
Who will be the next Bram Kohlhausen or Grayson Muehlstein?
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