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| A 37-27 win over Texas in Fort Worth was a highlight of TCU's disappointing 2019 season. |
A
2019 TCU football season that had been tinkering on the brink since the third
game of the season finally went over the edge, appropriately, on Black Friday,
and on what was the final day of the 2019 season.
On
a dreary, frosty, rainy day after Thanksgiving in a lavish Amon G. Carter
Stadium that will be even more luxurious in 2020 if the season doesn’t fall victim to the
coronavirus pandemic, the West Virginia Mountaineers pushed the Horned Frogs
below mediocrity with an improbable 20-17 win in both teams’ season finale.
The
loss dropped the frustrated Frogs into the lower echelon of the Big 12 with an
overall record of 5-7 and a Big 12 record of 3-6.
In
what was a mediocre season for the Big 12, with only four teams winning at
least eight games, TCU tied for seventh place in the conference in 2019 and was
one of four Big 12 teams that were home for the holidays and not bowling.
In
addition to TCU, West Virginia (5-7, 3-6), Kansas (3-8, 1-7), and Texas Tech
(4-8, 2-7) did not qualify for a bowl game last year. Those three teams were
led by new head coaches.
It
was not exactly the type of company with whom TCU head coach Gary Patterson and
the Frogs wanted to celebrate the holidays.
It
was the third time in Patterson’s 19-year TCU head-coaching career that the
Horned Frogs did not close out a season by playing in a bowl game. The other
two times were after the 2004 and 2013 seasons.
Here
is a review of TCU’s 12 games of the 2019 football season:
Game One: August
31: defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff in Fort Worth, 39-7 -- The main thing
Patterson had to worry about during TCU's methodical 39-7 victory was wearing
out his field goal kickers. TCU field goal kickers Jonathan Song (#46) and
Griffin Kell accounted for 21 of the Horned Frogs’ 39 points, as the Frogs only
scored touchdowns on two-of-seven trips into the red zone.
This
was the first win for TCU over the Southwestern Athletic Conference
(SWAC)-based Golden Lions, as it was the first game played between the two
teams.
The
Horned Frogs faced an opponent from the SWAC for the fourth time in their
recent history.
TCU
defeated Southern University, 55-7, in the 2018 season-opener.
TCU
beat Jackson State, 63-0, in the Frogs' 2017 season-opener.
The
Frogs blanked Grambling State, 56-0, in their 2012 season-opener. The game
against Grambling State marked the first game in the rebuilt Amon G. Carter
Stadium, and was the110th career win for Gary Patterson, which made him TCU’s
all-time winningest coach.
TCU
improved to 12-1 against FCS opponents under Patterson.
This
win also marked the first time that Patterson and his Frogs played, and won, a
game when beer was sold throughout Amon G. Carter Stadium.
Song,
a graduate student from Fort Worth, racked up 17 points in the win over
Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He kicked five field goals (24, 36, 19, 34 and 38 yards)
and two extra points. Song’s five field goals tied for second-most in a game in
TCU football history, trailing only the TCU and Big 12 record of six by Jaden
Oberkrom. Oberkrom’s kicks came in a 56-53 triple-overtime loss by the Frogs to
Texas Tech on October 20, 2012, in Fort Worth.
Max Duggan and Darwin Barlow are two
other true freshmen who shined for the Frogs, who won their home opener for the
18th straight season and extended the Big 12's longest active winning streak to
four games.
Duggan, the highly recruited and 2018
Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year, took over as the Frogs’ quarterback on the
team’s third offensive series of the game. He scored his first career touchdown
and TCU’s first touchdown of the season on a one-yard run with less than a
minute remaining in the first quarter.
Duggan
connected with wide receiver Jalen Regaor on a 37-yard touchdown pass. This was
the only touchdown the Frogs scored in the game from outside of the red zone.
The
Frogs’ third and final touchdown of the game was scored by Barlow, a highly
recruited four-star signee out of Newton, which won consecutive state
championships in 2017 and 2018.
Barlow,
who rushed for 45 yards on eight carries, scored his first career on an
eight-yard run with less than a minute remaining in the game.
Offensively,
the Horned Frogs accumulated 484 yards (200 yards rushing and 284 yards
passing) against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. This marked the 21st time
TCU ran for at least 200 yards and passed for 250 in the same game
since joining the Big 12 in 2012.
Duggan completed 16 of 23 passes for
165 yards.
Graduate transfer Alex Delton, who
played for Kansas State last year, made his first career start at quarterback
for the Frogs. He completed 10 of 22 passes for 119 yards.
Delton was the Frogs’ leading rusher.
He ran the ball seven times for a net 67 yards, including a long run of 54
yards.
TCU held the Golden Lions to 215 total
yards (114 passing and 101 rushing) and one touchdown.
Arkansas-Pine
Bluff quarterbacks combined to complete only 13 of 28 passes.
No
Golden Lions running back was able to achieve 50 yards rushing.
The
Frogs intercepted two passes, recorded three sacks and allowed Pine Bluff to
only convert four-of-17 third-down opportunities.
Garret
Wallow (#30) recorded team-best and career-high totals of 13 tackles and 3.5
tackles for a loss, including a sack. It was the fourth career double-digit
game in stops for the junior linebacker.
Junior
defensive tackle Ross Blacklock (#90) had a sack in his first game since 2017.
He was sidelined by injury last season.
Sophomore
safety Trevon Moehrig (#7) registered his first interception of the season and
the second of his career.
Redshirt
freshman safety Ar’Darius Washington had his first career interception.
Game Two: September
14: defeated Purdue, in Lafayette, Indiana, 34-13 -- The Frogs unleashed a bruising
running game and a punishing defense to dominate the Big 10’s Boilermakers.
With
the win, the Horned Frogs improved to 2-0, extended their winning streak to
five games and earned a 25th ranking in the Associated Press College Football
Poll. TCU head coach Gary Patterson improved his record versus Big 10 opponents
to 6-2.
Senior
running back Darius Anderson led TCU’s running game against the Boilermakers.
He scored two touchdowns and ran for a career-high 179 yards on 16
carries.
Senior running back Sewo
Olonilua added 106 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
Anderson
and Olonilua helped the Frogs outgain the Boilermakers 421 yards (346 rushing,
75 passing) to 204 yards in total.
This
was TCU’s first game with 300 or more yards rushing since a 31-9 win at Texas
in 2016. It also was the Frogs’ first game with two 100-yard rushers since
their 52-45 win at Kansas State in 2015.
For
the second straight game, graduate transfer Alex Delton, who was a captain for
the game, was the starting quarterback for the Frogs. He was relieved early in
the game by true freshman quarterback Max Duggan.
Delton
completed one of six passes for five yards. He was intercepted once. He ran
three times for minus-three yards and was sacked once.
Duggan
completed seven of 18 passes for 70 yards and one touchdown and ran the ball 12
times for 20 yards. He was sacked twice.
Duggan
engineered all but one of TCU’s scoring drives and took all of the snaps at
quarterback in the second half.
Combined,
Delton and Duggan completed only eight passes for 75 yards.
Purdue
redshirt freshman quarterback Jack Plummer not only made his first career
start, he saw the first action of his career.
Plummer
became the first freshman to start at quarterback for Purdue since David Blough
against Bowling Green, on September 26, 2015.
Plummer
completed 13-of-29 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted
twice and sacked three times.
Purdue
finished with 204 yards of total offense, with 75 coming on a touchdown drive
late in the fourth quarter. The Boilermakers had just 23 net rushing yards on
25 attempts, got only eight first downs and were successful only three times on
14 third-down plays.
Sophomore
safety Trevon Moehrig had his second interception of the season and third of
his career.
Purdue
wide receiver Rondale Moore, a freshman All-American last season, came into the
game first in the nation with 230 all-purpose yards per game. TCU held him to
80 all-purpose yards. He came into the game first in the nation with 334
receiving yards. TCU held him to 25 receiving yards. He came into the game
first in the nation with 24 receptions. TCU held him to three catches.
Purdue
also came into the game leading the nation with 19 passes of 20 or more yards.
The Frogs limited the Boilermakers to just three such passes.
Purdue’s
23 yards rushing were its fewest since having 23 yards against Minnesota on
November 5, 2016.
Purdue’s
eight first downs were its fewest since having eight against Wisconsin on
October 31, 2009.
Purdue’s
54 offensive plays were its fewest since having 50 against Michigan on
September 23, 2017.
Game 3: September 21: lost to
SMU in Fort Worth, 41-38 -- TCU’s
Max Duggan, the Gatorade wonderkid from Council Bluffs, Iowa, became the second
true freshman and third non-Texan to start at quarterback in the 19-season TCU
head-coaching era of Gary Patterson. He was playing in his third big-time
college football game.
He
had had a horrendous first half (completed one of 10 pass attempts, and lost a
fumble), had helped rally the Frogs in the second half, and with less than
three minutes remaining in the nearly four-hour-long game, Duggan had the Frogs
poised at the SMU 41-yard line, with TCU trailing, 41-38, but they failed to
tie the game or take the lead. SMU reclaimed the coveted Iron Skillet.
SMU
players and their fans partied hearty with the skillet, in the north end zone
area of The Carter. Especially Shane Buechele. ‘Cause the third time was a
charm for Shane.
Previously,
Buechele had lost twice to the Frogs, as quarterback of the Texas Longhorns.
SMU
improved to 4-0 for the first time since 1984. This was the first taste of
defeat at the college level for Duggan. The Frogs fell to 2-1, after wins
over Arkansas-Pine Bluff at home and Purdue on the road.
Only
three times in the 99 meetings between SMU and TCU have the Mustangs scored
more than this game’s 41 points: 1985: 56 points; 1978: 45 points; and 1977, 45
points.
The
Frogs coughed up 406 yards to the Mustangs. Buechele completed 23 of 34 passes
for 288 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a score.
SMU
running back Xavier Jones had 79 yards rushing against the Frogs. He and fellow
running back Ke'Mon Freeman each had a rushing touchdown.
TCU
linebacker Garret Wallow was a bright spot on defense. Wallow had a team-best
and career-high 19 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss.
Wallow's
19 tackles were the most by a TCU player since Travin Howard totaled 19 against
Texas Tech in 2016.
Redshirt
freshman safety Ar’Darius Washington made his first collegiate start. He had
had his second interception of the season, tying sophomore safety Trevon
Moehrig for the team lead. Washington added a career-high six stops. Moehrig
tied a career high with seven tackles.
Offensively,
the Frogs totaled 424 yards, outgaining the Mustangs by 18 yards. TCU ran for
236 net yards and now is 93-7 when totaling at least 200 yards on the ground.
Darius Anderson rushed for 161 yards on
19 carries against SMU. He also had two rushing touchdowns, of 14 yards and
three yards.
Anderson’s
179 yards rushing at Purdue and 161 yards rushing against SMU represented the
top-two efforts of his career. Only nine times (by seven different players) has
a Horned Frog surpassed 160 yards rushing in back-to-back games.
Game 4: September
28: beat Kansas in Fort Worth, 51-14 -- Revenge is sweet.
During the 2018 season, on October 27, the Rock Chalkers upset TCU, 27-26, in Lawrence, Kansas.
It was one of the worst losses in recent TCU football history, as the victory
was the Jayhawks’ lone Big 12 Conference win during a 3-9 season.
In 2019, TCU steamrolled the Kansas Jayhawks, 51-14, in Amon G. Carter Stadium.
With the victory, the
Frogs avoided a second-consecutive loss, and TCU head coach Gary Patterson got his first win over
new Kansas coach Les Miles.
Coming
into the game, Patterson was 0-1 against Miles. The 2013 TCU season-opener saw
Miles' No. 12 LSU team defeat No. 20 TCU, 37-27, in the Cowboys Classic at
AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
TCU had a 21-0 lead by the time the first quarter ended, thanks to Jalen
Reagor, who picked up his fumble of a punt and returned its 73 yards for a
touchdown.
The
Frogs’ 21 points in the first quarter were their most in a single period since
a 21-point second quarter against Southern last season.
Reagor’s
punt return for a score gave TCU six different players with a punt return for a
touchdown since 2012, a total that ranks third nationally. TCU has at least one
punt return for a touchdown in each of the last seven seasons and eight of the
past nine. Since 2014, TCU has four punt returns for touchdowns against
Kansas. Reagor
totaled 139 punt return yards, the fourth best single-game total in TCU
history.
The
Frogs scored every time they had the ball in the first half and they held
Kansas scoreless. TCU led 38-0 at intermission.
TCU’s
38 first-half points tied its most points scored in a first half against a Big
12 opponent since joining the conference in 2012. The Horned Frogs had 38
points at the half at Baylor on November 5, 2016, in a 62-22 victory.
For
the game, the Frogs’ offense amassed 625 total yards; 319 rushing, 306 passing.
TCU's 625 yards were its most in a game since totaling 688 yards in a 62-22 win
at Baylor in 2016. TCU
topped the 600-yard mark for the 15th time since 2014, when co-offensive
coordinator/quarterbacks coach Sonny Cumbie arrived on campus.
Kansas
gained only 159 total yards; 75 rushing, 84 passing. Kansas ran 47 offensive plays, compared to the Frogs’ 88.
Game 5: October
5: lost to Iowa State in Ames, Iowa, 49-24 -- Stormy
weather delayed the start of this game by two hours. Unfortunately, the game
was canceled.
Iowa
State jumped on the Frogs early and cruised to a 49-24 victory in what
virtually was a homecoming game for TCU true freshman quarterback Max Duggan,
who graduated from Lewis Central High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa, about
three hours southwest of Ames. He was playing his first collegiate game in Iowa
since being named Iowa’s 2018 High School Gatorade Football Player of the Year
and headlining the Frogs’ 2019 recruiting class as a four-star recruit and the
No. 3 dual-threat quarterback in the nation.
Duggan
became the first quarterback in the TCU head coach Gary Patterson-era to start
a game in his home state that's not Texas.
Duggan,
Patterson and the Frogs certainly saw the lightning and heard the thunder in
Ames. On this particular college football Saturday, their names were Brock Purdy
and Deshaunte Jones.
Purdy,
a sophomore quarterback, shredded the Frogs’ defense, with his passing arm, and
his feet. Through the air, Purdy was 19-of-24 for 247 yards and two touchdowns.
He hardly was pressured, and sacked only once. On the ground, Purdy
stunned the dazed Frogs by galloping for 102 yards on 12 carries. He had two
rushing touchdowns and a long run of 44 yards around and through the TCU
defense.
Purdy
accounted for four of the Cyclones’ seven touchdowns, which they scored while
running only 61 plays. As a team, the Frogs only scored three touchdowns, while
running 63 plays.
Ten
Iowa State receivers caught passes, but it was Jones, a senior wide receiver,
who really shined. He caught 10 passes for 110 yards.
Purdy’s
other nine completions went to nine different receivers. Two of those nine
receivers – tight ends Charlie Kolar and Chase Allen – turned their solo receptions
into touchdowns, of 25 yards, and one yard, respectively.
Purdy
and Jones accounted for 349 of Iowa State’s 436 yards of total offense against
TCU. As a team, the Frogs only totaled 329 yards of offense.
The
Frogs ran the ball 33 times for 108 net yards.
Duggan
used a strong second half to finish the game with 17 completions, out of 25
attempts, for a career-high 219 yards. He threw two touchdown passes
Both
of Duggan’s touchdown passes went to senior wide receiver Jalen Reagor, who had
four catches for 69 yards, including a long reception of 42 yards.
With
the two touchdown catches against Iowa State, Reagor had his first multi-score
game since the Frogs’ season-finale against Oklahoma State in 2018. Also, he
joined Josh Doctson and Josh Boyce as the only Horned Frogs with at least 20
receiving touchdowns in their TCU careers.
Game 6: October
19: lost to Kansas State in Manhattan, 24-17 -- TCU
head coach Gary Patterson and his gaudy resume got little respect from first-year
Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman, who made the move up to the NCAA
Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision from the NCAA Division 1 Football
Championship Subdivision (FCS) when he was named Kansas State’s head football
coach prior to the 2019 season.
Klieman
won four FCS national championships at North Dakota State University (NDSU),
where over five years (2014-18) as the head coach he compiled a record of
72-13. So, it was only a matter of time before Klieman got his first Big 12
Conference win.
Unfortunately,
that win came in only Klieman’s third Big 12 Conference game. A 24-17 upset
victory. Against the 3.5-point favored Horned Frogs. Against Patterson. In his
home state of Kansas.
This
particular Saturday at the Stadium That Bill Built was Harley Day, when Kansas
State fans drive loud Harley-Davidson motorcycles around the football field
prior to the game.
TCU
trailed at the half, 14-10. Entering the fourth quarter, the game was tied at
17, thanks to an exciting 46-yard touchdown run by TCU freshman quarterback Max
Duggan midway through the third quarter.
However,
Klieman and Kansas State junior quarterback Skylar Thompson gutted Patterson
and his TCU defense. Ninety-five yards and less than six minutes later, K-State
had what would prove to be the deciding touchdown.
Thompson
was the difference-maker for the Wildcats. He amassed 240 total yards and
accounted for all three of Kansas State’s touchdowns.
Suffering
its second consecutive loss, TCU fell to 3-3 (1-2 Big 12).
TCU out-gained the Wildcats, 366 yards to 266 yards, but once again had trouble
putting points on the scoreboard.
Continuing
to lack offensive playmakers, the Frogs scored only two touchdowns against
Kansas State, both on running plays. Jonathan Song kicked a 36-yard field goal,
after a 42-yard drive by the Frogs stalled at the K-State 19-yard line.
Duggan
rushed for 115 net yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. He became the first TCU
quarterback to rush for 100 yards in a game since Trevone Boykin rushed for 124
yards at Kansas State in 2015.
The Frogs had 228 yards rushing. Senior running backs Darius Anderson and Sewo
Olonilua each had 56 yards rushing. Olonilua had an eight-yard touchdown run,
his third of the season and 13th of his career.
Through the air, the Frogs gained only 138 yards, on 18 completions, by six
different players, only four of whom were wide receivers.
Duggan did not throw an interception. He has 142 attempts on the season without
an interception, the second-longest streak in TCU history. It trails only Jeff
Ballard's 154 attempts without a pick in 2006.
Wide receiver Jalen Reagor had season-highs in receptions (eight) and receiving
yards (85).
TCU
backup quarterback Alex Delton appeared in the game for one series, in the
second quarter. He completed two-of-two passes for six yards.
Delton was a graduate transfer from Kansas State. Delton was a quarterback on
the Kansas State football team from 2015-18. In last year's TCU-Kansas State
game, as a Wildcat, Delton had a one-yard touchdown run against the Horned
Frogs. If in this game he would have scored as a Horned Frog, he would have
become the second player in TCU history to score for and against the Frogs.
Josh Doctson was the first player to achieve that milestone.
Linebacker
Garrett Wallow had a team-best eight tackles in the game. True freshman linebacker Wyatt Harris made his
first collegiate start. He had five tackles, including his first career sack,
two tackles-for-loss and two quarterback hurries.
Game 7: October
26: beat #15 Texas in Fort Worth, 37-27 -- True
TCU freshman quarterback Max Duggan blossomed into a purple rose in Cowtown on
Saturday, October 26.
The
young gunslinger led the Horned Frogs to a 37-27 Homecoming upset of
15th-ranked Texas in a rockin' Amon G. Carter Stadium. Although Duggan almost
single-handedly destroyed what was left of the Longhorns’ season, he had help
from a multitude of offensive and defensive Frogs, all of whom were for the
first time clad in their Halloween-themed Nike Fierce Red uniforms.
The
anthracite jersey and pants and fierce purple helmet with a red Horned Frog
caused quite a stir, particularly among TCU loyalists.
The
Horned Frogs have defeated the Longhorns in five of the last six seasons and
are 6-2 against Texas since beginning Big 12 play in 2012. Patterson is 6-3
against Texas.
With
the win, the Frogs improved to 4-3, 2-2 in the Big 12.
Despite
throwing the first interception of his career, on his second attempt of the
game, ending a streak of 143 passes without an interception, Duggan had the
best day of his collegiate career against the Longhorns.
He
led a strong aerial attack. He had career-best totals of 19 completions and 273
yards passing. Two of his completions went for touchdowns. Duggan ran the
football 13 times for 72 yards and one touchdown.
Max
led TCU in rushing for the second straight game. He is the first TCU
quarterback to lead the team in rushing in two consecutive games since Kenny
Hill in 2017.
Also,
Duggan became the first TCU quarterback to throw for at least 250 yards and
multiple scores and rush for at least 70 yards and a touchdown in the same game
since Trevone Boykin on October 29, 2015, versus West Virginia.
TCU
wide receiver Taye Barber had five receptions for 94 yards and one touchdown. TCU wide receiver
Jalen Reagor caught two passes for 55 yards, including a 44-yarder for a
touchdown that was a one-play scoring drive, the first such drive of the season
for the Frogs.
Reagor’s
touchdown reception was the 21st of his career, one behind Josh Boyce (22;
2010-12) for second on TCU's all-time list. Josh Doctson is TCU’s leader, with
29 (2013-15).
Defensively,
TCU junior linebacker Garret Wallow had his first career interception and a
team-high nine tackles. Also intercepting passes were safeties Ar’Darius
Washington, Trevon Moehrig and Innis Gaines. TCU's four interceptions were its most in a
regular-season game since recording four in a 48-10 win at Texas in 2014.
After
the victory, there was a party in The Carter. TCU students and fans stormed the
field, gave high-fives, slapped one another on the back, mingled and sang the
Alma Mater with TCU players and coaches.
It was a fun party, but a costly one. The Big 12 publicly reprimanded TCU and
fined the university $25,000 for allowing the field to be stormed.
Game 8: November
2: lost to Oklahoma State in Stillwater, 34-27 -- There
was good news for the Horned Frogs going into the Oklahoma State
game. Cowboys wide receiver Tylan Wallace suffered a season-ending injury while
practicing during the week.
Wallace
arguably was the best receiver in college football and was making a case to
repeat as a first team All-American and Biletnikoff Award finalist, if not
more.
Thus,
from a defensive standpoint, with Wallace being sidelined, there basically were
two Oklahoma State offensive players the Frogs had to contain to pull off a win
in hostile territory.
But
the Horned Frogs couldn’t execute that game plan.
Running
only 56 plays in the game, Oklahoma State's offense racked up 457 total yards
of offense, 301 of which were pounded out on 41 carries against the Frogs’
much-maligned defense.
Redshirt
freshman quarterback Spencer Sanders of Ryan High School in Denton, Texas, and
redshirt sophomore running back Chuba Hubbard accounted for all of Oklahoma
State’s rushing yards.
Hubbard
had 223 of the rushing yards. He became the first player to surpass 200 rushing
yards against a TCU head coach Gary Patterson-coached defense. He accomplished
the feat on only 20 rushes.
Two
of Hubbard’s runs resulted in touchdowns, of 92 yards and 62 yards. Hubbard’s
92-yarder tied for the fourth-longest rushing play in Oklahoma State history
and is the longest run allowed by TCU since a 95-yard run during the 1993
season.
Sanders
ran for 88 yards on 19 carries. He had five runs of 10 or more yards.
With
the loss, the Horned Frogs dropped to 4-4, 2-3 Big 12, and they fell to 18-17
on the road in their Big 12 history.
Sanders
accounted for Oklahoma State’s 158 non-rushing yards by completing nine of his
15 passing attempts. Two of the completions went for touchdowns, of 22 yards
and 57 yards, to wide receiver Dillon Stoner.
Thus,
Sanders and Hubbard touched the football on 54 of Oklahoma State’s 56 offensive
plays.
During the game, Patterson
blew up and confronted TCU co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Sonny
Cumbie on the sideline after true freshman starting quarterback Max Duggan
threw one of his three interceptions in the game.
Duggan apparently
suffered an injury to a finger on his throwing hand late in the fourth quarter
and removed himself from the game. The TCU sideline appeared unprepared for the
situation. Graduate transfer quarterback Alex Delton, who was the starting
quarterback for the first two games of the season, came onto the field to
replace Duggan, but was called back to the sideline. The coaching staff instead
inserted Mike Collins into the game. It obviously was an embarrassing and
humiliating experience for Delton, who has been a captain for every game. It
turned out to be the last straw for Delton. He left the team, joining heralded
redshirt freshman quarterback Justin Rogers, who days earlier had announced he
would be transferring from TCU. Unfortunately for Collins, who only was in the
game for five plays, he also suffered an serious injury.
Although
he threw his second, third and fourth interceptions of the year, Duggan
completed 21 of 39 passes for 258 yards and a touchdown. The 21 completions
were a career high for Duggan.
Duggan
was sacked four times, but he rushed for 86 net yards and one touchdown on 16
carries. Duggan led TCU in rushing for the third straight game. He became the
first Horned Frogs quarterback to do that since Trevone Boykin in 2015..
TCU
wide receiver Jalen Reagor had season highs with seven receptions for 128 yards
against the Cowboys.
Safety
Trevon Moehrig had his team-best fourth interception of the season. It is the
most interceptions by a Horned Frog since Nick Orr had four in 2016.
TCU
linebacker Garret Wallow had a team-best 11 tackles. He reached double figures
in tackles for the fourth time this season.
Game 9: November
9: lost to Baylor in Fort Worth, 29-23 (3OT) -- The
2019 season continued to be a year of firsts for TCU head football coach Gary
Patterson. Unfortunately, the milestones were of the type the 19-year head
coach would just as soon forget.
On
Saturday, October 19, in Manhattan, Kansas, Patterson, for the first time, lost
to Chris Klieman. The first-year NCAA Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision
coach led his Kansas State Wildcats to a 24-17 victory over Patterson and his
Horned Frogs.
And
on Saturday, November 9, in TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium, Patterson, for the
first time, lost to Matt Rhule. The third-year Baylor head football coach led
his then 12th-ranked Bears to a 29-23, three-overtime win over Patterson and the
Frogs.
Behind
a stellar effort by its defense, TCU led its bitter rival from Waco, Texas,
9-0, at halftime. Late in the fourth quarter, the Horned Frogs were looking to
celebrate a 9-6 victory over the Big 12’s first-place team.
Then,
the thrill was gone. Baylor redshirt freshman kicker John Mayers, who earlier
had kicked two field goals in the game, unexpectedly kicked a 51-yard field
goal on fourth down to tie the game, 9-9, with 36 seconds remaining in the
game. Up until that time, the inconsistent kicker's longest successful
field goal in his short career had been from 38 yards. Mayers’ kick was
Baylor’s longest field goal since 2013 and it enabled the Bears’ magical season
to continue.
After
two overtime periods, the Bears and Frogs were tied, 23-23, with both teams
having scored two touchdowns.
In
the third overtime period, Baylor went ahead 29-23, but the Bears missed the
mandatory two-point try, leaving the door open for a thrilling comeback win by
TCU.
During
the Frogs’ possession in the third overtime period, replay unfortunately ruled
that during a gutsy 20-yard touchdown run, TCU true freshman quarterback Max
Duggan had stepped out of bounds at the three-yard line.
Despite
two plays later having a first-and goal at the one-yard line, the Frogs
suffered their fifth defeat of the season when a desperation heave by Duggan
toward receiver Taye Barber on fourth-down, from the 13-yard line, was picked
off in the end zone by Baylor cornerback Grayland Arnold.
With
the loss, TCU dropped to 4-5, 2-4 Big 12.
With
the win, Baylor snapped a four-game losing streak to the Frogs, improved to
9-0, 6-0 Big 12.
TCU
held Baylor’s dynamic offense to 308 total yards; 168 yards on the ground, 140
yards through the air.
Baylor
quarterback Charlie Brewer, who was a semifinalist for the 2019 Davey O'Brien
National Quarterback Award, was sacked three times and intercepted once. TCU junior linebacker
Garret Wallow had 11 tackles.
Offensively,
the Frogs again struggled. They gained only 308 total yards; 140 yards through
the air, and 168 yards on the ground.
Duggan
completed only 14 of 32 passes for 140 yards and one touchdown. He also threw
three interceptions, and he was sacked three times. He ran for 46 yards on 14
carries.
TCU
senior running back Sewo Olonilua was the Frogs' leading rusher. He carried the
football 19 times for 79 yards, including a long run of 35 yards. He also
caught four passes for 30 yards.
Game 10: November
16: beat Texas Tech in Lubbock, 33-31 -- There
were several big plays in the Big 12 showdown between the Frogs and Red Raiders
in Lubbock’s AT&T Jones Stadium. But the biggest play was a missed extra
point by Texas Tech redshirt freshman kicker Trey Wolff.
That
missed point-after-touchdown ultimately led to two failed two-point conversions
by the Red Raiders, after their final two touchdowns of the game. If Tech had
successfully kicked the extra points after those third-quarter touchdowns, the
final score in regulation could have been 33-33, which would have forced overtime.
If
that missed extra point in the second quarter had been converted, as well as
those after the ensuing touchdowns, the Red Raiders could have won the game,
34-33, instead of the Frogs escaping Lubbock with a 33-31 victory.
The
33-31 victory was the Frogs’ third consecutive win in Lubbock and it climaxed a
big day by TCU true freshman quarterback Max Duggan and the offense, who opened
the game with four straight scoring drives to build a 24-3 lead early in the
second quarter.
TCU’s
offense accumulated 549 yards; 323 yards passing, 226 yards rushing.
The
Frogs ran 95 plays; 42 passing plays, 53 running plays.
TCU
picked up 169 yards on third-down plays and converted 15 of 24 third downs.
TCU’s
proficiency on third down enabled the Frogs to possess the football for 43:26
of the game’s 60 minutes. It was the highest time of possession by TCU since
2008 and the most by any Big 12 team since 2011.
By
comparison, Texas Tech ran only 51 plays; 33 passing plays for 333 yards, and
18 running plays for 69 yards. The Red Raiders held the football for only
16:34.
Duggan
had the best day of his short career. He completed a career-best 25-of-42
passes for a career-high 323 yards. He threw two touchdown passes and no
interceptions. He carried the football
18 times for 75 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown run for the Frogs’ first
score of the game. It was his fifth rushing touchdown of the season.
Duggan
received support from the Frogs’ two senior running backs. Darius Anderson
rushed 19 times for 87 yards. He caught three passes for seven yards. Sewo
Olonilua had 63 yards rushing, on 11 carries. He caught three passes for 15
yards.
Sophomore
wide receiver Taye Barber had his first career 100-yard receiving game with
career-best totals of eight receptions and 137 yards.
Game 11: November
23: lost to #9 Oklahoma in Norman, 28-24 -- TCU’s
worst offensive game of the 2019 season nearly turned out to be the Horned
Frogs’ most noteworthy game of the year.
TCU
only scraped together 204 yards of total offense, but the Frogs nearly snuffed
the College Playoff dreams of then-No. 9 and Big 12 first-place Oklahoma.
Thanks
to a defensive stand late in the fourth quarter, the Sooners eked out a 28-24
win over the Horned Frogs.
TCU’s
defense limited Oklahoma's high-octane offense, led by quarterback Jalen Hurts,
an Alabama graduate transfer, running back Kennedy Brooks and wide receiver
CeeDee Lamb, to four touchdowns. The 28 points were the least points the
Sooners had scored in their first 11 games of the season.
Hurts,
who was a finalist for the Maxwell Award and a semifinalist for the Davey
O’Brien National Quarterback Award, completed only 11 of 21 passes against the
Horned Frogs. He passed for 145 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted
once and sacked once.
Hurts
did hurt the Frogs with his running. He ran 28 times for 173 yards and two
touchdowns. He had a long run of 32 yards. He also lost one fumble. Combined
with his 145 yards passing, Hurts accounted for 318 total yards against TCU.
Brooks
ran 25 times for 149 yards against TCU. He had a long run of 31 yards.
Lamb,
a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top receiver, was
held to two catches for 16 yards, and only one touchdown, a five-yard reception
in the second quarter.
TCU’s
big-play defense was led by junior linebacker Garret Wallow. He had 16 tackles,
including two for a loss and one sack.
Sophomore
safety Trevon Moehrig forced a fumble by Oklahoma wide receiver Jadon
Haselwood. The fumble was recovered by TCU senior safety Vernon Scott.
Early
in the fourth quarter, Scott intercepted a Hurts pass at the TCU two-yard line.
Scott thwarted an Oklahoma drive and he returned the interception 98 yards for
a TCU touchdown.
The
Sooners’ defense frustrated TCU freshman quarterback Max Duggan. He completed
only seven of 21 passes for 65 yards. He threw no touchdown passes. Duggan was
sacked twice and suffered 11 yards in losses.
The
Frogs' 65 passing yards is the Frogs' fewest and the fewest by a Big 12 team
this season. TCU's previous low this season was 75 passing yards against
Purdue, in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Frogs won that game, 34-13.
Duggan
had another strong game on the ground. He ran for 92 yards on 12 carries. He
had one rushing touchdown, of 11 yards, in the third quarter. Duggan led the
Frogs in rushing for the fourth time this season.
Game 12: November
29: lost to West Virginia in Fort Worth, 20-17 -- TCU’s
loss to West Virginia resulted in a losing season (5-7) for the Frogs and no
bowl game.
The
Frogs lost despite the Mountaineers gaining only 244 total yards; 86 rushing
and 158 passing.
It
was the sixth time in 12 games that TCU limited an opponent to fewer than 300
yards.
It
was the third time this season that the Frogs lost when they held an opponent
to under 300 total yards.
TCU
lost to the Mountaineers despite the Frogs leading, 17-13, with less than five
minutes remaining in the game, and West Virginia on its own 39-yard line.
For
TCU, it was the sixth loss in seven games during the 2019 season that were
decided by seven points or less.
In
addition to West Virginia, the Frogs lost to SMU, 41-38; Iowa State, 49-24;
Kansas State, 24-17; Oklahoma State, 34-27; Baylor, 29-23 (3OT); and Oklahoma,
28-24.
TCU
defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 39-7; Purdue, 34-13; Kansas, 51-14; Texas, 37-27;
and Texas Tech, 33-31.
Only two of those teams - Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6-5) and Texas (7-5) -- had
winning records. The combined record of Purdue, Kansas and Texas Tech was
11-25.
Against
West Virginia, TCU’s offense totaled only 297 yards. The Frogs were one of only
two teams that failed to reach the 300-yard mark against the Mountaineers.
The
West Virginia game was the second consecutive game the Frogs failed to reach
the 300-mark. In the previous game, at Oklahoma, the Horned Frogs had just 204
total yards, including only 65 yards passing, the fewest yards passing in a
game by a Big 12 team this season.
The
Frogs finished the season as the second-worst passing offense in the Big 12,
averaging 204 yards a game. Kansas State had the worst passing offense,
averaging 186 yards a game. Texas Tech led the conference in passing, averaging
325 yards a game.
Against
West Virginia, true freshman quarterback Max Duggan struggled once again. He
went 15-of-36 for 144 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. The
Mountaineers sacked him twice and recorded six quarterback hurries. He carried
the football only eight times, for 23 yards.
West
Virginia joined the Big 12 with TCU on July 1, 2012. Since then, the Frogs have
a 4-4 record against the Mountaineers, including two consecutive losses.
