Frogs Suffer Frustrating, Losing 2019 Season

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.