Midnite Madness: September 2021

(photos above and below) Since beating TCU 42-34 on Saturday, September 25, in Fort Worth, the SMU Mustangs have continued to flex their muscles, and taunts, through social media graphics and billboards, including this clever on on I-30. The billboard features Alan Ali, Rashee Rice and Mike Williams, who played high school football at high schools associated with Fort Worth.

With TCU and SMU playing in Amon G. Carter Stadium this past Saturday, September 25, in the 100th battle between the two FW/D Metroplex universities, why was I nearly 700 miles away, in St. Louis, Missouri?

Sure, this city of the Billikens of the Atlantic 10 Conference reportedly is the Gateway to the West.

And there is a spectacular arch in a national park in the downtown St. Louis area.

Plus, the mighty Mississippi River does roar by on its way to the Gulf of Mexico.

But, the Frogs and Ponies were lining up against one another in Fort Worth on this glorious Saturday.

Only a wedding of a favorite nephew could keep me away from The Carter.

Tom C. "Midnite" Burke

These days, I thought that everybody knew not to schedule weddings during the college football season.

Especially favorite out-of-town nephews who are associated with the University of Missouri of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

At least there was a TV nearby, and FS1 broadcasts in St. Louis.

But, alas, only SMU, er, “Dallas,” showed up for the rivalry game.

Thanks, Chris and Erin, for sparing me the agony of watching in person TCU’s, er, Fort Worth’s, embarrassing 42-34 loss in person (Midnite had predicted a 35-31 TCU victory).

After the lackluster TCU performance that resulted in another signature win for SMU and another signature loss for the Frogs, TCU head football coach Gary Patterson prolonged the embarrassment for the university, Fort Worth and the Big 12.

Known as a “whiner,” Patterson during the week prior to the game whined about the possibility of losing TCU players to other programs, particularly those within the SEC, because of the new Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rules, which essentially legalize paying collegiate athletes.

After his second consecutive loss to the Mustangs and SMU head coach Sonny Dykes, who in 2017 was on Patterson’s staff as an offensive analyst, Patterson whined about the Ponies trying to plant an SMU flag at Amon G. Carter’s midfield.

The “assault” on The Carter’s sacred soil was led by SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice, who during the week leading up to the game provided bulletin board material by claiming that in 2020 TCU was afraid to play SMU because the Frogs postponed, due to COVID protocols, a scheduled contest between the two schools. The game wasn’t rescheduled.

Rice’s pre-game comments failed to fire up the Frogs in their attempt to reclaim the Iron Skillet, which SMU took to Dallas following the Mustangs’ 41-38 victory over TCU in Fort Worth in 2019.

The flag-planting attempt this past Saturday resulted in a scuffle between TCU and SMU players. During the pushing and shoving, TCU special assistant Jerry Kill, who also happens to be Patterson’s best friend, went flying to the turf.

Unfortunately, Kill reportedly suffered a concussion, but, thankfully, he quickly was back at work in the TCU football offices.

Meanwhile, Patterson for several days after the game was whining to anybody who still was listening to him that the flag-planting was pre-meditated, that Kill had been plowed into the turf by SMU players and that furthermore, Kill had been slugged in the head with a helmet by an SMU player.

Video of the incident showed kill going down for the count after inadvertently being run into by two TCU players.

No video evidence has surfaced to support Patterson’s claim that Kill was hit in the head with a helmet swung by a SMU player, although Coach P claims he won’t rest until he identifies the culprit.

During his news conference on the Tuesday following the loss to SMU, Patterson said he couldn’t substantiate claims that an SMU player used a helmet to hit Kill.

Patterson, however, whined that SMU staged the flag-planting incident by its players that started the incident. Patterson claimed that a SMU videographer was positioned to capture the moment on film.

“You don’t think it was planned? They had a media person from their office that was out filming the flag getting set in the middle of the field,” Patterson said. “It’s OK. But don’t tell me there wasn’t a plan somewhere there.”

SMU Athletic Director Rick Hart responded, “While Coach Patterson acknowledged that his postgame claim cannot be substantiated, he accused our program, multiple times, of planning to plant our flag on the field following our win. This is a complete fabrication. I can state unequivocally that there was no such plan.”

Hart went on to say that coach Sonny Dykes acknowledged the incident in his postgame news conference, denounced the behavior and apologized for it.

“This activity was spontaneous and borne out of emotion,” Hart said. “To suggest otherwise is irresponsible and offensive. I will not allow Coach Dykes, our program or our student-athletes to be unjustifiably attacked. Sonny is a tremendous leader and a man of great integrity. There is no better leader of our football program. He and our entire team have my full support.”

Patterson also has expressed his displeasure with SMU for using one of the two songs he released during COVID -- “Take a Step Back” -- to mock the state of Patterson’s Horned Frogs program after the Ponies’ victory on Saturday.

SMU further celebrated its victory over TCU with taunts on social media, including a posting of a graphic depicting two SMU football players in front of the Fort Worth Stockyards sign, with the banner headline boasting, “We Made It Personal.”

“Make It Personal” is one of Patterson’s mottos for the 2021 TCU football team.

SMU also unveiled a billboard on westbound I-30 in Fort Worth. The blue graphic on the billboard depicts three SMU football players from the Fort Worth area, Rashee Rice, Alan Ali and Mike Williams. The headline screams, “Pony Up Fort Worth.”

Perhaps all of Patterson’s childish whining and his acting like a head coach of a mid-major team instead of a head coach of a Power 5 Conference team was meant to deflect from the beating his team took from the Mustangs, but those who saw the game in person, and even those who had to watch it on TV, saw clearly that Patterson and the Frogs were manhandled by Dykes and the Mustangs.

SMU had the most talented, disciplined, better-coached and motivated team.

SMU looked like a Big 12 team, not TCU.

After the loss, Patterson was left looking for explanations and answers to what went wrong against the Mustangs. He wrote a song expressing his feelings. Listen: here

After the game, Dykes expressed his pleasure in his Mustangs standing up to the Frogs and improving their record to 4-0 with a song. Listen: here

Patterson continues to be involved with “firsts” at TCU.

TCU football now has lost two consecutive games to SMU for the first time since 1992-93.

In 2019, Patterson lost for the first time to Dykes. Now, for the first time, Patterson has lost two consecutive games to Dykes.

Patterson drops to 15-4 against SMU. The Horned Frogs lead the series with SMU, 51-42-7.

Credit this current loss to the Ponies mainly to Patterson’s defense, which allowed SMU’s offense to dominate the statistics, and the game.

On defense, the Frogs were lethargic, often confused and many times seemingly disinterested, with only token effort expended.

TCU missed 20 tackles against SMU.

The Frogs did not record a sack against the Ponies.

The TCU secondary failed to record a pass breakup in the game.

TCU cornerback C.J. Ceasar, who was burned several times in the game against California, was targeted six times by SMU’s offense. He gave up four catches, including a 26-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Jordan Kerley, who is a cousin of former TCU receiver/returner Jeremy Kerley, who played professionally from 2011 to 2018.

Safety LaKendrick Van Zandt missed three tackles. He gave up five catches on the six times he was targeted in the game.

Linebacker Dee Winters missed three tackles and gave up three catches on the four times he was targeted. He looked small and slow in comparison to SMU’s athletic running backs and receivers.

Winters did intercept a pass, as did linebacker Wyatt Harris and free safety Deshawn McCuin, who made his first career start.

For Winters, it was his first career interception.

For Harris, it was his first interception of the season and second of his career.

For McCuin, it was his first career interception.

The Horned Frogs had three interceptions in a game for the first time since the 2019 season finale against West Virginia.

The Frogs came into the game against SMU off a bye week. TCU now is 15-7 in their last 22 regular-season games after an open date.

Coming off the bye week, TCU’s anemic defense gave up 350 rushing yards, and 595 total yards, to SMU (Texas Tech, in 2015, was the last team to gain 600 yards of total offense against TCU).

The Frogs also allowed the Ponies to easily score a two-point conversion after their second touchdown in the first quarter, to make up for a missed extra point after their first touchdown of the game.

The week prior to the bye week, TCU’s defense gave up 309 yards passing, and 442 total yards, to the University of California in the Frogs’ 34-32 win over the Golden Bears in Fort Worth.

Only in the 2021 season opener, against FCS opponent Duquesne, has the TCU defense prevailed. The Frogs held the Dukes to 137 total yards.

Against the Frogs, SMU running backs Ulysses Bentley IV and Tre Siggers ran past, over and around lackadaisical and less-physical TCU defenders.

Bentley ran with the football 20 times for 153 yards and one touchdown.

Bentley’s performance against the Horned Frogs earned him a spot on the weekly American Athletic Conference (AAC) Honor Roll.

Siggers rushed 18 times for 110 yards. He had a long run of 46 yards against the Frogs.

SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai, a transfer from the University of Oklahoma, completed 17-of-28 passes against the Frogs.

Wide receiver Danny Gray hauled in four of Modecai’s passes, for 130 yards, including a long reception of 68 yards. He had one touchdown catch.

Gray’s performance against the Horned Frogs earned him a spot on the weekly AAC Honor Roll.

Because of its ability to basically score at will, SMU never trailed the Frogs.

The game was tied at 21 at the half.

However, SMU soon would apply a chokehold on the Frogs.

On the first play of the third quarter, TCU quarterback Max Duggan dropped back from the Frogs’ nine-yard-line to pass. He was brought down by a sack that forced a fumble. SMU recovered at the three-yard line.

The Horned Frogs were able to muster a one-play defensive stand, but on the second play, Bentley crashed into the end zone for a touchdown and SMU had a 28-21 lead.

By the fourth quarter, the Mustangs had increased their lead to 15 points, 42-27.

The Frogs scored a touchdown with just over four minutes left in the game, to cut SMU’s lead to 42-34, but the Frogs’ defense had no intentions of shutting down the Mustangs and giving TCU’s offense an opportunity to tie the game in the closing moments.

TCU had a final opportunity to get the ball back when SMU had a third-and-six from the SMU 43 with 1:13 left in the game. Mordecai gained 12 yards on the third-down play to seal the win.

The Mustangs, to the disbelief of those watching in Amon G. Carter Stadium, and on TV, were able to easily control the football the final 4:05 of the game and end the contest with two victory formation plays.

And then the SMU celebration began, with the Iron Skillet, and with the flag.

Against, the TCU defense, SMU’s offense had 15 rushes that went for at least 10 yards. Three of those runs came on the Mustangs’ final drive to run out the clock.

TCU’s offense had its moments against SMU’s defense, but inconsistency, particularly by Duggan, prevented the Frogs from outscoring the Mustangs and making up for TCU’s defensive inability.

Essentially, the Ponies reduced TCU’s “Triplets” of Duggan, running back Zach Evans and wide receiver Quentin Johnston, to a solo act of Evans, who continues to impress.

Duggan completed 16-of-28 passes for 276 yards. He threw three touchdown passes, a 21-yarder to Taye Barber, a 46-yarder to Evans, and a 13-yarder to receiver Derius Davis.

With the three touchdown passes, Duggan tied a career high for the second straight game. He has thrown three touchdown passes in a game four times in his career.

Barber’s touchdown catch was the fifth touchdown reception of his career, the most among current Horned Frogs.

Evans’ touchdown catch was the first receiving score of his short career.

Davis’ touchdown catch was his first of the season and fourth of his career.

Throughout the game, Duggan misfired on passes, including frustratingly overthrowing open receivers, particularly on long routes.

Duggan was sacked twice. He netted 30 rushing yards on 10 carries.

Johnston was targeted five times, but did not record a catch, though one was called for pass interference.

In addition to his receiving touchdown, Evans, the illustrious five-star recruit, rushed for 113 yards on 15 carries, averaging 7.5 yards per carry.

Evans topped 100 yards rushing for the fourth time in the last five games.

Evans added another 70 yards on three catches. His 46-yard touchdown catch was made possible by about 40 yards of artistic running.

The senior Barber had a nice offensive game. In addition to his touchdown reception, he caught four other passes. All of his catches went for first downs. Barber now has 99 career catches.

Barber posted his second career 100-yard receiving game with a team-high 114 yards on five catches. Included in his total was a career long 60-yard reception.

Receiver/returner J.D. Spielman had three receptions for 54 yards to extend his streak with a catch to 39 consecutive games, second-longest in the nation. It also represents every game in his collegiate career.

Running back Kendre Miller had a 20-yard touchdown run on TCU's opening possession. It was his second rushing score of the season and fourth of his career.

With the ugly loss to SMU, TCU's five-game winning streak, stretching back to last season, was snapped. It had been tied for the seventh-longest active streak in the nation.

Horned Frogs fans now are wary of another mediocre football season under Patterson.

Over the past five years (2016-2020), the Frogs have an overall record of 35-27 (6-7 in 2016; 11-3 in 2017; 7-6 in 2018; 507 in 2019; and 6-4 in 2020).

Over the same period, TCU has a Big 12 Conference record of 23-22 (4-5 in 2016; 7-2 in 2017; 4-5 in 2018; 3-6 in 2019; 5-4 in 2020).

Over the same period, the Frogs have a home record of 18-13 (2-5 in 2016; 6-0 in 2017; 4-2 in 2018; 3-3 in 2019; and 3-3 in 2020).

TCU, 2-1, 0-0 Big 12, will look to begin a new winning streak this Saturday, October 2, in Amon G. Carter Stadium, against one of the Big 12 traitors, the University of Texas. Game time is 11 am (Central). ABC will broadcast the game.

It will be the Frogs’ first Big 12 Conference game of the 2021 season. And with UT destined for the SEC, this could, unfortunately, be the final game between the two schools, at least on an annual basis.

Texas is 3-1, 1-0 Big 12, in Steve Sarkisian’s first year as head coach of the Longhorns.

Sarkisian replaced Tom Herman in Austin.

Sarkisian came to Texas from the University of Alabama, where he was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

During his coaching career, Sarkisian also has been offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders, and head football coach at the University of Washington and the University of Southern California (USC).

With his successful offensive background, it is not surprising that Sarkisian quickly has rejuvenated Texas’ offense, which should terrify TCU fans, considering how poorly the Frogs’ defense has performed the past two games.

The Longhorns are coming off a 70-35 win in Austin over Texas Tech in which Texas rushed for 336 yards, including 137 yards on 18 carries by Bijan Robinson.

Texas quarterback Casey Thompson completed 18 of 23 passes for 303 yards against the Red Raiders. He threw five touchdown passes, including three to Xavier Worthy, who caught five passes for 100 yards.

This season, the Longhorns also have beaten Louisiana (38-18) in Austin, and Rice (58-0) in Austin.

In its second game of the season, Texas lost to Arkansas, in Fayetteville, 40-21.

Saturday will be the 92nd meeting between TCU and Texas. The Longhorns hold a 63-27-1 advantage in a series that began with an 18-10 Texas win in 1897.

TCU is 12-28 against Texas in Fort Worth and 15-35-1 against Texas in Austin.

Texas is TCU's fourth-most played series. The Horned Frogs' 91 games with the Longhorns trail only Baylor (116), SMU (100) and Texas A&M (92).

Since beginning Big 12 play in 2012, TCU is 7-2 against Texas, with wins in the last two meetings and six of the past seven.

Last year, TCU beat Texas, 33-31, in Austin. In 2019, TCU beat Texas, 37-27, in Fort Worth.

Since 1996, Patterson ranks No. 1 nationally among all head coaches, past and present, in winning percentage (.700, 7-3) against Texas with a minimum of six games played.

Patterson's seven wins over Texas are tied for second among all head coaches since 1996, trailing only Bob Stoops (11), who coached at the University of Oklahoma.

The Texas football team will not be accompanied in Fort Worth by the Longhorn band.

In a statement released Tuesday, the university said, in part: “Out of an abundance of caution, the Longhorn Band and Longhorn Pep Band are pausing their practice sessions this week due to COVID-19 protocols and will not be able to perform at Texas Athletics events.”

Thus far, that news has not produced any whining from Patterson.