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| In a 29-17 loss to West Virginia in Fort Worth this past Saturday, October 23, TCU quarterback Max Duggan (#15) completed only 16-of-26 passes. He threw one touchdown pass and two interceptions. |
Oh, thank heaven, for 7-11.
And, of course, the University of Kansas!
Without those Rock-Chalk Jayhawks, TCU these days would be at the Rock-Frog bottom of the Big 12.
After another lackluster overall performance by the Horned Frogs in a 29-17 loss (Midnite had predicted a 34-27 TCU win) to West Virginia, in Amon G. Carter Stadium, on Saturday, October 23, TCU rests in next-to-last place in the Big 12 standings, above only those annually inept, but loveable, Jayhawks.
Actually, TCU has company in the Big 12 standings.
The Mountaineers’ victory over TCU was their first conference win this season. Also on Saturday, Kansas State, got its first Big 12 win, over now head-coach-less Texas Tech.
Thus, West Virginia and the Wildcats are tied with TCU in the Big 12, at 1-3.
The trio is looking up at Texas Tech and Big 12 traitor Texas, both of whom are 2-3 in the conference.
Despite Tech's winning conference record, and an overall 5-3 record this season, the school's athletic director, Kirby Hocutt this week fired third-year head football coach Matt Wells. Red Raiders offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie, who until this season was TCU's co-offensive coordinator, was named Tech's interim head coach.
Tech owes Wells about $7 million on the remainder of his contract. Change doesn't come cheaply in collegiate sports these days.
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| Tom C. "Midnite" Burke |
West Virginia dominated TCU, despite the Frogs initially teasing an announced Homecoming crowd of 37,288.
TCU returner/receiver Derius Davis returned the game’s opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, and after kicker Griffin Kell added the extra point, the Frogs had a 7-0 lead 14 seconds into the game.
The kickoff-return touchdown was Davis’ fourth career special team’s touchdown (his three punt returns for scores are tied for second in program history).
It was TCU's first kickoff return for a touchdown since KaVontae Turpin went 99 yards against Oklahoma in 2018, and it was the first time TCU returned the game's opening kickoff for a touchdown since at least 1996.
The 100-yard kickoff return tied for second-longest in TCU history (105 yards, Charles Casper versus Texas, 1933) and was the Horned Frogs' longest since B.J. Catalon went 100 yards against LSU in 2013.
Despite visions of a much-needed TCU victory, the kickoff return for a touchdown was one of only a few highlights for the Frogs against the Mountaineers, who have beaten TCU four consecutive years. The three prior victories were: 47-10, in 2018; 20-17, in 2019; and 24-6, in 2020.
In three tries, TCU head coach Gary Patterson has not beaten West Virginia head coach Neal Brown, who took over the Mountaineers’ program in 2019.
TCU and West Virginia joined the Big 12 together on July 1, 2012. Since then, the two teams have met 10 times. West Virginia leads in victories, 6-4.
After the Frogs had lost for the fourth time in their last five games, and discontent with the state of the TCU football program continued to grow among many fans, Patterson penned a song. Listen: here
After the Mountaineers had broken a three-game losing streak with their first victory since September 18, Brown penned a song. Listen: here
After Davis’ touchdown, West Virginia outscored TCU 20-10 the remainder of the first half to take a 20-17 lead into halftime.
All four of West Virginia's first-half possessions ended in points; nine plays, 79 yards and a field goal; 15 plays, 94 yards and a touchdown; six plays, 71 yards and a field goal; and six plays, 65 yards and a touchdown.
The Frogs added a
touchdown and a field goal. The field goal came with 14 seconds remaining in the first
half, despite most of the Amon G. Carter Stadium crowd urging Patterson to let the TCU offense try for a touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the West Virginia two-yard line.
In the second half, TCU scored no points.
None.
Zero.
Nada.
Zilch.
The last time TCU was shut out in a half was in 2019 against Baylor.
TCU has scored in 362 consecutive games. It is
the nation’s second-longest current streak and fourth all-time in NCAA
history. The Frogs haven’t been blanked since November 16, 1991, at Texas
(32-0).
West Virginia in the second half tacked on an additional nine points for good measure, and soon Mountaineers fans were singing “Country Roads,” their state’s and school’s theme song, even though they were deep in the heart of Texas.
Another jubilant celebration, by another opponent, in Amon G. Carter Stadium.
Such happenings are becoming an all-too-common occurrence.
Whatever happened to the mantra, “Protect the Carter”?
Actually, the Frogs could have had a victory over the Mountaineers.
Despite the Mountaineers totaling 487 yards of offense (258 passing and 229 rushing), the 29 points scored by West Virginia were the least points that TCU’s much-maligned defense had allowed in a game since limiting Duquesne, an FCS team, to three points in the season-opener.
Coming into the contest, TCU’s offense was averaging a tad more than 37 points per game and had scored 83 points over the previous two games.
Against the Mountaineers, TCU’s offense self-destructed.
Horned Frogs quarterback Max Duggan threw two interceptions. He completed only 16-of-26 passes for 244 yards and one touchdown, a five-yarder to Taye Barber. He was sacked twice and netted 27 yards on seven carries.
Duggan threw both of his interceptions in the second half, when he completed only six-of-13 passes.
This was the first time Duggan threw multiple interceptions in a game since TCU’s 20-17 season-ending loss to West Virginia in 2019 that prevented the Frogs from securing a 6-6 record and a bowl berth. Instead, they finished 5-7 and were sitting at home for the holidays.
Duggan’s interceptions in this loss to the Mountaineers came at the worst possible times, as interceptions often do.
Trailing 20-17 in the third quarter, TCU had a third down at the West Virginia 23-yard line. Mountaineers cornerback Daryl Porter Jr. intercepted a Duggan pass intended for wide receiver Quentin Johnston.
West Virginia’s offense responded with a field goal that increased its lead to 23-17. That was the score going into the fourth quarter.
A touchdown and an extra point and the Horned Frogs could earn a 24-23 victory.
Early in the final quarter, on the first play of a drive, Duggan had a pass intercepted by West Virginia cornerback Charles Woods. Woods returned his first interception as a Mountaineer to the TCU 15-yard line. Three plays later, West Virginia had a 29-17 lead.
Two drives later, West Virginia safety Sean Mahone forced Johnston to fumble during a 29-yard catch-and-run. Woods recovered the football, essentially sealing the Mountaineers’ victory with 5:15 left in the game.
Woods’ performance against the Horned Frogs earned him Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors.
Despite having one of his field goal attempts blocked for the first time this season, Legg earned Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Legg converted three field goals and totaled 11 points in the Mountaineers' win. His field goals were from 27, 38 and 49 yards.
TCU defensive end Ochaun Mathis was the Frog who blocked a Legg field-goal attempt from 38 yards. The blocked field goal was TCU's first block of a field goal since current TCU graduate assistant Chris Bradley blocked a field-goal attempt versus SMU in 2017.
Defensive tackle Corey Bethley, who recently returned from an injury, had the Frogs lone sack of West Virginia quarterback Doege. It was Bethley's first sack of the season. He has 10.5 sacks in his career, second-most among current Horned Frogs. Mathis has 14.5 career sacks.
TCU has at least one sack in 92 of its last 98 games.
On the season, TCU ranks ninth in the 10-team Big 12 with nine sacks.
The Frogs are tied for last with seven takeaways.
TCU’s
defense forced no turnovers by the Mountaineers.
Despite Duggan’s struggles and interceptions, his passing yardage against West Virginia increased his career passing yardage to 5,465 yards, moving him past Casey Pachell (5,415, 2010-13) into fifth place in TCU history.
Despite Johnston’s fumble, he had five receptions for 113 yards to top the 100-yard mark for the second straight game and fourth time in his career.
Duggan is fourth in the Big 12 in passing yards per game, averaging 227.6 passing yards per Big 12 game.
Johnston is second in the Big 12 in receiving yards per game, averaging 78 receiving yards per Big 12 game. The conference leader is averaging 78.1 receiving yards per game.
Despite Duggan’s and Johnston’s superlatives, TCU’s offense overall failed to produce in a must-win game for the Horned Frogs, who are in danger of not qualifying for a bowl game for the fourth time during Patterson’s tenure as TCU’s head coach.
TCU has five games remaining: at Kansas State; versus ranked Baylor; at ranked Oklahoma State; versus Kansas; and at ranked Iowa State. The Frogs will be favored only against Kansas.
TCU will be on the road for the third time in four games when it plays Kansas State in Manhattan, Kansas, this Saturday October 30, at 2:30 pm (Central). ESPNU will televise the game.
TCU and Kansas State will be playing for the 15th time in their history. The series is tied, 7-7.
The Frogs have lost two consecutive games to Kansas State: 24-17, in 2019; and 21-14, in 2020.
Since beginning Big 12 play in 2012, TCU has won four of its nine meetings with Kansas State. The Horned Frogs are 2-2 in Manhattan, and 2-3 in Fort Worth.
TCU has won two of the past four and four of the past seven games against the Wildcats.
Patterson is 4-5 as a head coach versus Kansas State, which is his alma mater.
Patterson has never beaten Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman, who became the Wildcats’ head football coach in 2019. In 2019, Klieman prevailed, 24-17, in Manhattan. Last year, Klieman prevailed, 21-14, in Fort Worth.
In October of 2020, Klieman signed a new six-year, $23.5-million contact with Kansas State.
Prior to taking over at Kansas State, 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. Prior to his years as head coach, he was on the NDSU staff for three years.
Averaging 360.1 total yards per game, Kansas State is ranked 92nd in total offense in the country.
Allowing 349.9 total yards per game, Kansas State is ranked 46th in total defense in the country.
In the Big 12, Kansas State is eighth in scoring offense, scoring an average of 27 points a game.
In the Big 12, Kansas State is tied for fifth in scoring defense, allowing an average of 24.6 points per game.
Kansas State is tied for eighth in the Big 12 in rushing offense, averaging 150.9 rushing yards per game.
The Wildcats are fifth in rushing defense in the Big 12, allowing an average of 116 rushing yards per game.
Kansas State is ninth in the Big 12 in passing offense, averaging 209.3 passing yards per game.
Allowing an average of 233.9 passing yards per game, K-State is seventh in the Big 12 in passing defense.
Through seven games, K-State’s offense is averaging 27 points per game.
Kansas State quarterback Skylar Thompson is sixth in the Big 12 in passing yards per game, averaging 212.4 passing yards per Big 12 game. Thompson, a senior, has completed 80-of-112 passes for 1,062 yards and six touchdowns. He has a long pass completion of 56 yards. He has thrown three interceptions.
Junior wide receiver Philip Brooks leads Kansas State with 25 catches for 316 yards. He has two touchdown receptions.
Sophomore running back Deuce Vaughn has caught 30 passes for 302 yards. He has three touchdown receptions.
Vaughn leads the Wildcats in rushing. He has 595 yards on 123 rushes. He has scored seven rushing touchdowns.
Through seven games, K-State’s defense is allowing an average of 24.57 points per game.
The Wildcats have forced eight fumbles, recovering two, and recorded 12 sacks.
Junior linebacker Daniel Green leads Kansas State with 40 tackles. He has one sack and 3.5 tackles for loss.
Senior linebacker Cody Fletcher has 39 tackles, including one sack and four tackles for loss.
Sophomore defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah has six tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss.
Since 2009, TCU is sixth nationally with 45 road wins. The Horned Frogs are 45-21 (.682) in that stretch.
TCU's 53-27 record (.663) in road and neutral-site games since 2009 is seventh-best nationally.
The Frogs’ 35-20 mark (.636) in conference road games since 2009 is tied for 12th-best in the FBS.
TCU is 23-20 on the road in its Big 12 history.
After losing at home to West Virginia this past Saturday, on the road is where TCU will have to earn a bowl game this season.
Otherwise, the Frogs will be sitting at home during the holiday season.
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