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| TCU backup quarterback Chandler Morris (#14) ran and passed TCU to a 30-28 upset of No. 12 Baylor. |
Well, that was a fun Saturday afternoon in Funkytown.
And one gigantic, collective exhale after an emotional week and a tension-filled, exhilarating two decades of Horned Frogs football.
It also was quite a sendoff to former head football coach Gary Patterson, who after resigning on Sunday, October 31, was not on the Horned Frogs’ sideline as their head coach for the first time since the Mobile Alabama Bowl, in December 2000.
From wherever he might have been watching the game, Patterson had to be proud of the Frogs upsetting No. 12 Baylor, 30-28, on Saturday, November 6, in Amon G. Carter Stadium before 40,338 (Midnite had predicted a 41-17 Baylor win).
He also had to be wondering, at least just a bit, what he could have done differently as a head coach the previous eight games of the season, when the Frogs looked nothing like they did against the Bears.
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| Tom C. "Midnite" Burke |
Considering the Frogs' dominance of the Bears for nearly the past 30 years, it's too bad TCU can't play Baylor more than once in a season.
With 117 games played, TCU has faced Baylor more than any opponent in its history. TCU holds a 57-53-7 series advantage.
With the win on Saturday, TCU improved its overall season record to 4-5. The Frogs are 2-4 in the Big 12, tied for sixth place with Texas Tech, Texas and West Virginia.
Texas Tech, which fired head football coach Matt Wells a couple of weeks ago, has hired Baylor associate head coach Joey McGuire as its new head football coach.
McGuire, a successful longtime Texas high school coach, is in his fifth season at Baylor and his third as the team's associate head coach. He has coached tight ends, defensive ends and inside linebackers with the Bears.
McGuire already has started building his Tech staff. He brought with him to Lubbock James Blanchard, Baylor’s assistant athletic director for football scouting. Blanchard will be Texas Tech’s director of player personnel.
More change could be coming to the Baylor coaching staff. Head coach Dave Aranda reportedly is under consideration for some of the numerous collegiate head coaching openings.
Meanwhile, TCU’s selection committee for a new head football coach consists of Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati, Deputy Athletics Director Mike Sinquefield and Board of Trustee members LaDainian Tomlinson, Eddie Clark and Hunter Enis.
Reportedly, candidates to replace Patterson include Jackson State head football coach Deion Sanders, Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell, Louisiana head football coach Billy Napier, SMU head football coach Sonny Dykes and Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott.
With the loss to TCU, Baylor had a three-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 7-2 overall, 4-2 in the Big 12. Baylor is in third place in the Big 12, behind Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
In the second College Football Playoff ranking, released on Tuesday, November 9, the Bears dropped to 13th. Baylor dropped to 18th in the Associated Press Poll and 18th in the Coaches Poll.
Hopefully, you brought out the Cheez-Its to celebrate TCU’s victory over our bitter rivals from Waco.
The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) selected TCU as the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week, in honor of its upset victory over Baylor.
It's the seventh time the Horned Frogs have received the honor from the FWAA, and the first since 2017.
Watch a video of the game: here
Watch highlights of the game: here
Watch a TCU highlight video of the game: here
The differences within Amon G. Carter Stadium this past Saturday were readily apparent, even to the casual Horned Frogs football fan.
There was an atmosphere of anticipation and excitement, rather than a fog of anxiety.
Defensive line coach Dan Sharp led the team onto the field, instead of Patterson. Sharp is a former TCU tight end who has coached for 34 years, 31 of them with the Horned Frogs.
On the TCU sideline, there was a calm and collected head coach dressed in white, rather than a high-strung head coach dressed in purple or black, hitching his pants, tying his shoes and confronting players face-to-face.
As interim head coach, Jerry Kill returned to the sideline to direct a collegiate football game for the first time since because of health reasons he stepped down in 2015 as the University of Minnesota’s head football coach.
With the victory over Baylor, Kill, who is best friends with Patterson and had joined the Horned Frogs in February 2020 as special assistant to Patterson in charge of the offense, improved his FBS head coaching record to 53-45.
After the game, in a rockin' TCU locker room, TCU Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati presented the game ball to Kill.
“I really appreciate the game ball and it means a lot to me,” said Kill, before presenting the football to Sharp.
Sharp told the players he appreciated the game ball and said, “That was the proudest moment of my coaching career when I had a chance to walk y’all out of that tunnel. Love you all.”
Watch the game ball presentations: here
Watch a video of the postgame prayer in the locker room:
here
To commemorate the occasion, Kill wrote a song after the
game. Listen: here
After the game, a classy Aranda, said he was disappointed the Bears didn’t win the game, but he was happy for Patterson and Kill.
Aranda also wrote a song after the game. Listen: here
Finding it difficult to step away, even though he rejected an offer From Donati and Chancellor Victor Boschini to coach through the end of the 2021 season, Patterson came into the TCU football offices several times during the week of the Baylor game. He even provided to the coaching staff input on the defensive game plan against the Bears.
TCU’s defense was improved against Baylor. The Frogs held an opponent to under 30 points for only the third time this season. The other two times were in a season-opening 45-3 win over Duquesne and a 29-17 loss to West Virginia.
The defense also sealed the victory for TCU, when it looked as if the script would not have a happy ending.
With 1:03 left in the game, TCU freshman linebacker Shadrach Banks, a converted wide receiver, intercepted a pass from Baylor quarterback Gerry Bohanon to thwart what was developing into a potential game-winning field goal or touchdown drive by the Bears.
It was Banks’ first career interception. It couldn’t have
come at a better time, and will be remembered for a long time.
Shortly thereafter, there was bedlam in The Carter.
With the Frog Horn blaring, thousands of relieved TCU fans swarmed the field to celebrate with one another, football players, band members, SuperFrog, cheerleaders and Showgirls.
You would have thought the Horned Frogs had won another Rose Bowl.
TCU is not expected to be fined by the Big 12 for its fans storming the field.
The Big 12 didn't fine or reprimand Iowa State after fans stormed the field following the Cyclones' October 23rd victory (24-21) against then No. 9 Oklahoma State at Iowa State's Jack Trice Stadium.
After that incident, Big 12 Conference Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said, "I am using this opportunity to express my concern that, although improvements have been made, more needs to be done to ensure a safer exit from the field for the opposing team and game officials."
Despite the heroics of the TCU defense, it was the Horned Frogs’ offense, and in particular, the play of backup quarterback Chandler Morris, that really came alive in this ninth game of the season, through effective and creative play-calling and focused execution.
Against Baylor, TCU totaled 562 yards of offense, which are the most yards gained in a game by the Frogs since they totaled 625 yards against Kansas in 2019.
Filling in for injured starting quarterback Max Duggan, Morris, a redshirt freshman, made his first career start an historic and memorable one.
Morris, who is from Highland Park, Texas, and transferred to TCU from the University of Oklahoma prior to this season, accounted for 531 yards of offense and three touchdowns against Baylor. The total yardage is the second-most in TCU football history, only trailing quarterback Matt Vogler’s 696 total yards in a 1990 game versus Houston.
Morris completed 29-of-41 passes for 461 yards, the fourth most passing yards in TCU football history, trailing only Matt Vogler (690 yards), Trevone Boykin (485 yards), and Casey Pachall (473 yards).
Morris, who wears number 14 on his jersey, which was the number worn by Andy Dalton, one of the most noted quarterbacks in TCU history, became the first TCU quarterback to pass for 400 yards since Kenny Hill, his position coach, threw for 449 yards against Oklahoma in 2016.
Morris ranks third in Big 12 history for most passing yards in a first career start. The 461 yards are also the third-most nationally since 2012 for a player in his first career start. First on the list is Hill, with 511 yards in 2014.
Morris threw two touchdown passes; one to wide receiver Quentin Johnston and one to tight end Dominic DiNunzio. Eight other Horned Frogs caught a pass from Morris.
Morris did not throw an interception and consistently eluded a heavy rush by the Bears to keep plays alive. He was sacked once. Because of Morris’ craftiness, Fox Sports analyst Matt Leinart described him as a “magician” in his postgame analysis. No doubt, the Bears would agree as they often were grasping at air as Morris escaped their clutches.
Morris ran 11 times for a team-high 79 yards. He scored his first touchdown as a Horned Frog on a tackle-breaking 12-yard run in the first quarter. It was the Frogs’ first score of the game.
Morris also caught a seven-yard pass, which was thrown by TCU receiver Taye Barber. It was Morris’ first career reception and Barber’s first completed pass.
Morris’ performance earned him numerous awards.
He was named Big 12 offensive player of the week, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award player of the week, Manning Award star of the week, and Capital One Orange Bowl Player of the Week (voted by college football fans).
"He (Morris) threw a lot of balls, didn't he,” said Kill. “He did a pretty good job. He's a playmaker and he doesn't have the experience to run the offense but we knew he was talented. Until you put him in a game, you don't know how talented, so he played a pretty good football game. The most important thing: We won. You judge a quarterback on wins.”
Less than five minutes into the game, a fourth consecutive loss, and not a win, looked like a real possibility for the Horned Frogs.
The first time they touched the football, the Bears needed only three plays to go 62 yards for a touchdown. The big play was their first play, a 48-yard run by Abram Smith, who had 125 yards on 18 carries to become Baylor’s 15th 1,000-yard rusher in program history and the first in five years.
Two plays into their second possession of the game, the Frogs again came up empty as they turned the football over to Baylor via a fumble by running back Kendre Miller, who left the game and did not return due to an injury.
Dejavu?
Not for long, thanks, in large part, to Morris’ dynamic playmaking.
On TCU’s third possession of the game, Morris capped a four-play, 82-yard drive with his 12-yard touchdown scamper.
Baylor would score a second touchdown in the first half, but three field goals by Griffin Kell gave TCU a 16-14 lead at halftime.
Kell’s field goals were from 30, 46 and 24 yards. Those three field goals extended his consecutive made streak to 11, tied for the eighth-longest streak in TCU football history (the streak ended in the second half when Kell had a 37-yard field goal attempt blocked and he missed a 34-yarder).
Both teams scored two touchdowns in the second half, and Banks’ dramatic defensive play preserved a two-point upset for the Frogs.
TCU’s touchdowns in the second half came via a five-yard pass from Morris to sophomore tight end Dominic DiNunzio midway through the through quarter, and a 19-yarder from Morris to sophomore wide receiver Quentin Johnston, early in the fourth quarter.
The touchdown for DiNunzio, who attends TCU on an ROTC scholarship, was the first of his career.
Johnston had five receptions for 152 yards. It was his third 100-yard game in the last four contests. His five career 100-yard games are the most among current Horned Frogs.
Besides completing a pass to Morris, Barber had a season-best six receptions for 78 yards.
Receiver Derius Davis had a season-best 81 yards receiving on five catches.
"I think they (receivers) did amazing,” said Morris. “I stress to them that I'll put the ball in their vicinity and it’s their job to get up and make the play and they did an excellent job doing that.
“Plus, Max (Duggan) did a great job with me, giving me coverages, telling me what he saw. He was a great help. He’s a great leader.
"This was a huge win. I don't know another team more deserving after everything we've been through this week. We were fighting for Coach P (Gary Patterson). We did this for him, but we truly deserved this win."
Defensively, the Horned Frogs totaled seven tackles for loss by six different players against the stunned Bears.
Defensive end Dylan Horton and linebacker Dee Winters tied for team-best honors with eight tackles each. Horton had two tackles for loss.
Junior safety Nook Bradford recorded his first career sack. TCU now has at least one sack in 94 of its last 100 games.
Junior cornerback Kee’yon Stewart, in his first game of the season, had his first career interception. It was in the TCU end zone, off a Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson deflection of a pass intended for Baylor wide receiver Tyquan Thornton.
Both the Frogs and the Bears had to overcome a zealous group of officials.
Baylor was assessed six penalties for 65 yards.
TCU was assessed 13 penalties for 111 yards.
"I'm old and I've been through a lot of ball games, and I don't know if I've ever seen a team with a more deserving group of kids having to go through what they did,” said Kill. “Everybody who was in the stadium on Saturday should be proud because they were part of the win.
"I’m so proud of those kids and the relentless effort they played with and the energy on the sideline. I’m so proud of the TCU fans, you know what I mean, they were a difference in the game. When you get in third downs and fourth downs and, you know, storming the field. I just sat back and watched. It was an amazing thing to just check it out.”
Kudos go to Kill, the assistant coaches, the entire football staff and the players for the improbable victory over the Bears.
But the biggest accolades, of course, go to Morris, who turned in one of the most outstanding quarterbacking performances in TCU football history.
TCU’s renowned Ol’ South Pancake House reportedly is offering Patterson free pancakes for life.
After what Morris did to Baylor this past Saturday, Ol’ South should at least be offering him free biscuits-and-gravy during his TCU tenure.
"It's huge, we truly deserved that win,” Morris summed up. “We know we can compete with anyone in the country. I feel like we've been defeating ourselves up to this point. This was a great statement win that we need to build off of."
It may be difficult for Morris and the Frogs to build off the victory over Baylor and compile their second two-game winning streak of the season as they strive to reach six wins and become bowl-eligible.
This Saturday, November 13, TCU plays No. 10 Oklahoma State in Boone Pickens Stadium, in Stillwater Oklahoma.
Kickoff is scheduled for prime time, at 7 pm (Central). Fox will broadcast the game.
The Cowboys are 8-1 overall, 5-1 Big 12. They are in second place in the Big 12, behind the University of Oklahoma.
Oklahoma State holds a 16-13-2 edge
in the all-time series with TCU.
The Horned Frogs have won three of the last four games with the Cowboys, including last year's 29-22 victory in Fort Worth. Over the last seven games with the Pokes, TCU is 4-3.
TCU is 4-9 versus Oklahoma State in Stillwater, which within the Big 12 is one of the toughest venues for an opponent.
OSU's head football coach is Mike Gundy, who became coach of the Cowboys on January 3, 2005. His record at Oklahoma State is 145-68.
Ironically, now that Gary Patterson no longer is coaching at TCU, Gundy is the dean of Big 12 coaches. Furthermore, Gundy and the University of Utah’s Kyle Whittingham now are the second-longest tenured FBS coaches with one school, trailing only Kirk Ferentz at the University of Iowa.
Oklahoma State’s strength is its senior-laden defense.
The Cowboys lead the Big 12 in overall defense, scoring defense and rushing defense. They are second in passing defense.
OSU is allowing an average of 277 total yards per game, 16.3 points per game, 86.2 yards rushing per game and 190.8 passing yards per game.
Oklahoma State has been struggling offensively.
The Cowboys are seventh in the Big 12 in overall offense, sixth in rushing offense, ninth in passing offense and seventh in scoring offense.
The Pokes are compiling an average of 382.4 total yards per game, 168.7 yards rushing per game and 213.8 passing yards per game. They are scoring 28.8 points per game.
Oklahoma State redshirt junior quarterback Spencer Sanders (#3) is seventh in the Big 12 in passing. He has completed 123-of-202 passes for 1,523 yards. He has thrown 13 touchdown passes and six interceptions.
The Cowboys’ Tay Martin (#1), a senior wide receiver, is sixth in the Big 12 in receiving. He is averaging 74 receiving yards per game. He has caught 43 passes for 592 yards. He has six touchdown receptions.
Sophomore wide receiver Brennan Presley (#80) is 21st in the Big 12 in receiving. He is averaging 40.1 receiving yards per game. He has caught 29 passes for 361 yards. He has five touchdown receptions.
Oklahoma State redshirt senior running back Jaylen Warren (#7) is fifth in the Big 12 in rushing. He is averaging 103.1 rushing yards per game. He has carried the football 191 times for 928 yards, an average of 4.9 yards per carry. He has seven rushing touchdowns.
This past week, Warren earned OSU's 11th weekly conference honor of the 2021 season He was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week for his performance in the
Cowboys' 24-3 win over West Virginia on Saturday, November 6, in Morgantown, West Virginia.
A senior transfer in his first year in Stillwater, Warren has received five Big 12 weekly honors this season, which is two more than
any other player in the conference.
Senior linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (#20) leads Oklahoma State and the Big 12 in tackles. He has 87 tackles and is averaging 9.7 tackles per game. He has no sacks, but 8.5 tackles for loss.
OSU redshirt senior linebacker Devin Harper (#16) is 13th in the Big 12, averaging 4.5 tackles per game. He has 58 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
Senior safety Kolby Harvell-Peel (#31), with an average of 5.4 tackles per game, is 24th in the Big 12. He has 49 total tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss.
Harvell-Peel is second in the Big 12 with three interceptions through nine games.
Oklahoma State’s Jason Taylor II (#25), a redshirt junior safety, has two interceptions.
Other defensive standouts for Oklahoma State include freshman defensive end Collin Oliver (#30), who has 5.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss, redshirt senior defensive end Brock Martin (#9), who has 4.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss, redshirt junior defensive end Tyler Lacy (#89), who has 6.5 tackles for loss, and senior safety Tanner McCalister (#2) and redshirt senior cornerback Christian Holmes (#0), who each have one interception.
No matter what happens this Saturday in Stillwater against Oklahoma State, the Horned Frogs learned through the Baylor game that TCU football can continue its winning ways, even without Gary Patterson on the sideline.
After all, a football program always should be larger than any one person.
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