The Horned Frogs rebounded Saturday in Fort Worth with a 24-7 win over the Texas Longhorns as TCU is now 5-1 against them since joining the Big 12.
TCU has defeated Texas 153-33 in total points over the last four seasons.
“They’re the standard through the years historically for us,” TCU head coach Gary Patterson said. “T hat’s the way we look at it. So we’re working to stay above the standard. When you play someone in-state for recruiting, they can say whatever they want to, but you have to be able to back it up on the field simple as that.”
Patterson’s defense backed up the Horned Frogs on the field against the Longhorns, limiting Tom Herman’s squad to seven points, totaling seven sacks, including two from defensive end Ben Banogu, and allowing just nine rushing yards.
Stopping the run has been at the foundation of the TCU defense all season long. This was the third time this season the TCU defense has allowed less than 25 yards, and the Horned Frogs entered the game first in the Big 12 and third in the NCAA in rushing defense at 77.2 yards per game. This game lowered that number to 69.7.
“We’re doing a good job stopping the run,” TCU defensive end Ty Summers said.
The reason for the Horned Frogs stout run defense Patterson said is options of players.
“The depth of rotating four guys at the front has really helped us,” Patterson said. “A couple of the sacks happened tonight with the 2’s in.”
Offensively, TCU turned it on early, scoring on three of its first four possessions with Kyle Hicks finding the end zone on a couple of touchdown runs that gave the Horned Frogs a 17-0 lead.
Hicks scored on a 1-yard run to finish a nine-play opening drive that involved a wrinkle in the “WildFrog” Formation. On a fourth and two from the UT 21, TCU lined up in the WildFrog with running back Sewo Olonilua at quarterback. Instead of diving up the middle like they had all season, TCU hit Texas with a wrinkle. Olonilua took the snap and handed the ball to wide receiver KaVontae Turpin on a reverse toward the right sideline who then hit Olonilua across the field for a 20-yard gain down to the TCU one. Hicks capped off the drive with a one-yard plunge into the end zone on the following play and did so once again on a 14-yard run in the second quarter.
TCU running back Darius Anderson’s 31-yard touchdown dash on fourth-and-1 with 4:23 left put the game out of reach for the Longhorns.
“You don’t have to throw it all that much if we can run it like that,” TCU quarterback Kenny Hill said after throwing for only 26 yards in the second half, 146 total.
Hill hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in the last two games, but he improved on his performance last week in Ames by taking care of the ball after turning the ball over three times in the loss at Iowa State.
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