AUSTIN, Texas (Sporting Alert, Nov. 13) — No. 4 TCU stayed unbeaten this season on Saturday night after smothering No. 18 Texas, 17-10, to earn a spot in the Big 12 championship game.
In a game in which both teams failed to score in the first quarter and only a field goal separated them at halftime, TCU (10-0) used its defense to limit Texas to just 199 total yards, and forced Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers into a miserable passing night.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Horned Frogs took the lead with 1:20 left in the first half when Griffin Kell kicked a 34-yard field goal.
The visitors then extended their lead to 10-0 when Kendre Miller ran home for a 75-yard score in the third quarter to break open a tense defensive struggle. TCU limit Texas to just a field goal to end the first three quarters with Bert Auburn kicking a 22-yarder to send the score to 10-3 heading into the fourth quarter.
Max Duggan found Quentin Johnston with a 31-yard pass to complete a 9-play and 80 yards drive with a touchdown to give TCU a 17-3 leads with 12:36 to play in the game.
Texas (6-4, 4-3, No. 18 CFP) made it close when Jahdae Barron returned a fumble 48 yards for a score to make it 17-10, but how things stayed for the final 4:25 of the contest, as the Longhorns struggled to get going on offense, despite the extra push from the home crowd.
“Nobody expected this kind of game,” said TCU coach Sonny Dykes. “We have tremendous confidence in our ability to take over the game late.”
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Saturday’s win sees the Horned Frogs starting the season 10-0 for the first time since 2010, when they played in the Mountain West Conference and finished 13-0 before going on to win the Rose Bowl.
TCU quarterback Max Duggan, who was sacked four times in the first half and chased around all game, went 19 of 29 for 124 yards, while Kendre Miller ran for 138 yards in the battling win.
“Crazy chain of events,” Dykes said about Duggan’s early struggles with the ball in his hands. “He moved on, put it behind him and did a great job managing the team the rest of the game.”
Quinn Ewers completed 17 of 39 passes for 171 yards and an interception, Jordan Whittington took six catches for 78 yards, but Texas was limited to just 28 yards rushing in the defeat.
