Best
Horned Frog Bowl Moment: Generations
before the current Frogs were even out of diapers, TCU was winning
Southwest and national titles in the 1930s with All-Americans, such
as Sammy Baugh and Davey O’Brien. O’Brien’s 1938 TCU team capped
off a perfect season with a 15-7 Sugar Bowl victory over then- No. 5
Carnegie Tech.
Best Cougar Bowl Moment: The last second upset of Nebraska in
the 1980 Cotton Bowl warrants real strong consideration; however,
it’s the 30-21 win over unbeaten Maryland in the 1977 Cotton Bowl
that has a special place in the hearts of Cougar fans. The school’s
first trip to a New Year’s Day bowl game was the finishing touch on
an unforgettable season that saw Houston stun the Southwest
Conference by winning the league in its debut as a member.
TCU's best win ...
TCU 37 ... New Mexico 0
TCU's defense was stunning, keeping New Mexico to 28 rushing
yards, 119 yards of total offense, and allowed just two of 16 third
down conversions, while the offense had few problems, getting two
Andy Dalton touchdown passes and three Chris Manfredini field goals.
Rafael Priest picked up a fumble for a 13-yard score, and Marcus
Jackson connected with Marcus Brock for a seven-yard score. TCU held
on to the ball for 36:52. Player of the
game: TCU RB Joseph
Turner ran 28 times for 115 yards. Stat Leaders: New Mexico - Passing: Donovan
Porterie, 7-23, 76 yds Rushing: Rodney Ferguson, 13-28. Receiving: Marcus
Smith, 4-39 TCU - Passing: Andy Dalton, 11-18, 149 yds, 2
TD
Rushing: Joseph Turner 28-115. Receiving: Ervin
Dickerson, 3-50, 1 TD
TCU's worst loss ...
Wyoming 24 ... TCU 21
TCU had a chance to complete a late comeback and send it into
overtime, but Chris Manfredini's 48-yard field goal attempt hit the
right upright, and the Cowboys escaped. Wyoming got Hoost Marsh
touchdown catches from 65 and eight yards out, and Wynel Seldon ran
for a two-yard score on the way to a 24-6 lead, and then held on.
TCU got Andy Dalton touchdown passes to Ervin Dickerson and Bart
Johnson late in the fourth quarter to pull within three, and then
the defense forced a three-and-out leading to the final drive,
ending with the missed field goal.
Player of the game:
Wyoming WR Hoost Marsh caught four passes for 87 yards and two
touchdowns. Stat Leaders: TCU - Passing: Andy Dalton,
20-31,184 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing: Aaron Brown, 14-50. Receiving: Donald Massey,
4-38 Wyoming - Passing: Karsten Sween, 12-26, 134
yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing: Devin Moore, 23-135. Receiving: Hoost Marsh,
4-87, 2 TDs
Houston's best win ...
Houston 34 ... UTEP 31
Houston cranked up 520 yards of total offense, but needed a
one-yard Terance Ganaway touchdown run to finally pull ahead in
the fourth quarter and two defensive stops to finally get the
win. UTEP took a 17-7 first half lead on a nine-yard Jamar Hunt
touchdown catch and a 34-yard Joe West scoring grab, but the
Cougars bounced back with two T.J. Lawrence field goals and a
20-yard Case Keenum touchdown run. Keenum gave Houston the lead
in the fourth quarter on a five-yard pass to Perry McDaniel, but
UTEP would fight back with Trevor Vittatoe's third touchdown
pass of the game on a 35-yard throw to Jeff Moturi. That would
be it for the Miner offense. UTEP started off the scoring with a
57-yard Jose Martinez field goal. Player of
the game: Houston RB
Anthony Alridge ran 27 times for 204 yards, and caught six
passes for 43 yards Stat Leaders: Houston - Passing: Case
Keenum, 13-20, 116 yds, 1 TD Rushing: Anthony Alridge, 27-204. Receiving:
Anthony Alridge, 6-43 UTEP - Passing: Trevor Vittatoe, 8-23, 134
yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Marcus Thomas, 28-178. Receiving: Jeff
Moturi, 4-94, 2 TD
Houston's worst loss ...
East Carolina 37 ... Houston 35
Down two, Houston had two late chances to win, but T.J.
Lawrence missed a 37-yard field goal with just under two minutes to
play, and missed from 38 with three seconds left. ECU got a huge day
from Chris Johnson, who ran for a 14-yard touchdown in the second
quarter and a 43-yard dash in the third. Houston stayed in it with
the home run, starting off the scoring with a 33-yard Donnie Avery
touchdown catch, his first of two touchdown grabs, and answering a
late ECU field goal with a 100-yard Donnie Avery kickoff return for
a score. ECU's C.J. Wilson came up with 2.5 sacks, and Quentin
Cotton made 14 tackles and recovered a fumble.
Player of the game: East Carolina RB
Chris Johnson ran 24 times for 147 yards and two touchdowns, and
caught four passes for 24 yards Stat Leaders: East Carolina - Passing: Rob Kass,
6-12, 110 yds, 1 TD Rushing: Chris Johnson, 24-147, 2 TD. Receiving: Chris
Johnson, 4-24 Houston - Passing: Blake Joseph, 24-29, 250 yds,
2 TD
Rushing: Anthony Alridge, 21-89, 1 TD. Receiving: Donnie Avery,
9-189, 2 TD
2006 Texas Bowl
Rutgers 37 ... Kansas State 10
Rutgers held Kansas State to 162 yards of total offense, six
first downs and allowed just one of ten third down conversions for
the first bowl win in the program's history. The Scarlet Knight
offense got two early scores from an unlikely source as little used
receiver Tim Brown caught touchdown passes from 14 and 49 yards out
for a 14-0 first half lead. Kansas State appeared to get the
momentum with a 44-yard Jeff Snodgrass field goal and a 76-yard
Yamon Figurs punt return for a touchdown, but the Rutgers defense
didn't allow anything in the second half with Quintero Frierson
picking off a Josh Freeman pass for a score in the first 33 seconds.
Jeremy Ito hit three field goals and Ray Rice ripped off a 46-yard
touchdown run. Player of the game ... Rutgers RB Ray Rice ran 24 times
for 170 yards and a touchdown. Stat Leaders: Kansas State - Passing:
Josh Freeman, 10-21, 129 yds, 2 INT Rushing: James Johnson, 6-20. Receiving:
Jordy Nelson, 4-81 Rutgers - Passing: Mike Teel, 18-28, 268
yds, 2 TD Rushing: Ray Rice, 24-170, 1 TD. Receiving:
Clark Harris, 7-122
