AUSTIN, Texas — In front of the second-largest crowd for a Texas home game, No. 4 TCU took a 10-3 lead into the final quarter of a battle that had Big 12 and national implications.
It was far from the shootout many expected and was much closer to a grudge match as the game featured more punishing hits than touchdowns.
As it has all year, TCU finished strong as the Horned Frogs pulled away for a 17-10 victory and sent a message to the College Football Playoff committee and the college football world.
The Longhorns may have a roster that’s filled with top-10 talent, according to the recruiting services, but TCU had the better and stronger players and wore out a roster full of five- and four-star recruits.
Star receiver Quentin Johnston put TCU ahead 17-3 with 12:36 remaining as he found the end zone thanks to a Texas coverage bust. The Horned Frogs forced a turnover on downs with 9:40 remaining on the Longhorns’ next possession to add to a brilliant defensive performance.
The Horned Frogs were unable to completely chew the rest of the clock, but TCU’s defense forced another turnover on fourth down with 4:46. There was still late drama as Texas returned a fumble by TCU quarterback Max Duggan for a touchdown with 4:25 left to pull within 17-10.
TCU avoided the crisis as Duggan completed a strike to Johnston to convert a third down with just over three minutes remaining.
The Horned Frogs’ running game then gained a couple first downs to seal the game. The Horned Frogs shut down one of the game’s most creative offensive minds in Steve Sarkisian, got the better of former coach Gary Patterson — now a Texas adviser — and locked up a spot in the Big 12 championship game in a magical night.
A defensive performance for the ages
The TCU defense taken its fair share of deserved criticism this year, but defensive coordinator Joe Gillespe’s unit put together its finest performance of the year. The defense held Texas scoreless in the first half. It was the first time since 1997 the Longhorns failed to score in the first half at home.
All-American talent Bijan Robinson was shut down as the Horned Frogs flew to the football repeatedly and became just the third team to hold Robinson under 100 yards. Alabama was the last team to do so, and anytime you’re in the same company as Nick Saban, it’s an achievement. Robinson finished with only 29 yards on 12 carries.
The biggest drive for the unit came after TCU went up 17-3. The Longhorns started their drive at the 50 thanks to a nice kickoff return and eventually got to the TCU 5 on first down. The Horned Frogs stopped the potential scoring drive on downs.
The story of the game was the defense and how they carried the load after having the offense do the same many times this season.
Texas had just 199 total yards, including only 28 on the ground.
Miller continues to dominate
If Kendre Miller’s latest 100-yard performance doesn’t cement Miller’s status as one of the nation’s best running backs then nothing will. Miller rushed 21 times for 138 yards, his eighth time with 100 yards or more in nine games.
Miller’s second half performance will be remembered for some time. His 75-yard touchdown run where he bounced to the right and outran an aggressive Texas defense gave TCU a 10-0 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the third quarter. It’s the 11th straight game, dating back to 2021, that he’s scored a touchdown.
Even when he wasn’t scoring Miller was still producing eye-popping plays like when he willed himself to a first down on screen pass. He slipped away from four defenders just to move the chains. Despite playing on the same field as Robinson, who’s projected to be a first-round draft pick and an All-American selection, it was Miller who was the best running back on the field.
Hodges-Tomlinson is him
Corner Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson had another big game, putting himself in line to be a first-team All-Big 12 selection for the third year in a row. For the fourth straight games, the nephew of Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson forced a takeaway. At the beginning of the second quarter Hodges-Tomlinson picked off Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers after he made a poor decision to throw the ball in double coverage.
That wasn’t the only time he made a play as broke up a pass on the Longhorns’ first offensive play and had another with Texas pinned deep in their own territory. Speedster Xavier Worthy was held to just two receptions on eight targets in the first half as Ewers struggled to complete passes against Hodges-Tomlinson and Josh Newton.
Hodges-Tomlinson broke up a Ewers pass on fourth down with less than five minutes left to ice the game for TCU.
A sluggish first half
For awhile it looked like TCU and Texas would be the first Big 12 game to be scoreless in the first half since 2007. Two of the most talented offenses in the country were outplayed by their defenses in the opening half as the Horned Frogs had to scrap and claw for a 3-0 lead at halftime.
TCU was held to 68 yards while Texas only managed 72. The Horned Frogs struggled to block the Texas defensive line’s blitzing schemes. Duggan was sacked four times and Texas had 11 tackles for loss. Most of them came when the Horned Frogs tried to attack the edges of the Longhorn defense. The speed of the Texas front seven wiped all of those plays.
On the flip side, the Horned Frogs held Texas to just 2.7 yards per play and kept Robinson in check as he had just 23 yards in the first half. It was easily the most impressive stretch for the unit this season and the Horned Frogs did it without Dee Winters, who was suspended for the first half after being ejected for targeting against Texas Tech.
The Horned Frogs added a late field goal after they finally found a counterpunch to the blitz. Duggan led the offense down the field methodically with four short completions for first downs to four different receivers as TCU used quick stop routes in the spaces where the blitzer vacated. Griffin Kell hit a 34-yard field goal to give TCU the lead with 1:20 left in the half.
What’s next
TCU has two regular-season Big 12 games remaining: At Baylor next Saturday, then at home against Iowa State on Nov. 26. Then there’s the trip to AT&T Stadium for the Big 12 championship game on Dec. 3.
