JENNIFER MULHAUSEN
The Ellis County Press Sports
FORT WORTH – The #4 ranked Texas Christian University Horned Frogs, 12-0, had a lot to gain and a lot to lose when they hosted the 1-11 New Mexico Lobos Saturday, Nov. 28.
The Lobos came into the contest after a 29-27 victory over Colorado State last weekend, and a desire to put a kink in the Horned Frogs’ quest for a perfect regular season.
The Lobos were no match for the Horned Frogs, once TCU found their rhythm, and succumbed to a 51-10 loss.
It was an uncharacteristically slow start for TCU with the Frogs pulling a safety of New Mexico to go up 2-0 with 9:22 left in the first quarter.
The Frogs’ first touchdown of the game came at the 9:22 mark of the first quarter when TCU scored a team safety on the Lobos to go up 2-0.
With less than two minutes to play in the first, TCU extended its lead with an eight-yard keeper by Andy Dalton.
Not four minutes had ticked off the clock in the second quarter and TCU was up 23-0 after a 17-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Bart Johnson and 62-yard pass to Antoine Hicks.
A fumble by New Mexico’s Kasey Carrier on the ensuing punt return was recovered by TCU’s Tanner Brock.
Back in possession of the ball on 1-10, Dalton connected with Hicks for his second touchdown of the day on a 20-yard pass.
New Mexico finally lit up their side of the scoreboard with 5:15 left to play in the first half when Demond Dennis rushed from five yards out to cut TCU’s lead to 30-7.
A 31-yard field goal by James Aho left the Lobs trailing 30-10 at the half.
A scoreless third quarter led to a blazing fourth by the Horned Frogs.
Bart Johnson began the Frogs’ 21 unanswered point fourth quarter with a 24-yard pass from Dalton.
New Mexico then took over the ball, but not for long.
On 3-20, Darryl Washington intercepted a pass from Lobos quarterback Donovan Porterie and returned the ball 20 yards for the touchdown.
TCU’s final score came on an interception by Raphael Priest who returned the ball 47 yards for the win and sole possession of the Mountain West Conference Championship title and trophy.
"That is something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
"My last home game and I have an opportunity to take a pick for a touchdown.
"It was a great feeling," expressed Priest in a post-game interview.
Not only did the win signify a perfect 12-0 season, something TCU has never accomplished before, it rewarded TCU coaches and players for the long building process the program has endured over the past 12 years.
"We’ve tried not to do it too fast and tried to do it the right way.
"We tried to make sure that we did it so that the University was happy with the way we did it so that we could build it for a long time," said Head Coach Gary Patterson.
Patterson, who has made sure his seniors took ownership of this team, commented on what this year’s group means to him and the program.
"They came in unheralded.
"We will have a couple that could possibly be first round draft choices, and they will have their degrees and have won themselves a championship. It’s why Jerry Hughes came back. For him to do that says quite a bit about everybody. I’ll remember this group for a long time."
The TCU community now awaits word of which BCS bowl the Frogs will attend and who they will face.
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