TCU Defeats Houston 20-13 at Texas Bowl

By Robert H. Kelly

(HOUSTON, TX, December 28, 2007) TCU tailback Justin Watts scored a fourth-quarter, go-ahead touchdown as TCU's defense shut down Houston en route to a 20-13 victory in the Texas Bowl on Friday.

The Horned Frogs came close to surrendering a 10-point lead with just over three minutes to play, but defensive end Chase Ortiz capped off an all star night by denying Houston quarterback Case Keenum the end zone with one second to play.

It was TCU’s third straight bowl win while the Cougars dropped their eighth straight bowl game, dating back to the Sun Bowl of 1981.

Trailing, 20-10, with 3:17 left in the game, Houston kicker T.J. Lawrence made it a one-possession game with a 32-yard field goal. But when an onside kick failed and the Horned Frogs downed a punt at the two-yard line with 1:30 remaining, it looked like the Cougars were done for the night..

Not wanting to lay down and die, Houston drove all the way down to the Horned Frogs' 19-yard-line with time left on the clock. The Cougars had three shots at the end zone, with two passes falling short, before Ortiz ended the game.

The Horned Frogs took the lead for the first time when Watts scored on a seven-yard run with 14:28 left in the game. The touchdown culminated a 13-play, 80-yard drive.

Horned Frogs place kicker Chris Manfredini knocked in a pair of second-half field goals to combine with Watts in helping TCU rally from a 10-7 halftime deficit.

Both teams struggled in the first half on the offensive end of the ball with the Houston scoring their only touchdown on a bit of razzle-dazzle. Facing 2nd-and-12 at its 33-yard line, Houston produced the biggest play in Texas Bowl history when Keenum scrambled to his right and when he could not find an open receiver, ran back to his left before connecting with a wide-open Andre Kohn for a 67-yard touchdown.

Kohn freed himself from defenders past the Horned Frog secondary and was not touched until he reached the goal line, giving the Cougars a 7-0 lead with eight seconds left in the first quarter.

TCU, however, answered that score following the Cougars' kickoff. The Horned Frogs marched 75 yards in 11 plays with quarterback Andy Dalton finishing the drive with a 3-yard run.

Dalton completed 21-of-30 passes for 249 yards in the victory, to become TCU's career leader in both pass attempts and completions. He was rewarded at the game's MVP at the post game awards ceremony