FORT WORTH, Texas — The TCU Horned Frogs needed a bounce-back from its road loss to Arizona State. Colorado was desperate for a Big 12 win after an 0-2 start.
Bounce-back won out. The Horned Frogs defeated the Buffaloes, 35-21, at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
The Horned Frogs (4-1, 1-1 in Big 12) got 275 yards passing and four touchdowns from quarterback Josh Hoover. Wide receiver Eric McAlister caught two touchdown passes. Eleven different players caught passes. TCU forced three interceptions and a fourth turnover when a Horned Frogs punt bounced off the back of a Colorado player in the fourth quarter. The Horned Frogs recovered and turned it into the go-ahead touchdown.
The Buffaloes (2-4, 0-3) had a good game from Omarion Miller, who caught two touchdown passes, part of six catches for 89 yards. Dallan Hayden rushed for 61 yards.
Here are three thoughts on the game.
THE PICK FEST
In my Big 12 notes piece earlier this week, I unearned this little gem:
Big 12 defenses have tallied 46 interceptions this season, which are the most of any FBS conference.
Well, the Horned Frogs held up their end of the bargain with three first-half interceptions. The first was by Jamel Johnson, who picked off a Kaidon Salter pass and set up TCU at the Buffs 36. The Horned Frogs scored no points, even as they got in the red zone. After Colorado went up 14-0, it looked like that was an early turning point.
The Horned Frogs cut the lead to 14-7 on a quarterback sneak by Josh Hoover. That was followed by an interception by Horned Frogs safety Bud Clark. This time, TCU didn’t let it slip. Hoover and wide receiver Eric McAlister connected for a 23-yard touchdown pass two plays after the pick to tie the game.
On the final play of the second quarter Namdi Obiazor got his interception, which came in the end zone as Colorado was trying to score. For Johnson it was his fourth of the season. He should be among the Big 12 leaders, if not the leader, in the category on Sunday.
That was two extra possessions and seven points for TCU. It made a difference.
RUN WHAT?
On paper, that was the play. Colorado’s run defense was No. 123 in the country, allowing 197.2 yards per game. TCU’s run game wasn’t stellar, but it gained 133.5 yards on the ground. Surely the Horned Frogs could do what coach Sonny Dykes said recently and “ideally” rush 30 or 40 times.
Well, TCU rushed the ball 35 times and gained 94 yards. But every single yard was difficult. Colorado’s run defense was just plain good on Saturday. The issues that made the Buffs one of the worst run defenses in the country were not present against the Horned Frogs. The TCU run game was basically a ghost until a couple of big runs late.
In fact, when TCU was up by seven with 2:33 left the first place TCU ran was a swing pass outside for a first down. The Horned Frogs need more trust in the run game.
THE SALTER SOLUTION
A few weeks ago, it seemed CU quarterback Kaidon Salter got right, so to speak. After being benched before the Houston game for what coach Deion Sanders seemed to indicate was over not accepting coaching, he had a fine game against Wyoming. For the bulk of this game, I wondered if he regressed.
I saw a quarterback that was too loose with the football in a game that demanded possession be valued. His touchdown pass early in the game was relatively easy — a clean pocket and a wide-open receiver. But two of his three interceptions in the first half felt like they were on him, especially the second one to Clark. It’s hard to blame him for the last one to end the half, trying to force a throw into the end zone with no time on the clock.
But, early in the second half there was no settling down. He nearly threw another interception on a short out route that got away from him. Unlike the Wyoming game, there was little rhythm to his game. Given the game was so close going into the fourth quarter, that made an impact. He did spin a fourth-quarter touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone. But it was more a jump ball and Buffs receiver Omarion Miller guided Johnson past him to make the catch.
He threw for 217 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions on 18-of-29 passing. That wasn’t enough to mask the overall inconsistency I saw on Saturday night.
