TCU offense sputters versus Texas

TCU said all week that it was going to treat Texas like it was an other team that it played this year.

The Horned Frogs managed to accomplish that fact by scoring just once in a 30-7 loss to the Longhorns.

Casey Pachall made his return to field in the first quarter after Trevone Boykin was sacked and fumbled. But even his presence wasn't enough to spark the TCU offense.

He threw a backwards pass to Cameron Echols-Luper, who then completed a 38-yard pass LaDarius Brown for the Frogs' lone touchdown.

Pachall completed just 13 of 34 passes 139 yards and he threw an interception in his return. He replaced Boykin after he completed three of his four passes for 24 yards. Boykin's first quarter fumble led to the Longhorns' first score, a three-yard run by Malcom Brown with 7:48 left in the first quarter.

Pachall's first drive stalled after a drop and then a tipped pass. Texas drove 52 yards in nine plays to set up a 43-yard field goal by Anthony Fera to make it 10-0.

Brown's score made it a one-possession game again. Pachall led a drive into Texas territory, but he was picked off by Steve Edmond. Once again, the Longhorns turned that turnover into a touchdown as Case McCoy hit a wide-open Marcus Johnson for 65 yards on a third-and-long.

Defenses are supposed to thrive in third down situations, but Texas gutted the Frogs for big gains on third and long in the first half. TCU did hold the Longhorns to just four third down conversions, but they came at the most inopportune times.

With the score 17-7, the rain and lightning came. That led to a three-hour and six-minute lightning delay with six minutes left in the second quarter. When play resumed, TCU had the ball at its own 20-yard line, but the drive stalled and it started a stretch of nine straight possessions that ended in a punt. TCU gained just 82 yards of offense and had just four first downs in the second half.

The Fera kicked a 37-yard field goal on the last play of the first half to make it 20-7 Longhorns. The teams stayed on the field for the three-minute halftime, but TCU's offense continued to sputter.

The Longhorns padded their lead with a three-yard run by Brown with 9:20 left in the third quarter. Fera added a 36-yard kick with less than 12 minutes left in the game to make it 30-7.

TCU's defense forced two turnovers, interceptions by Jason Verrett and Kevin White, but the offense couldn't put any points on the board with the free possession.

Texas quarterback Case McCoy overcame a shaky start and threw for 228 yards and a touchdown. He only completed nine passes so he took advantage of big plays by his receivers.

Aledo's Jonathan Gray, who had TCU and Texas A&M in his final three during recruitment, finished with 22 carries for 94 yards. The Longhorns' leading receiver, Johnson had three catches for 120 yards.