The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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TCU
Football travels to face No. 4 TCU on Saturday
09.28.2015 | Football
Longhorns face first road conference game of season
Texas-TCU Game Notes | Texas Game Week |
Texas hits the road this weekend to take on the No. 4/3 TCU Horned Frogs. Kick is set for 11 a.m. from Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth. The Longhorns (1-3, 0-1 Big 12) are coming off a 30-27 loss to No. 24/22 Oklahoma State. TCU outlasted Texas Tech on the road in a 55-52 shootout. The game will kick at 11:07 a.m. Central and air nationally on ABC. The Longhorn IMG Radio Network broadcast, including flagship 104.9 FM in Austin, begins at 10:30 a.m. Listen on participating Longhorn Radio Network affiliates, including the Austin Radio Network. The game can also be heard online at TexasSports.com.
Quick Hits
• Saturday's game will pit former Southwest Conference rivals now reunited in the Big 12 against each other for the fourth time since TCU joined the league.
• Texas enters the contest after a heart-breaking loss at home to No. 24/22 Oklahoma State, 30-27.
• The Longhorns registered two touchdowns on defense with a fumble and interception returned to paydirt. It was the first time since Oct. 31, 2009, against Oklahoma State the Longhorns had two defensive touchdowns in the same game.
Scouting the Horned Frogs
• TCU welcomes Texas to Fort Worth this weekend after escaping with a 55-52 win at Texas Tech last Saturday, after the Horned Frogs scored a touchdown with 23 seconds left.
• The Horned Frogs have been one of the most prolific offenses this season scoring 23, 70, 56 and 55 points in their four contests so far. TCU is averaging 636.5 yards per game as well.
• TCU receiver Josh Doctson was named Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week for his showing at Texas Tech. He had 18 catches for 267 yards and three touchdowns.
• Quarterback Trevone Boykin entered the 2015 season as one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. After throwing for 33 touchdowns last year, he already has tallied 14 so far and averages 367.5 yards per game.
Series History
• Texas leads the all-time series against TCU, 62-22-1, after the Horned Frogs won, 48-10, in Austin last year.
• Since joining the Big 12 Conference in 2012, TCU has won two of the three games in the series.
• In the last 10 meetings, Texas is 7-3 against TCU with the other loss coming in 1992.
• Texas is 27-9 against TCU on the road.
Texas in Big 12 Openers
• With the loss to No. 24/22 Oklahoma State last week, Texas is now 16-4 in Big 12 Conference opening games, including wins in 15 of the last 17.
• The only losses are to Oklahoma State (1997, 2015) and Kansas State (1998, 2007).
• Texas is 9-2 when its Big 12 opener is at home with losses to K-State in 2007 and Oklahoma State last week.
Close Calls in Back-to-Back Weeks
• Texas easily could be entering Saturday's game at TCU with a 3-1 mark if not for some late-game breakdowns and costly mistakes in each of its last two contests. The Horns have dropped their last two games by a total of four points, both in heart-breaking fashion.
Key Play Down the Stretch vs. Cal
• Despite trailing by 21 points entering the fourth quarter (45-24), the Longhorns used a trio of TDs to pull within a single point (45-44) after Jerrod Heard's 45-yard TD run with 1:11 remaining. However, UT missed the tying extra point (wide right) and could not recover the ensuing onside kick attempt.
Key Plays Down the Stretch vs. Oklahoma State
• Texas held a 27-24 lead with 4:03 remaining in the game, when OSU took over possession at its own 49.
• After an incompletion on first down, the Longhorns were penalized three successive times which moved the ball to the UT 19.
^ A pass interference call moved the ball to the UT 44
^ On an Oklahoma State rushing play, UT was called for defensive holding which moved the ball to the UT 34.
^ Following that penalty, Texas also was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct that took the ball to the UT 19.
• After UT held the Cowboys to a field goal (tying the score at 27-27), Texas took over on its own 25 with 1:26 remaining.
• The Longhorns went three-and-out on their offensive possession and were forced to punt.
• On the ensuing punt, UT fumbled the snap and was only able to punt the ball 10 yards – which setup OSU at the UT 18. Two plays later, Oklahoma State PK Ben Grogan converted a 40-yard field goal with six seconds left to give the Cowboys the victory.
Many Happy Returns
• Texas leads the nation with three defensive touchdowns on the year. Tied with the Longhorns are four other schools: Buffalo, Middle Tennessee, Ole Miss, Ohio State.
• The Longhorns had two defensive touchdowns against Oklahoma State (Sept. 26) when Hassan Ridgeway returned a fumble 34 yards and Holton Hill returned an interception 41 yards. It was the first time since Oct. 31, 2009 that Texas had two defensive touchdowns in the same game, which also happened to be against Oklahoma State.
• Malik Jefferson returned a fumble 28 yards against Rice (Sept. 12) to register the first defensive touchdown of the season for the Longhorns.
• Also against Rice, Daje Johnson returned a punt 85 yards for a score. That gives Texas two games this season with multiple non-offensive touchdowns.
Defense Shows Improvement
• The Longhorns struggled defensively during their opening three games, allowing an average of 37.0 points and 512.3 yards per game, including 240.7 yards rushing per contest. In Saturday's loss to Oklahoma State, UT's defense surrendered 395 total yards, including 103 rushing yards on 46 carries (2.2 avg.).
Horns Get Defensive vs. Oklahoma State
• UT scored two defensive TDs against Oklahoma State – a 34-yard fumble return by Hassan Ridgeway and a 41-yard interception return by Holton Hill
• In the fourth quarter, Texas held the Cowboys to just 26 yards of total offense on 14 plays (1.9 yards per play).
Jinkens Emerging as Senior Leader
• Senior Peter Jinkens has moved into a leadership role while taking command of the starting spot at strongside LB. A fourth-year player who served as a backup in 2012 and a part-time starter as a sophomore and junior, Jinkens has now played in 43 career games with 15 starts. He leads the team and ranks seventh in the Big 12 in total tackles with 32 (17 solo), including one sack, 3.0 TFL and two quarterback hurries this season.
Peter Jinkens by the Numbers
• Posted a team-high nine tackles (five solo), including two TFL, against Oklahoma State (Sept. 26)
• Recorded six tackles (four solo) and one quarterback hurry against Cal (Sept. 19)
• Tallied seven tackles (four solo) in the home win against Rice (Sept. 12)
• Led the team with 10 tackles (four solo), including one sack and one TFL, at Notre Dame (Sept. 5)
• The 10-tackle effort at Notre Dame was just two stops shy of his career high (12 at Baylor in 2013)
Jefferson Makes Immediate Impact
• True freshman LB Malik Jefferson has made an immediate impact on the Texas defense. Through his first four collegiate games (all starts), Jefferson ranks second on the team in total tackles with 29 (16 solo). He also has added 3.5 TFL, five quarterback hurries, one PBU and one fumble recovery (returned 26 yards for a TD).
Malik Jefferson by the Numbers
• Tied for the team lead with nine tackles (three solo) against Cal (Sept. 19)
• Team-high nine tackles (six solo), including one TFL, four QB hurries and one fumble recovery in the home win against Rice (Sept. 12)
• Returned the fumble against Rice 26 yards for a TD, marking his first collegiate touchdown
• Posted nine tackles (five solo), including 2.5 TFL, in the season-opening loss at Notre Dame (Sept. 5)
Thomas Leading by Example in Secondary
• Senior CB Duke Thomas is the unquestioned leader of the Texas secondary. A preseason All-Big 12 selection, Thomas has played in all 43 games over the last four seasons (27 starts). He ranks third on the team in total tackles with 24 (17 solo is tied for the team lead), including 3.0 TFL.
Duke Thomas by the Numbers
• Posted seven tackles (five solo), including one TFL, against Oklahoma State (Sept. 26)
• Registered seven tackles (five solo) against Rice (Sept. 12)
Ridgeway Comes up Big
• Junior DT Hassan Ridgeway has played in 29 career games (11 starts) and was named to the 2015 preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy. He battled through a back injury throughout fall camp and came off the bench in the first three games this year. Ridgeway earned his first start of the season in Saturday's loss to Oklahoma State and responded with a solid effort. For the year, he is tied for sixth on the team in total tackles with 16 (13 solo) and tied for the team lead in TFL (3.5).
Hassan Ridgeway by the Numbers
• Made his first start of the season against Oklahoma State (Sept. 26) and registered six tackles (four solo), including 1.5 TFL, one sack and one fumble recovered for a 34-yard TD.
• The fumble recovery marked the first of Ridgeway's career
• In his first three contests (all off the bench), Ridgeway recorded 10 total tackles (nine solo), including two TFL
Haines Prefers to Pick
• A former walk-on who was placed on scholarship prior to the 2014 season, junior SS Dylan Haines has played in 17 games (16 starts). Haines led the team in interceptions (four) and ranked second in pass breakups (seven) and third in tackles (86) last season. Despite missing the majority of the Cal game (Sept. 19) due to a targeting call early in the first quarter, Haines leads the team with two interceptions through the first four contests this year.
Dylan Haines by the Numbers
• Ranks fourth on the team in total tackles with 19 (16 solo), including one sack, one TFL and one PBU
• Recorded seven tackles (six solo), one interception (29-yard return) and one PBU against Oklahoma State (Sept. 26)
• Registered seven tackles (five solo) in the season-opening loss at Notre Dame (Sept. 5)
Hill Records Pick-Six
• True freshman CB Holton Hill delivered in a huge way during Saturday's loss to Oklahoma State. Hill recorded his first career interception and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter. He also posted two solo tackles and one PBU. For the year, he has tallied seven tackles (all solo).
• The last time a true freshman returned an interception for a touchdown was Sept. 27, 2008 when Aaron Williams ran a pick-six back 81 yards against Arkansas. Williams currently plays for the Buffalo Bills.
