‘Bookend’ TD provides spark for TCU

HOUSTON – Justin Watts had scored exactly one touchdown in his career at TCU before the Texas Bowl.

TD No. 2 for Watts helped the Horned Frogs end the season with a bowl victory for the third straight season, something they haven’t done in almost 70 years.

The backup running back scored the go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter to help TCU to a 20-13 win over Houston on Friday night in the Texas Bowl.

“I was pretty excited considering I hadn’t scored since the first game of the season,” a beaming Watts said. “It feels good to score a touchdown; it’s like hitting a home run.”

The junior wove through the defense and danced into the end zone on an 8-yard touchdown run that made it 17-10 and gave TCU (8-5) its first lead against its old Southwest Conference rival.

He and Ryan Christian split carries against Houston (8-5) after starter Joseph Turner injured his knee in the first quarter and didn’t return.

“It’s been like that all year,” coach Gary Patterson said. “That’s been the thing with our football team, we’ve just been able to overcome adversity and win ball games.”

Quarterback Andy Dalton also ran for a touchdown for TCU.

Dalton, who grew up in the Houston suburb of Katy, was 21 of 30 for 249 yards with one interception and was the game’s most valuable player.

Watts and Christian combined for 88 yards rushing on 12 carries.

A 15-yard leaping reception by Jimmy Young on third down kept the drive alive that ended in Watts’ TD. Young outjumped Carson Blackmon to grab the ball and managed to keep his left leg in bounds as he landed.

The Cougars had a chance to tie with less than 30 seconds to play, but Case Keenum’s pass sailed just past the fingertips of Jeron Harvey in the end zone. He had two more shots at the end zone, but the ball fell short on the first and Chase Ortiz hit him on the second to end the game.

Keenum, hurried and harassed by TCU most of the night, was sacked five times. He was 23 of 38 for 335 yards. Donnie Avery had 10 receptions for 120 yards.

Playing without coach Art Briles, who left in late November to coach at Baylor, the Cougars extended their bowl losing streak to eight games.

Interim coach Chris Thurmond led a Houston team that often looked confused and shaky.

“What these kids have done in the last 30 days in unbelievable,” Thurmond said, noting it would have been easy in the game for them to get frustrated, “but they didn’t, they just kept playing.”

The Horned Frogs held Houston star Anthony Alridge to 28 yards on 15 carries. He rushed for 1,568 yards entering the game.