When it comes to bowl games, the best way to describe Texas Christian University is streaky. The Horned Frogs -- 6-11-1 in the postseason -- seem to go on runs. After losing their first ever bowl, they reeled off three wins, then suffered five losses, then a win, a tie, four more losses, then a pair of wins before last year's loss. That may not be a good sign heading into Friday's Galleryfurniture.com Bowl against Texas A&M.
Memorable Games
1937 Cotton Bowl
Let's face it -- the goal every year was the Cotton Bowl and with Sammy Baugh and L.D. Meyer leading an offense that moved swiftly up and down the field, TCU knocked off Marquette 16-6 to win its first Cotton Bowl. TCU almost pitched a shutout -- a 60-yard punt return for a TD was Marquette's lone score -- and was so dominating that coach Dutch Meyer sent in his reserves before the game was half over. Even Baugh was on the bench for nearly a quarter before going back in for one last series in the closing minutes much to the delight of the crowd.
1956 Cotton Bowl
Despite losing QB Chuck Curtis on the opening kickoff -- he was injured returning the kick -- TCU nearly knocked off SEC champ Ole Miss in the 20th Cotton Bowl in front of 75,000. After grabbing a 13-0 lead -- a motion penalty forced TCU to rekick the PAT from five yards deeper and it sailed wide -- Ole Miss scored a TD before the half. It looked like the Horned Frogs might hold on, but Ole Miss drove 66 yards and scored the heartbreaking win when Billy Lott raced five yards with four minutes left for the winning TD.
1998 Sun Bowl
Few thought TCU should even be in a bowl, but the Horned Frogs notched their first bowl win in 41 years with a 28-19 victory over USC. TCU completely dominated the Trojans, holding them to a school and Sun Bowl record of minus-23 yards rushing. The win also capped an amazing turnaround by coach Dennis Franchione in his first season at TCU. The Horned Frogs finished 7-5 after going 1-10 in the previous season.
Memorable Performances
QB Davey O'Brien
In the 1939 Sugar Bowl win over Carnegie Tech, O'Brien had a passing day that still stands as the best in TCU's postseason history. O'Brien completed 17 of 27 for 225 yards to lead the Christians (as TCU was known back then) to the 15-7 victory.
RB Basil Mitchell
Mitchell rushed for 185 yards on only 19 carries and scored two TDs to lead the Horned Frogs to a 28-19 win over USC in the 1998 Sun Bowl. Mitchell led an explosive rushing attack that totaled 314 rushing against the Trojans and he just missed breaking Charles Alexander's Sun Bowl record of 197 yards rushing.
RB LaDainian Tomlinson
One of the greatest players ever to play at TCU put on a show in TCU's 28-14 win over East Carolina in the 1999 Mobile Alabama Bowl. Tomlinson, a Heisman finalist, rushed 36 times (a TCU postseason record) for 124 yards and two TDs.
