TCU comes back to defeat OR in triple OT

It looked like the Oregon Ducks were going to be able to flip on the cruise control in the second half of the 2016 Alamo Bowl against the TCU Horned Frogs.

The Horned Frogs, playing without suspended starting QB Trevone Boykin the entire game, steadied and jelled in the second half behind backup Bram Kohlhausen, whose 8-yard touchdown run in the third overtime proved to be the game-winner.

Bowl season may have been a disappointment, but Oregon’s collapse and TCU’s massive rally ensured that we’d see finally some fireworks to kick off 2016.

Oregon’s possession was ruined by a botched snap – a theme for the Ducks throughout the night as OR also lost its starting center to injury – and the game ended when Lockie heaved up a prayer on fourth down that was knocked down near the goal line.

Collins had touchdown runs of 22 yards and 13 yards in the first 17 minutes. But perhaps Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney should take a page out of Gary Patterson’s playbook and throw on a new shirt at halftime. Bram Kohlhausen, who had a shaky first half, looked like the same quarterback that nearly led TCU to an upset win in Norman, throwing the ball with confidence and making plays with his legs. Could TCU mount a comeback in the 2 half? Vernon Adams threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Darren Carrington, Freeman ran for two scores, and Tony Brooks-James ran for a five-yard score – everything was working. He took advantage of an OR defense that struggled much of the season and melted down upon being left on the field for most of the second half as the offense struggled.

“Right now we are killing time waiting to go to war tomorrow”, said TCU fan Tate Nichols.

A win also would lock OR into its eighth consecutive top-15 finish and 10-win season. But at the start of the third OT, Kohlhausen ran in an eight-yard touchdown, giving TCU its first lead of the game, 47-41. When the Ducks had Adams, they could be fast, confident and spectacular.

OR got off to a disappointing 3-3 start this season, including a 42-point loss to Utah and a loss to Washington State.

TCU and OR were scheduled to bring in two of the most high-powered offenses in all of college football into their Valero Alamo Bowl matchup.

After another TCU 3 and out, the Oregon Ducks had another methodical trip down the field for a touchdown.

“Just listening to my doctor and trying to get as healthy as possible in time for OR”, said Doctson, who underwent surgery.

In the second half and overtime, Kohlhausen went 19-for-26 with 255 yards, two touchdowns, and no picks. “I don’t think anybody walking out of that tunnel in the second half really had a doubt that with their quarterback out, 31 points, we get something on the board, we get a couple of turnovers, defensive plays well …” Adams Jr. was a highly regarded quarterback, but he missed several early games with a finger injury.

Preseason No. 7 OR began the season an inconsistent 3-3 including a 62-20 loss to then-No. For some reason, tailback Royce Freeman has been missing in the offensive scheme and this cannot happen.

As the bowl season comes to a close, the Big 12 can thank its lucky stars it has TCU and Baylor, Patterson and Briles. If they made a decision to play, then they were going to give themselves a chance.