With 50 seconds left, senior kicker Ethan Sanchez had a 38-yard field goal attempt to tie the game against TCU and potentially send it to overtime.
But the three-time Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week missed, spoiling Houston’s final home game of the season in a 17-14 loss.
“I patted him on the back,” coach Willie Fritz said. “He’s won us some games. You don’t wanna have to come down to a field goal.”
The missed kick left the players and the home crowd stunned, as they were looking to see their home schedule end on a high note.
It was Sanchez’s second missed field goal of the game, as he previously missed a 49-yard field goal attempt that would’ve tied the game at 17 with 6:21 left in the fourth quarter.
Despite forcing four turnovers, the Cougars’ offense once again fell flat when they were needed the most.
“We had some opportunities to win it or tie, and we just didn’t quite do it,” Fritz said.
The Horned Frogs took control of the first half early thanks to their passing game, with junior quarterback Josh Hoover finding senior wide receiver Eric McAlister for a 33-yard touchdown pass to give TCU a 7-0 lead on their first drive, and a 17-yard passing touchdown to junior wide receiver Jordan Dwyer to give TCU a 14-0 lead on their third drive.
Meanwhile, Houston couldn’t get the chains moving, with their first two drives ending in punts inside their own territory.
After the Cougars punted a third straight time to start the second quarter, their defense locked in and forced three straight turnovers off the Horned Frogs. First, Hoover threw an interception on 1st and 10 at TCU’s 35 to sophomore defensive back Will James. The Cougars capitalized with an 11-play, 62-yard drive that ended with junior quarterback Connor Weigman throwing a 15-yard pass to junior wide receiver Amare Thomas in the end zone for a touchdown to make it 14-7.
Houston got the ball back almost immediately when Hoover attempted a long pass from the Cougars’ 49-yard line to McAlister, but junior defensive back Kentrell Webb deflected it, allowing fellow senior defensive back Wrook Brown to pick up the INT. The Cougars marched all the way to the Horned Frogs’ end zone, but Weigman ended up throwing an interception in the end zone to give TCU the ball for a touchback.
The Horned Frogs moved the ball to Houston’s 35, when Hoover picked out a short pass to sophomore Jordan Bailey. But James caused a fumble recovered by sophomore defensive back Jordan Allen to give the ball back to the Cougars with 48 seconds left. But they couldn’t capitalize and let the first half end.
After three straight punts to start the third quarter, TCU found itself at Houston’s 32-yard line on its second drive of the second half, but Hoover threw his third interception of the game, with James getting his second INT of the game. The Cougars then tied it 14-14 with Weigman throwing an eight-yard passing touchdown to senior running back Dean Connors.
The fourth quarter proved to be decisive. Houston had two chances to tie and eventually win after the Horned Frogs made a field goal to take a 17-14 lead, but the two missed field goals from Sanchez would cost the Cougars the game.
Houston will now turn its attention to the final regular-season game against Baylor in Waco on Saturday, Nov. 29, before it plays in their bowl game to be determined.
Delivered by Sean Paul
