DFW Football Follow-up: TCU moves to 3-0 in 2008

by Todd E. Jones of of College Football Top Ten

While the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs "stepped up" to the challenge against Stanford knocking off the BCS conference team in Fort Worth on Saturday, the Southern Methodist University Mustangs and the University of North Texas Mean Green did not fare as well.

TCU

TCU survived Stanford and Ike on Saturday to move to 3-0 in the 2008 season. The Frogs jumped out to a 14 to 0 lead before pulling away in the second half, breaking a 14 to 14 tie at halftime, to win 31 to 14. TCU and Stanford played in the remnants of Hurricane Ike throughout the game battling the wind and rain at Amon G. Carter Stadium. The Frogs were led by Sophomore quarterback Andy Dalton who passed for 145 yards and ran for 91 more. The Frogs also picked up 83 yards rushing from running back Ryan Christian. TCU's defense was dominant holding Stanford of the Pacific 10 Conference to a total of 192 yards offense including only 70 yards rushing. The Frogs will get ready to travel to Dallas next Saturday to play fellow DFW team SMU who lost to Texas Tech by the score of 43 to 7.

SMU

In Lubbock, TX, the Texas Tech Red Raiders intercepted SMU quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell five times shutting down the Mustang "run and shoot" offense. The Red Raiders raced out to a 43 to 0 lead before the Mustangs scored with just over three minutes left in the game to avoid the shut out. Back up quarterback Logan Turner tossed a touchdown pass to Pony receiver Aldrick Robinson for SMU's only score. Mustang receiver Emmanuel Sanders had 125 yards on eight catches. The Mustangs gave up 698 total yards to Tech including an astonishing 181 yards on the ground. Texas Tech, like SMU, is usually not very effective on the ground, but they average 6.7 yards per rushed against SMU. Dallas Carter graduate and Red Raider receiver Michael Crabtree finished the night with 164 yards on eight catches. Next up for the Mustangs will be the DFW Duel and the Battle for the Iron Skillet as they host the TCU Horned Frogs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Saturday, September 20, 2008

UNT

The University of North Texas Mean Green traveled to Baton Rouge, LA to take on Louisiana State University, the defending BCS Champions, losing by a final score of 41 to 3. For UNT, receiver Casey Fitzgerald caught 12 passes for 85 yards, but the Mean Green were held to 210 yards of total offense. UNT averaged 2.5 yards per rush for only 45 yards as the Tigers put to rest any hope that UNT might have for an upset. LSU rolled up 425 total yards of offense with 218 coming on the ground. UNT's Jeremy Knott hit a 33 yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter for the UNT's only score. UNT returns to action on September 27 as they travel to Houston to play the Rice University Owls who lost their game to Vanderbilt on Saturday.