Kansas, for whatever reason, has always kind of been a pain in the behind for TCU since it joined the Big 12. Finally, though, those close calls came back to bite the Horned Frogs in the butt.
The Jayhawks finally got a win over the Frogs -- their first since 1997 -- on a butt fumble, of all things. It was a back-and-forth game from start to finish and a low-key upset alert in the making all along. But with TCU driving late in the fourth quarter and reaching Kansas' red zone, it looked like it might pull out another close win. However, down 27-24 and facing a first-and-goal at the 9-yard line with just over a minute remaining, running back Darius Anderson piled right into the backside of one of his offensive lineman. The impact caused the ball to jar loose and Kansas recovered. The Jayhawks would go on to win 27-26 after taking a safety to try to run out the clock. It ends a 14-game conference losing streak for Kansas.
Here's the butt fumble in TCU-Kansas. Wow. pic.twitter.com/6YjxewAKbm
— Max Olson (@max_olson) October 27, 2018
The fumble is an unfortunate cap on what has been a disastrous week for the TCU program. Following a 52-27 loss to Oklahoma in Week 8, coach Gary Patterson announced that starting quarterback Shawn Robinson was lost for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. Then, Patterson kicked star wideout and return man KaVontae Turpin off of the team after it was revealed the senior was arrested twice for assault with bodily injury of a family member.
Now, with one month left in the season, TCU finds itself at the absolute bottom of the Big 12 standings. Getting three wins in the next four weeks to become bowl eligible looks like a remarkably tall task. (Additionally, Ohio State can officially no longer call the Frogs a quality win.)
Patterson has been the head coach at TCU for nearly two decades. During his tenure the Frogs have enjoyed historically great success, from a Rose Bowl victory to an ascension into the Power Five ranks. Patterson has orchestrated 11 10-win seasons in all. But, like every program, TCU has its down years. Except when TCU falls, I'll be damned if it doesn't seem to fall hard on its ass.
