It was a night of records for No. 5 TCU for both the team and individual players as the Horned Frogs defeated Air Force 38-7 Saturday night.
Players that have been part of the team for four years recorded career best yards but it was the younger teammates that made the difference on the field Saturday.
Sophomores Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker made key plays for the Frogs, including Wesley’s two touchdowns of the game. Wesley scored the Frogs first touchdown of the second half with an 8-yard rushing drive. Wesley’s play against Air Force gave him over 100-rushing yards, his fourth game of the season with over 100 yards.
Wesley rushed 13-yards for his second touchdown of the game to bring his total yardage for the game to 209 yards, a personal career high. Wesley’s record was the most scored by a Horned Frog since former player Joseph Turner in 2007.
Wesley was not the only sophomore making key plays against Air Force Saturday night, tailback Tucker rushed for 6-yards to score a touchdown for the Frogs at the end of the third quarter.
Senior quarterback Andy Dalton said that the younger players have accomplished so much this season because of the practice and time they put into the game.
“He’s (Wesley) earned where he’s at today because of the hard work that he’s put in,” Dalton said.
Dalton also made key plays for the Frogs with a career-long 47-yard carry in the third quarter. His carry doubled his previous record, a 24-yard carry.
Dalton said he had never seen as much grass as Air Force allowed when he made his 47-yard carry.
The Horned Frog offense opened strong with a touchdown scored within three minutes of play, on the Frogs opening drive. Dalton drove five yards to earn his 20thcareer rushing touchdown.
Dalton said that from the film the team saw from Air Force prior to the game, he was able to see that the team would have a better chance to run the ball.
The Frogs lead did not last long as Air Force came right back with a touchdown to tie the game in the middle of the first quarter.
Dalton threw his fourth interception of the season during the first quarter, which was returned by Air Force for 19-yards.Dalton’s interception was his first in his last 88 pass attempts, and his first home interception of the season.
Horned Frog kicker Ross Evens brought the Frogs lead back in the second quarter with a 30-yard field goal in the middle of the second quarter.
With under a minute left in the first half, the TCU offense scored a touchdown against the Falcons. Dalton threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jeremy Kerley to strengthen the lead going into halftime.
Head football coach Gary Patterson said that the touchdown before half time was a huge play for the Frogs.
Patterson told the team at half time that Air Force would come out of half time with adjustments and the Frogs needed to adjust to those changes as well.
The Falcons made sure to keep Kerley from making key plays for the Horned Frog offense by deterring its kicking game.
The second half was full of defensive plays by the Frogs, including Dalton’s record breaking run and Wesley’s touchdowns.
The Horned Frogs start its two way game series next Saturday against UNLV in Las Vegas.
