An overhead view of the Nov. 17, 1984, football showdown between TCU and the University of Texas at Amon G. Carter Stadium. (photo courtesy of TCU Athletics)

Thirty-two years ago today, No. 12 TCU hosted No. 10 Texas in a Southwest Conference showdown. It was a cold, gray and misty November day, and I remember the waterfall of noise in the stadium as I teed up the ball to kick off. You could feel it.

The Frogs trailed at the half, 10-9, before the Horns broke the game open in the second half, winning 44-23. Still, for the Frogs, it was a landmark day representing TCU football’s climb out of a 20-year ditch. The sellout crowd of 47,000-plus was the largest in Amon G. Carter Stadium history. Check out the photo – they even parked cars on the track! Unbeleeevable!

I knew it was a big game when I saw legendary writer and TCU alumnus Dan Jenkins walk by the locker room on his way to Friday’s practice. Dan didn’t live in Fort Worth back then and was usually off somewhere covering some world championship.

Basketball Time

We’re about to get into the thick of basketball season. The Frogs play six games in the next 16 days. Your next chance to see Jamie Dixon’s group is Friday night at 6 p.m. when Jacksonville State comes to visit Schollmaier Arena. Trivia question for you: What is the Jacksonville State mascot?

Lady Frogs are off to a hot start. They’re 2-0 after a win over Sam Houston State, 81-37. Stat for you: The Lady Frogs led by six at the half, then outscored SHSU 38-5 in the third quarter! Hello, defense! Next up is SMU on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Schollmaier Arena.

More congrats to the TCU Women’s Soccer team and head coach Eric Bell on the program’s first NCAA tournament berth. Great job by TCU Athletics in hosting the first-round game as well.

Just a reminder for you that Thanksgiving Day is a week from today. Better get shopping.

Moore Good News

TCU football student-athlete Caylin Moore has been named a 2016 Rhodes Scholar finalist. The Rhodes Scholarship is one of the oldest and most prestigious scholarships in the world. Only 32 students from the United States are selected each year. Moore, a senior safety, is an economics major with a 3.9 grade-point average.

Frog Football takes on No. 11 Oklahoma State on Saturday morning. OSU’s Mason Rudolph (no relation to the PGA Tour golfer from the 1960s & ’70s) is the hottest quarterback in college football right now, and he’s more accurate with deep throws than short ones. Maybe the cool weather will cool him off.   The temperature at kickoff is going to be in the 40s.

More on the Cowboys tomorrow.

Kick ‘Em High!