TCU’s record sixteen-game winning streak ended at Oklahoma State on Saturday. Future Horned Frog teams can try to better it, and the 2015 squad can aim for several huge goals in the final games of the season, Gary Patterson said at his weekly press conference.

Moving forward first necessitates beating woebegone Kansas in Fort Worth and protecting an 11-game home winning streak. The Frogs can then devote attention to the final two contests against Oklahoma and Baylor.

A pre-game ceremony on Saturday will honor the senior football players. The athletes in this class started TCU’s Big 12 era. Before they played a down as conference members, football fans across the country wondered if the Frogs could compete in a “power five” conference. The team answered by not only holding its own, but winning the conference in 2014 and achieving a stunning 20-2 record in the last two seasons.

The senior celebration comes on the heels of one of those two losses, but the Frogs need to dust it off, Patterson said: “Onward and upward.”

“They’ve done an unbelievable job of fighting through everything that they’ve fought through, to be where we’re at right now.”
Gary Patterson

In spite of volumes of accomplishments, the TCU football program seems to be continually climbing mountains to find respect. The Frogs fell to No. 12 in the national coaches poll after losing on the road to an undefeated conference foe.

The day in Stillwater started on the wrong foot with issues with the pre-game meal, Patterson said. After the loss, the team had to change travel plans and didn’t arrive in Fort Worth until the middle of the night. “It wasn’t a Frog day, I can promise you that,” Patterson said.

On the field, TCU outgained Oklahoma State by more than 200 yards but lost by 20. The second-half defense held the Cowboys to just two first downs and forced five consecutive three-and-outs, but the result wasn’t acceptable, the head coach said. “I need to do a better job of calling defense. Plain and simple, when it’s not going, it’s my fault, not their fault.”

Patterson refused to play the blame game, an understandable choice given the adversity following the Frogs all season. Josh Doctson, who will see a specialist Tuesday night, left the OSU game in the first half with a problematic wrist. Offensive lineman Halapoulivaati Vaitai, safety Derrick Kindred and cornerback Nick Orr are also slowed with persistent injuries, the coach said.

Despite the spate of sidelined players, the offense is still operating near full capacity. TCU leads the nation with seven games of at least 600 yards of total offense. Trevone Boykin also tops the country in total offense. Patterson seemed to bristle at the idea that one subpar game could cost the quarterback a shot at the Heisman trophy. “If you look at the numbers, he’s been phenomenal compared to a lot of the quarterbacks that have won over the last 15 years,” he said. “I don’t think he can be counted out.”

Redeeming the setback, for Boykin and the rest of the team, starts Saturday against 0-9 Kansas. TCU has never lost to the Jayhawks but had to mount a comeback to escape Lawrence with a win last year. The Jayhawks’ charismatic new coach David Beaty possesses several weapons in the offensive ranks. He also poached Kenny Perry, who coached the Frog cornerbacks last year, as his defensive coordinator.

“I don’t think he can be counted out.”
Gary Patterson on Trevone Boykin's Heisman chances.

While the 2015 version of TCU’s legendary purple pyramid will contain a white spot due to last Saturday’s loss, the team has demonstrated a capacity to overcome adversity and keep moving up, Patterson said. “They’ve done an unbelievable job of fighting through everything that they’ve fought through, to be where we’re at right now.”

The resilience springs in large part from the leadership of the seniors who will be honored on Saturday.

One of the athletes to be celebrated is Aaron Green, who is on pace for TCU’s first 1,000-yard season since Ed Wesley ran for 1,078 in 2010. Another is kicker Jaden Oberkrom, who leads all active college players in career field goals and is four shy of the Big 12 career record.

The seniors still have big dreams to reach for, including a second consecutive “New Year’s Six” bowl game, a possible Big 12 championship and an “outside chance” at a playoff spot, Patterson said. “Stranger things have happened.”