Saturday was not kind to the Big 12's blue-blood programs. On top of No. 5 Oklahoma's 48-41 upset loss at Kansas State, No. 15 Texas dropped its third game of the season at TCU, 37-27. For the Longhorns, such disappointment has been all too common for this program over the past decade. It marks yet another loss preventing this program from turning a corner it so desperately wants to turn.
Texas' defense has been decimated by injuries, and it's been a liability for a good portion of the season. But this was the game that showed what happens when the Longhorns' offense isn't playing at max capability. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger, usually reliable, threw a career-worst four interceptions in the loss. Ehlinger has been fighting an uphill battle this year with more pressure in his face -- TCU had four hurries -- and little help from the ground game. Still, Ehlinger's decision-making lately has been more suspect. Texas' offense has failed to score 30 points for the second time in three games, both losses.
TCU, on the other hand, has found something nice with quarterback Max Duggan, who totaled 300 yards of offense and three touchdowns. Dual-threat quarterbacks continue to be the bane of Texas' existence and Duggan made the Horns pay with some big-time runs. Gary Patterson's Frogs have now won five of their last six against Texas and are 6-2 against the Horns since joining the Big 12.
This would have been a big opportunity for Texas to make up a bit of ground in the race towards the Big 12 title game, but coupled with losses by Oklahoma and Iowa State (to Oklahoma State), the top of the conference just went full ACC Coastal.
