2015

Valero Alamo Bowl | Saturday, January 2, 2016
#11 TCU 47 vs. #15 Oregon 41 (3OT)

Attendance: 64,569
ESPN Viewership: 7,414,406
Team Payout: TBD

Offensive MVP: Bram Kohlhausen, QB, TCU
Defensive MVP: Travin Howard, LB, TCU
Fred Jacoby Sportsmanship Award: Rodney Hardrick, Oregon

Head Coaches: Gary Patterson (TCU), Mark Helfrich (Oregon)
Final Records: TCU 11-2, Oregon 9-4

Game Recap

For the second consecutive year, the Valero Alamo Bowl saw a furious second half comeback. TCU scored 31 consecutive points in the second half after a first half in which the Horned Frogs were the victim of a 31-0 Oregon onslaught. The two teams traded punches in overtime before TCU quarterback Bram Kohlhausen and the Horned Frog defense secured a win in the third OT period.

Kohlhausen sparked the second half rally with 248 passing yards and two total touchdowns. TCU drove down the field with only minutes remaining in regulation and running back Aaron Green capped it off with a two-yard score to cut the lead to three. Oregon’s final drive stalled, and the Ducks punted the ball away with only two minutes left in the game. A Horned Frogs’ field goal in the final seconds sent the game into overtime knotted at 31.

The two teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime period as Kohlhausen found Emanuel Porter for a TD and Oregon running back Royce Freeman pounded in his third TD of the game. But the touchdowns ended there for Oregon. TCU and the Ducks held each other to field goals on their next overtime possession, leading to triple overtime.

In the third overtime period, Kohlhausen found the endzone to give TCU a 47-41 lead, but they could not add the two-point conversion. However, a bad snap on 3^rd down by Oregon led to a TCU sack, and the Horned Frogs batted away a desperation pass on fourth down to finish the game victorious.

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

ORE: Vernon Adams Jr. 37-yd pass to Darren Carrington (kick good)
ORE: Royce Freeman 2-yd run (kick good)
ORE: Royce Freeman 5-yd run (kick good)

2nd Quarter

ORE: Royce Freeman 1-yd run (kick good)
ORE: Adams Jr. 2-yd run (kick good)
ORE: Adams Jr. 9-yd pass to Carrington (kick good)

3rd Quarter

TCU: Bram Kohlhausen 2-yd run (Jaden Oberkrom kick)
TCU: Kohlhausen 1-yd run (kick good)
TCU: Aaron Green 2-yd run (kick good)
TCU: Kohlhausen 24-yd FG (tie game to send into OT)

4th Quarter

TCU: Kohlhausen 1-yd run (kick good)

Overtime 1

TCU: Bram Kohlhausen 17-yd pass to Emanuel Porter (kick good)
ORE: Royce Freeman 1-yd run (kick good)

Overtime 2

TCU: Jaden Oberkrom 44-yd FG
ORE: Dylan Carlson 37-yd FG

Overtime 3

TCU: Bram Kohlhausen 2-yd run (two-point attempt failed)

Final Score

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	OT1	OT2	OT3	Total
TCU	0	0	17	14	7	3	6	47
ORE	21	10	0	0	7	3	0	41

Team Stats

Category	Oregon Ducks	TCU Horned Frogs
First Downs	21	27
3rd Down Efficiency	4-16	4-18
4th Down Efficiency	2-4	3-4
Total Yards	419	545
Passing Yards	233	371
Comp-Att	20-35	30-47
Yards per Pass	6.7	7.9
Interceptions Thrown	0	1
Rushing Yards	186	174
Rushing Attempts	48	47
Yards per Rush	3.9	3.7
Penalties	5-24	8-83
Turnovers	1	1
Fumbles Lost	1	0
Possession Time	24:18	35:42

Individual Stats

Passing (Comp–Att–Yds–TD)

TCU: Bram Kohlhausen 28–45, 351 yds, 2 TD
ORE: Vernon Adams Jr. 13–19, 197 yds, 1 TD

Rushing (Att–Yds–TD)

TCU: Bram Kohlhausen 12–45–2; Aaron Green 25–101–1
ORE: Royce Freeman 31–130–3

Receiving (Rec–Yds–TD)

TCU: Shaun Nixon 9–71–0; Emanuel Porter 1–17–1
ORE: Darren Carrington 2–44–2

Game Notes

THIRD TIMES A CHARM: The Valero Alamo Bowl added an exciting new chapter to its history in the 2016 game as TCU and Oregon battled to a 47-41 finish in a three-overtime game. The Alamo Bowl had previously never experienced more than one overtime period in a game, and the Ducks and Horned Frogs set a new benchmark for excitement with three overtime periods.

ALL-TIME ALAMO BOWL ATTENDANCE: A sellout crowd of 64,569 saw the #11 TCU Horned Frogs rally from the biggest first half deficit in Valero Alamo Bowl history to win, the 11th largest crowd in the Bowl’s 23-year history.

CAN I GET AN EXTENSION?: For only the third time in Valero Alamo Bowl history 60 minutes were not enough to declare a winner as TCU and Oregon went into overtime. The Horned Frogs secured the victory with four touchdowns from quarterback Bram Kohlhausen and stellar performance by the TCU defense. This year’s game was the first overtime since the 2008 Valero Alamo Bowl when Chase Daniel and the Missouri Tigers bested Northwestern. The Alamo Bowl’s first overtime game was in 2002 as Barry Alvarez’ Wisconsin team outlasted Colorado 31-28.

HALVES AND HALVE NOTS: The Valero Alamo Bowl experienced its usual array of offensive yards and points as TCU and Oregon pushed the game into overtime knotted at 31. It was how the two teams got to 62 points that was unusual. Oregon scored 31 points while holding the Horned Frogs scoreless in the game’s opening half. TCU played the scoring aggressor in the second half leaping right back into the game with a 31-point scoring explosion, while holding the Ducks scoreless. It is the first time in Valero Alamo Bowl history that a team has been held scoreless at halftime and then held its opponent scoreless in the second half. The Frogs’ 31 unanswered points was also the most consecutive points score in bowl history.

BUCKING THE TREND: Oregon scored the first 31 points of the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl, but TCU score the most points as the Horned Frogs blew past the Ducks in the second half and won in triple overtime. Oregon came into the game 6-1 this season when scoring first and 23-1 under Coach Mark Helfrich when drawing first blood but the TCU was able to withstand the Ducks early surge and win in the end.

PERFECT PATTERSON: After TCU’s 47-41 triple-overtime win in the 2014 Valero Alamo Bowl, Gary Patterson is now 5-0 against Pac 12 opponents.

BRAM RAMS IT IN THE END ZONE: TCU quarterback Bram Kohlhausen scored his first career rushing touchdown on a 2-yard scramble late in the third quarter of the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl. The fourth-down play capped a 7-play drive and gave the Horned Frogs 17 unanswered points in the third quarter.

KICKING DOWN HISTORY’S DOOR: With a 24-yard field goal to open the second half, TCU’s senior place kicker Jaden Oberkrom set the Big 12 record for most field goals made with 76 total for his career. Oberkrom connected on two more field goals, one tying the game with 19 seconds remaining in regulation, and the other coming in the second overtime as his 44-yard kick knotted the score at 41 forcing a third and final overtime.

GOING OUT WITH A BANG: Bram Kohlhausen saved his best game for his last game as a Horned Frog in the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl. The senior quarterback racked up 351 passing yards on 28-45 passing with two touchdowns through the air. He also added 45 yards and two scores on the ground. His 351 passing yards marked the 8th time in bowl game history a quarterback threw for 300 or more yards.

RUN HOME AARON: Senior TCU running back and San Antonio native Aaron Green rushed for 101 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown in the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl. This was Green’s sixth 100-yard effort this season and the 10th of his career.

HOWARD HAULS IN TACKLES, HONORS: Travin Howard led the way for the Horned Frogs defense throughout the night, tallying 13 total tackles, one sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Howard’s effort earned him 2016 Valero Alamo Bow Defensive MVP honors. His 13 tackles were his second highest total this season, only behind his 19-tackle performance against Baylor. His first half sack was the first of his career.

BEND BUT DON’T BREAK: The TCU defense surrendered 376 total yards and 31 points to Oregon’s offense in the first half. It was a different story, however, after halftime. The Frogs held Oregon to just 43 yards in the second half, and didn’t allow a score until the overtime periods.

RUNNING AWAY WITH IT: Oregon running back Royce Freeman moved to first place in Oregon single season rushing yards with his 130-yard rushing performance in Oregon’s 47-41 loss against TCU in the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl. The sophomore runner passed Duck legends LaMichael James, Kenjon Barner and Jonathan Stewart to move into sole possession of first place. He now has 1,836 yards this season and 17 100-yard rushing games in his short career.

MR. EFFICIENCY: Before the leaving the game with an injury, Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. continued his trend of impressive passing performances with 197 yards and a touchdown, completing 13 of his 19 passes. Adams came into the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl leading the nation in passing efficiency with a 179.57 rating.

MR. TOUCHDOWN: Royce Freeman scored three rushing touchdowns in the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowls to move into a tie for fifth place in Oregon history for single season rushing TDs. Freeman, who has 17 rushing touchdowns and two receiving TDs this season, also moved into a tie for fourth place in single season total TDs, equaling his own mark from one year ago.

DID I CATCH A NINER IN THERE?: Freshman do-it-all running back Shaun Nixon caught nine passes for 71 yards in TCU’s 47-41 win in the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl. His nine receptions matched a career-high set against Oklahoma State earlier this season.

CAN’T SEE DEFOREST FOR THE SACKS: DeForest Buckner registered the 18th sack of his Duck career in the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl to move into a tie for tenth place all-time in Oregon career sacks. The senior defensive end also ranks ninth in career tackles for a loss at Oregon.

AHMAD AIN’T MAD ATCHA: With his three rushing touchdowns in the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl, Royce Freeman moved past Oregon and NFL legend Ahmad Rashad in career total touchdowns, placing him fifth on the Ducks all-time list. The sophomore running back now has 37 touchdowns in his Duck career.

A CITY SO NICE HE COACHED HERE TWICE: Mark Helfrich made his second appearance in the Valero Alamo Bowl as Oregon head coach in the Ducks’ 47-41 loss in the 2016 Valero Bowl. Helfrich joins coaching greats Joe Paterno, Hayden Fry, Bill Snyder, Lloyd Carr, R.C. Slocum, Frank Solich, Joe Tiller and Kirk Ferentz. Helfrich coached the Ducks to 30-7 win against the Texas Longhorns in his first appearance at the Valero Alamo Bowl, beating Texascoach Mack Brown, who leads all coaches with three Alamo Bowl appearances.

WE’RE GOING STREAKING!: The Oregon Ducks continued their streak of consecutive games with a passing touchdown when Vernon Adams connected with Darren Carrington for a 37-yard TD in the first quarter of the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl. The Ducks have had a TD pass in 81 consecutive games dating back to September 4, 2010, when Darron Thomas threw two TD passes in a 72-0 win against New Mexico. The streak is the longest ever and broke a 69 consecutive game mark set by Texas Tech from Sept. 23, 2006 to Oct. 22, 2011.

WHY WAIT?
Oregon’s 31-0 first quarter lead against TCU in the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl set a record for the largest
first half deficit in Alamo Bowl history. The first quarter throttling bested UCLA’s 31-6 lead in last year’s
Alamo Bowl. Oregon jumped to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, also marking the largest first quarter
deficit in Valero Alamo Bowl history. The first quarter scoring blast tied an Alamo Bowl record for most
first quarter points, equaling the mark set by Baylor in its 67-56 win in the 2011 Valero Alamo Bowl.

HALFWAY TO NOWHERE: Oregon blanked TCU 31-0 in the first half of the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl, marking the first time the Horned Frogs have been shut out in the first half of a game this season. Oregon jumped to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, also marking the first time the Horned Frogs have been shut out in a quarter this season.

UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY: Oregon’s 31-0 first half lead against TCU in the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl is the only first opening half shutout in the Alamo Bowl since Penn State’s 14-0 lead in the 1999 bowl.

FULL NELSON: Oregon wide receiver Charles Nelson moved to third in single season kick return yards with 14-yard return on the opening play of the 2016 Valero Alamo Bowl. Nelson, who had 120 return yards in Oregon’s 47-41 loss against TCU, passed Chris Oldham on the all-time list, trailing only Kenjon Barner and De’Anthony Thomas.