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TCU enjoys being added to festivities

— TCU could get used to these Thanksgiving games. Given their first chance to play one since 1928, the Horned Frogs beat No. 16 Texas to get the biggest victory of their first season in the Big 12.

Matthew Tucker scored two touchdowns, Jaden Oaberkrom kicked two field goals and TCU’s defense forced four turnovers, three by Texas quarterback David Ash in the first half. Shortly after the Horned Frogs had topped their old Southwest Conference rivals 20-13 Thursday night, purple-clad fans sprinkled among the burnt-orange of Royal-Memorial Stadium chanted “TC-U!”

“I’m going to probably get home some time tomorrow and go out in the street and yell,” TCU Coach Gary Patterson said.

The Horned Frogs (7-4, 4-4) picked off two passes near their goal line to kill Texas scoring drives and picked up an Ash fumble at the Texas 16 that set up Tucker’s second touchdown. The Horned Frogs also dominated the line of scrimmage, running the ball 48 times for 217 yards and passing just 10 times.

Ash was relieved by Case McCoy, who led a late touchdown drive before an interception by Sam Carter in the final two minutes sealed the victory for TCU.

Although Texas (8-3, 5-3) has been a Thanksgiving regular since playing its first game on the holiday in 1895, those contests were usually against Texas A&M. But that rivalry broke apart when the Aggies left the Big 12 for the SEC.

So the Big 12 sent TCU to Austin this year for one shot at the Longhorns - Texas will play Texas Tech on Thanksgiving next year - and the Horned Frogs nailed it with their first victory over a ranked opponent this season.

“To put us on a Thanksgiving game, to be in this place, it’s a long way since when I was here when we started 15 years ago,” Patterson said. “We’re growing as a football team.”

Texas had won four in a row and came in the game with an outside shot at the Big 12 title or a BCS bowl bid with a victory.

“We missed a great opportunity to get back in the mix for some things,” Texas Coach Mack Brown said. “You can’t win a football game when you have four turnovers.”

SWAC TUSKEGEE 27, ALABAMA STATE 25

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Derrick Washington ran for 95 yards and a touchdown and threw a 57-yard pass on a halfback option to help Tuskegee beat Alabama State in the Turkey Day Classic, spoiling the Hornets’ first game at New ASU Stadium.

Washington also had three catches for 32 yards for the Southern Intercollegiate champion Tigers (10-1). Justin Nared was 9 of 16 for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns, a 40-yard pass to Marquel Gardner in the second quarter and a 16-yarder to Kaleep Williams in the third. Gardner had four catches for 149 yards.

Alabama State (7-4) had a chance to tie with 2:04 to play, but Greg Jenkins’ two-point conversion pass failed.

Sports, Pages 24 on 11/23/2012

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