FAYETTEVILLE -- TCU Horned Frogs, in part, were defeated in their own home by players who also wore purple, but in high school.
Before Austin Allen and Brooks Ellis played for Arkansas and had a big part in Saturday's 41-38 double-overtime victory over the Horned Frogs, the played in high school for the purple-clad Bulldogs of Fayetteville.
Arkansas senior middle linebacker Ellis and Brandon Allen, Austin's quarterbacking older brother, had some epic efforts together during their coinciding 2013-2015 Razorbacks' seasons.
None stand out as much as the efforts of Ellis and fourth-year junior/first-year starting quarterback Austin Allen in Saturday's game in Fort Worth.
Despite cramping up after playing four quarters and two overtimes against run-pass quarterback Kenny Hill and a fleet TCU receivers and backs, Ellis led the Razorbacks with 13 tackles, including three behind the line. The linebacker contributed Arkansas' first touchdown intercepting a Hill pass and returning it 47 yards.
"Brooksie has been playing like a man possessed ever since we started fall camp," Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said after the game in Fort Worth. "He's grown so much."
It was Ellis' second outstanding effort in as many games.
After the previous week's 21-20 victory in Fayetteville over the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, Bielema said, "I don't think I've ever coached a game where I had a mike linebacker with zero mental busts, especially for an opener."
Ellis, Bielema said, grew from persevering in 2013 with the Hogs so thin at linebacker while going 0-8 in the SEC that Ellis, then a freshman, became not only a starter, the their best linebacker.
"A lot of these guys battled through all those scars," Bielema said. "Those scars are being remembered in a great way right now."
Bielema said he was amused when TCU fans, assuming that Ellis faked an injury to slow TCU's hurry-up offense, booed as he cramped and required help getting off the field.
"A lot of people were booing," Bielema said. "I really didn't want to take Brooks Ellis out of a game at any point."
Somehow a talk show and message board target for throwing two interceptions despite throwing the winning touchdown against Louisiana Tech, Austin Allen eliminated his turnovers and, hopefully, his critics with a triple threat performance in Fort Worth.
Allen completed 17 of 29 for 223 yards and three touchdowns, caught a 2-point conversion pass from receiver Keon Hatcher and capped it pushing through a pile for the game-winning 5-yard touchdown run.
"I'm telling you he's a great football player," Bielema said.
Certainly a great player on a great night for Fayetteville's purple pride grown up to star in Razorbacks red and white.
Sports on 09/12/2016