Sonny Dykes unbothered by underdog label as TCU stays undefeated

AUSTIN, Texas — No. 4 TCU clinched a spot within the Huge 12 championship recreation with a 17-10 win over Texas on Saturday, a exceptional climb for a crew that completed 5-7 final season and has a first-year coach in Sonny Dykes.

But, success hasn’t appeared to equal respect for the Horned Frogs (10-0, 7-0 within the Huge 12), as they rolled into Austin as 7.5-point underdogs regardless of being undefeated. After the win, Dykes stated being doubted is simply a part of his crew’s story this season.

“I did not actually know till about Wednesday,” Dykes stated concerning the underdog function. “We do not need to be given issues. That is the one factor that we have talked about all yr. Let’s earn this.”

Dykes, who turned the primary coach in Huge 12 historical past to win his first 10 video games, has continued to remind his crew that they have been picked seventh within the preseason standings, and in the event that they did not take heed to outsiders then, why begin now?

“No one had any expectations for this soccer crew in any respect apart from ourselves,” he stated. “We perceive that is the way in which it’s. Our deal has been, ‘Hey, deliver it on.’ If we have to win ’em all, advantageous; let’s attempt to win ’em all.”

The Horned Frogs needed to alter from their common offensive fireworks resulting from Texas’ defensive stress, as a substitute utilizing a stifling protection to carry Texas to 199 complete yards, its fewest in a house recreation for the reason that Huge 12 started play in 1996. Bijan Robinson had simply 29 dashing yards on 12 carries, his fewest previously two seasons, and Texas’ three offensive factors (the Longhorns’ lone landing got here on a fumble return late within the fourth quarter) have been its fewest at residence since a 66-3 loss to UCLA in 1997. And TCU did it in entrance of 104,203 followers, the second-largest crowd in Darrell Ok Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium historical past.

Since TCU joined the Huge 12 in 2012, the Horned Frogs are 8-3 in opposition to Texas, together with 5-1 in Austin.

Linebacker Johnny Hodges, a switch from Navy in his first season with TCU, stated it was “loopy” that the Frogs have been underdogs and that the protection has taken notice of criticism from the Faculty Soccer Playoff committee about its efficiency.

“We’ve got our personal chips,” Hodges stated, “[like] clearly the disrespect that we get from the nation. I believe our protection has a bit chip, a bit one thing to show.”

Dykes referred to as the unit’s efficiency “nearly as good as I’ve ever been round” as a head coach.

“I assumed [defensive coordinator] Joe Gillespie did an excellent job, had an actual sense of what Texas was making an attempt to do and made some nice calls,” Dykes stated. “I imply, to carry this offense to a few factors, are you kidding? That is an offense filled with future NFL gamers, draft picks. I assumed it was a hell of a efficiency.”