TCU
Texas A&M University
Frogs Fall To Aggies In Galleryfurniture.com Bowl
12/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec 28, 2001
By MICHAEL A. LUTZ
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) - Byron Jones intercepted three passes in his first start and Joe Weber scored two touchdowns, helping Texas A&M end a four-game bowl losing streak with a 28-9 victory over TCU in the Galleryfurniture.com Bowl on Friday.
The Aggies beat their former Southwest Conference rivals for the 24th straight time and won a bowl game for the first time since a 22-20 victory over Michigan in the 1995 Alamo Bowl.
The Aggies ended the season 8-4 after losing their final three regular-season games. The Horned Frogs (6-6) haven't beaten the Aggies since 1972 and trail the series 56-29-7.
Weber, voted offensive player of the game, broke a 7-7 second-quarter tie with a 2-yard touchdown run and added a 14-yard run that put the Aggies in control with 1:14 left in the third quarter.
TCU's Casey Painters was intercepted four times, including the first three of Jones' career.
Aggie safety Wes Bautovich got A&M's fourth interception and on the first play after that, Mark Farris hit Mickey Jones with an 82-yard touchdown pass for a 28-7 lead with 14:40 left in the game.
Weber broke straight up the middle on his second touchdown, knocking aside two tacklers and running into the end zone. He finished with 59 yards on nine carries.
Jones earned MVP honors and also was the defensive player of the game with three tackles. His interceptions went for 77 return yards.
Jones, wide receiver Terrence Thomas and tight end Thomas Carriger - all freshmen - helped the Aggies to a 14-7 halftime lead.
Starting in place of injured Sean Weston, Jones had only two broken-up passes on his defensive chart in 11 games before he returned his first interception 62 yards in the first quarter to the Frog 35.
The Aggies couldn't score on that chance but Jones had a 15-yard interception to the TCU 1-yard line in the second quarter, setting up Mark Farris' quarterback keeper for the score.
Charlie Owens scooped up a fumble by A&M running back Derek Farmer and returned it 89 yards for a TCU touchdown with four minutes left in the half for a 7-7 tie. It was the second longest fumble return in school history.
Farris had the last shot at Owens running down the sidelines and missed the tackle.
Thomas then returned the kickoff 43 yards and Carriger, a converted defensive lineman, lumbered 19 yards with his second reception of the season to set up Weber's 2-yard touchdown with 1:06 left in the half.
