Horned Frogs Fall Short to Iowa State

Saturday, September 26

Fort Worth, Texas

12:30 p.m.

TCU

0-1 , 0-1

Iowa State

1-1 , 1-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Iowa State	0	16	7	14	37
TCU	0	7	14	13	34

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Horned Frogs Fall Short to Iowa State

9/26/2020 5:52:00 PM | Football

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FORT WORTH - TCU kept battling back the entire game before falling short in its season opener, 37-34, Saturday afternoon to Iowa State at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

After tying the game 7-7, the Horned Frogs' next three touchdowns saw them pull within two points each time. Iowa State, though, continually answered on its ensuing series.

Max Duggan, who entered the game for the second half after missing a majority of preseason camp, completed 16-of-19 passes for 241 yards and a career-high tying three touchdown tosses in just two quarters. The Horned Frogs had 499 yards of offense.

Iowa State's Breece Hall ran for three touchdowns with his final score, a 32-yard run on a 3rd-and-2 with 2:54 to play the biggest of them all. It gave the Cyclones a 37-28 lead with 2:54 remaining. Duggan provided the final margin in the game when he connected with Blair Conwright on a 31-yard scoring pass on the final play.

The game was scoreless through the opening quarter before seeing the teams seemingly trade scores over the final three quarters.

Iowa State had 50 yards of total offense on its first 12 plays, before Hall broke free for a 75-yard touchdown to give the Cyclones a 7-0 lead with 9:50 left in the second quarter.

The Horned Frogs immediately answered Iowa State's score with a 9-play, 76-yard drive capped by a 37-yard catch and run by Quentin Johnston from Matthew Downing on a 3rd-and-7. It was the first career scoring catch for Johnston, a true freshman from Temple, Texas, and the first scoring toss for Downing in his first collegiate start.

Iowa State then scored on its next possession. A 49-yard pass from Brock Purdy to Landon Akers put the Cyclones at the TCU 14. The Horned Frogs' defense then stiffened and held Iowa State to a 24-yard field goal by Connor Assalley, giving the Cyclones a lead they would not relinquish. A TCU turnover on the ensuing series then set up Iowa State's next score, a 15-yard pass from Purdy to Darren Wilson to extend the margin to 16-7 at the half.

On the opening possession of the second half, Garret Wallow recorded a sack on Purdy who threw a backwards pass that was returned 24 yards for a touchdown by La'Kendrick Van Zandt. On its next series, Iowa State countered with a 49-yard scoring run by Kene Nwangwu to regain a 9-point lead at 23-14.

A 17-yard punt return by JD Spielman set up TCU at the Iowa State 36. Two plays later, Duggan hit Taye Barber over the middle with a 27-yard touchdown pass to bring the Horned Frogs within 23-21 with 23 seconds left in the third quarter.

Hall's second touchdown, a 1-yard rush, made it 30-21 with 12:52 to play.

Duggan hit Artayvious Lynn over the middle for 48 yards to make it a 30-28 game. Lynn finished with career-high totals of three catches for 62 yards, including his career-long reception for the score.

Up Next
TCU will be at Texas next Saturday. Kickoff time is TBD.