HOUSTON — In a Texas Bowl with a Southwest Conference flavor, TCU took care of it's old rivals from Houston.

Andy Dalton ran for a touchdown and Justin Watts had the go-ahead score to help TCU to a 20-13 win over Houston on Friday night in the Texas Bowl.

It is TCU's third bowl victory in as many years, the first time since 1936-39 the Horned Frogs have achieved the feat. They started their bowl winning streak with a win over Iowa State in this bowl in 2005 when it was known as the Houston Bowl.

The Horned Frogs and Cougars were once part of the Southwest Conference, but went separate ways after the league folded in 1996, though they were Conference USA rivals for a short time.

Dalton was 21-of-30 for 249 yards with one interception. Watts and Christian combined for 88 yards rushing on 12 carries.

TCU (8-5) took its first lead of the game when Watts wove through the defense and danced into the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown that made it 17-10 early in the fourth quarter.

Watts and Ryan Christian split carries against Houston (8-5) after starter Joseph Turner injured his knee in the first quarter and didn't return.

A 15-yard leaping reception by Jimmy Young on third down kept that drive going. Young outjumped Carson Blackmon to grab the ball and managed to keep his left leg in bounds as he landed.

It was initially ruled an incomplete pass, but the call was overturned after a review by officials.

The Cougars had a chance to tie it with less than 30 seconds to play but Case Keenum's pass sailed just beyond the fingertips of Jeron Harvey in the end zone.

He had two more shots at the end zone, but the ball fell short on the first one and Chase Ortiz hit him as he threw the second one to end the game.

Keenum was hurried and harassed by TCU most of the night and was sacked five times. He was 23-of-38 for 335 yards. Donnie Avery had 10 receptions for 120 yards.

Playing without coach Art Briles, who left in late November to coach at Baylor, the Cougars extended their bowl losing streak to eight games. Their last bowl win came in the 1980 Garden State Bowl.

Interim coach Chris Thurmond led a Houston team that often looked confused and shaky against TCU.

Dalton broke TCU's single-season record for completions with 208 when he found Shae Reagan for a 9-yard reception later in the second quarter.




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