BOWL ROUNDUP \ Friday’s late games
TCU 20, Houston 13
HOUSTON — Andy Dalton ran for a touchdown and Justin Watts had the go-ahead score to help TCU over Houston 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. 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.
Oregon St. 21, Maryland 14
SAN FRANCISCO — Yvenson Bernard couldn’t be stopped, and Oregon State’s defense never let Maryland get started. Bernard rushed for 177 yards and a touchdown in his final college game, and Oregon State grinded out a victory in a rain-soaked Emerald Bowl. James Rodgers rushed for 115 yards, caught an early TD pass and recovered Bernard’s fumble for the second half’s only score as the Beavers (9-4) won their fourth consecutive bowl game under coach Mike Riley and snapped Ralph Friedgen’s three-game postseason winning streak at Maryland. Sean Canfield returned from a three-game absence to pass for 68 yards in relief of injured Lyle Moevao. But Canfield mostly did what Oregon State does best: Hand off to Bernard, who had 38 carries to finish as the second-leading rusher in school history, and Rodgers, the Beavers’ multitalented freshman. Chris Turner passed for 205 yards and hit Isaiah Williams and Darrius Heyward-Bey with first-quarter TD passes, but the Terrapins (6-7) stalled in the second half of their fifth loss in seven games. The Beavers’ vaunted rushing defense — ranked second in the nation — was just as good as Maryland feared, holding the Terrapins to 2 yards on the ground in the first three quarters.
Associated Press