Wahoo Wire

Pasadena – CA: The Rose Bowl is called “The Granddaddy of Them All” and the first of the new decade definitely lived up to the billing as upstart #4 seed TCU shocked the #1 seed Alabama Crimson Tide 26-13 to secure a place in the National Championship next week.

Alabama seemed to have the momentum in the first quarter after holding TCU to a field goal on a possession starting from the Alabama 40.  And with two big plays from the Tide running backs to set up two field goal attempts, it looked like Alabama was well on their way to their 16^th win this season.

But the momentum changed dramatically when Leigh Tiffin’s attempt from 44 yards was shanked wide left and TCU running back Matthew Tucker took the next play 73 yards the other way for a touchdown.

“Deflating.  Absolutely deflating,” said Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban about that exchange.  “It obviously hurts to see three points fly just wide of the post, but to then have six put up against you right after is real bad.”

But the slide was just beginning.  After going three and out on the next possession, Alabama gave up a 53-yard touchdown run, this time to Edward Wesley, to suddenly make it 17-3.

Courtesy of zimbio.com

TCU’s defense did their jobs as well in the quarter holding Alabama to three three-and-outs on five possessions and preventing Alabama from making any sort of response before the half.  By the time the two teams went into the tunnel for the half, TCU had a commanding 23-3 lead and Alabama was left shell-shocked.

“They’re a great football team and it’s about time people realized what a great job Gary [Patterson] has done there,” Saban said.  “I just wished it didn’t have to come against us.”

By the end of the contest, TCU had pounded Alabama for 368 rushing yards and had two running backs rush for over 100 yards for the second time this postseason.

“We obviously had a great day running the ball,” TCU coach Patterson said afterwards.  “They have a great back over there with [Mark] Ingram, but we have a few in our locker room as well and I’m glad they got a chance to show the country what they can do.”

After winning all of their games this season, TCU did feel that they were being overlooked in favor of some of the more prestigious programs.

“Yeah it motivated us, I’m not going to lie to you,” said quarterback Andy Dalton.  “We spent the whole week listening to how great Alabama were but we came out and showed how good we are today.”

“It’ll probably happen again next week too, but that’s fine with us.”

TCU will remain in Pasadena for another week as they will play the winner of tonight’s Sugar Bowl between #2 seed Texas and #6 seed Florida.  The Horned-Frogs are excited about both possible matchups that stand in their way of a third National Title, the school’s first since the Great Depression.

“Whoever we play will be one of the best quarterbacks in the history of college football,” Dalton said.  “Whether it’s [Colt] McCoy or [Tim] Tebow, it’ll be a challenge, and we’ll be looking forward to it.  We showed today we can play with the best and it’s only fitting that we’ll have to play one of the best if we’re going to win.”