FIRST DRIVE SHUTOUS
The Cougar defense has shutout its opponents on their opening drive for 17-consecutive games, including Saturday against the Horned Frogs. The last team to score on its opening drive was UNLV, Oct. 25, 2003 when the Rebels managed a field goal to open the game. The last team to score a touchdown on its opening drive against the Cougars was Colorado State on Oct. 9, 2003. It has now been 19 games since BYU has allowed its opponents to score a touchdown on its opening drive.
QUITE AN ENTRANCE
Freshman Luke Ashworth caught the first pass of his career on BYU's opening drive against TCU. John Beck found him open on the left side of the field for a 34-yard gain.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
When Zac Collie caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from John Beck on BYU's first drive of the day, it was the 13th touchdown scored by the Collie family for the Cougars. Zac's father, Scott Collie, scored four TD's when he played for the Cougars from 1979-82 and his brother Austin scored eight as a freshman in 2004. Zac added the 14th for the family later in the first quarter on a 37-yard reception from Beck to put BYU up 21-10. It was the second two-game touchdown for a member of the Collie family. Austin scored two against San Diego State in 2004.
LONGEST SCORE AND ONE-PLAY DRIVES
John Beck's 39-yard touchdown pass to Todd Watkins in the first quarter against TCU was the longest scoring play of the season for the Cougars. Later in the third quarter, Beck hit Watkins in stride for a 67-yard score on the first play of the drive. In overtime, Beck found Watkins for a 25-yard touchdown on the first play. All of Watkins' scores came on one-play drives.
STARTING WITH A TD
When Zac Collie caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from John Beck on BYU's first possession, it was the second-consecutive game the Cougars scored on their opening drive. Curtis Brown scored on a one-yard run to open the game against Eastern Illinois.
FROM ENDZONE TO ENDZONE
Following Beck's 39-yard touchdown pass to Todd Watkins in the first quarter against TCU to put BYU up 14-0, Cory Rodgers returned Jared McLaughlin's kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. It was the first time since BYU played Stanford in 2004 that an opposing team returned a kickoff for a score.
FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME
The Cougar offense exploded for 21 points in the first quarter against TCU behind the passing of John Beck. It was the first time BYU scored 21 points in the opening frame since a 56-34 win over Colorado State Nov. 1, 2001.
GOING DEEP
Jared McLaughlin's career-long 47-yard field goal in the third quarter against TCU put the Cougars up 27-16. His previous long was 35 yards against Boston College in the season opener. Junior Derek McLaughlin also got into the action, booting a 60-yard punt in the second quarter, his longest punt since joining the Cougars. While at the University of Washington, McLaughlin had a school-record 74-yarder against the University of California. That game he had seven punts for 348 yards for a 49.7-yard average. Four of his punts went for 50 yards or more.
CAREER HIGHS AND SINGLE-GAME RECORDS
When John Beck completed a 37-yard pass to Jonny Harline he had 420 passing yards, surpassing his career high of 390, which came against Boise State in 2004. He finished the day with a Mountain West single-game record 517 yards. Beck also set a new career high and tied a MWC record for touchdown passes with five when he completed a 25-yard scoring strike to Todd Watkins in the third quarter. His previous high was four against Air Force in 2004 when the Cougars won 41-24. Watkins finished with 176 yards and a MWC record three touchdowns. His previous high for was 211 yards against Boise State in 2004 and his previous touchdown record was one.
TOP 40s
When Curtis Brown punched the ball in from one yard out in the fourth quarter against TCU, BYU hit the 40-point mark for the second-straight game. The last time the Cougars had back-to-back 40-point games was in 2004 when they put up 41 against Air Force and 49 on San Diego State. The Cougars finished the game with 50 points, marking the first time BYU has scored 50 points in a game since Nov. 1, 2001 against Colorado State. The Cougars defeated CSU, 56-34.
BIG-TIME YARDS
The BYU offense racked up 614 yards of total offense, including 97 on the ground and 517 in the air. It was the first time BYU had over 600 yard total offense since the Cougars had 615 yards against Syracuse in 2002. It was the first time since 1999 BYU had over 500 passing yards when Kevin Feterik had 501 against Washington. Saturday's game was the first time a quarterback had three-or-more touchdown passes since 2004 against San Diego State when Beck had three. Three of those touchdowns went to Todd Watkins, making it the first time since 2001 when Doug Jolley had three against Air Force. One of his scores was a 67-yard grab, the first time BYU scored on a 50-yard-or-more passing play since Austin Collie caught an 82-yarder against San Diego State in 2004. Watkins' 176 yards was the first time a receiver had 150-or-more yards since he had 153 against Air Force in 2004.
OVERTIME
Before Saturday's loss to TCU, BYU was 5-0 in overtime games since overtime was implemented. BYU's last overtime game was a 27-20 victory over UNLV in 2003.
TCU NOTES
Cory Rodgers' first kickoff return of the game was the 60th of his career, making him TCU's career leader. The previous mark was 59 (Toby Morey, 1989-91).
Rodgers' 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was his second of the season and his career. He's the only player in the Mountain West Conference to return a kickoff for a touchdown this year.
The touchdown made Rodgers the TCU career leader in kickoff return yards. He now has 1,552. The previous mark was 1,513 (LaTarence Dunbar, 1999-02).
Rodgers is one of only six Frogs in history to return a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. The last was Dunbar vs. SMU in 2000.
Rodgers' 137 yards receiving today gave him 1,735 in his career, moving him ahead of Richard Woodley (1,620, 1990-93) and John Washington (1,685, 1993-96) into seventh place.
Rodgers had nine receptions and now has 127 in his career, moving him past Stanley Washington (125, 1979-82) into sixth on the TCU all-time list.
Rodgers has 13 touchdowns receiving to move him into a tie for fourth on the TCU career list with Dunbar and Kelly Blackwell (1988-91).
Chris Manfredini's 43-yard field goal was the longest of his career. His previous best was 41 yards while kicking for Cincinnati against Memphis in 2003. Manfredini's three field goals made him 4-of-4 on the year and 14-of-15 in his career. The three field goals were one shy of a career-best four against Louisville in 2003.
Tye Gunn moved into 10th place on the TCU career list for passing yards with 3,132. He climbed ahead of Jeff Dover (2,947, 1996-99) with a 2-yard first-quarter completion to Michael DePriest. Next on the list is Steve Bayuk in ninth place with 3,256 (1975-78).
Gunn left the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury and did not return.
Defensive tackle Zarnell Fitch recorded his first career interception. Fitch later added his first career full sack.
Strong safety Ken Lewis also had the first full sack of his TCU career.
A 55-yard second-quarter pass completion from Gunn to DePriest was TCU's longest play from scrimmage this year.
Wide receiver Quentily Harmon had six receptions for 51 yards after entering the game with three catches for 20 yards on the season.
Defensive tackle Cody Moore suffered a first-half ankle injury and did not return.
Fullback William Jackson's 1-yard fourth quarter scoring run on a fourth-and-goal was his first career touchdown.
Aaron Brown's 35-yard scoring reception was the first touchdown of his career.
Jeff Ballard's 35-yard touchdown pass to Brown was his first of the season and second of his career.
TCU played in back-to-back overtime games for the first time in school history. The Horned Frogs are now 5-4 in OT.
The 51 points scored by TCU was the most since putting up 62 at Houston on Oct. 25, 2003.
Jeff Ballards's eight completions on 12 attempts for 150 yards and two touchdowns were all career-highs.