Best TCU Moments Bracket: Dixon Region

We’ve moved to the other side of the bracket now, entering the third of four regions for the Best TCU Moments Bracket!

Let’s dive into the Dixon Region.

#1 Matt Curry CWS Grand Slam vs. #16 Men’s Basketball Beats BU to win SWC

Matt Curry CWS Grand Slam

We have a couple other home runs in the Best Moments Bracket. This might be the biggest one.

Facing elimination, down 7-5, two outs, full count, top of the 8th inning, Matt Curry launched a ball into orbit that legitimately might not have come back to earth yet. There are a couple of things to take note of here.

First, Curry had been crushing baseballs all season long. He finished with 18 home runs and 26 doubles, slugging .667 on the year. Missing a pitch to Curry essentially doomed the opposing pitcher, so while this was a massive, massive moment - he had been making people pay for their mistakes all season. Hanging a curveball wasn’t the way to go right here.

Second, outfielders are taught that if you lose the ball in the air, or know it’s going out, to at least pretend you’re going to catch it to throw off the runners on base. This poor centerfielder tries his best, but everyone and their mothers knew that ball wasn’t staying in Rosenblatt.

Lastly, has anyone run the bases on a dinger faster than Curry did? It’s like he hit it into the corner and was legging out an inside the park home run.

What a moment.

Men’s basketball beats Baylor (1968)

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, beating Baylor is always good. Doing it to secure at least a share of a conference title is even better.

That’s exactly what happened in 1968, when the Frogs upended the Bears to secure a portion of the Southwest Conference title.

#8 Kesler sack to beat OU vs. #9 Johnson stop to win Alamo Bowl

Kessler sack to beat Oklahoma (2005)

There were several big moments in this upset of the No. 7 Sooners in Norman. Most revolved around holding sophomore running back Adrian Peterson at bay. But Jared Kesler had a massive game for the Horned Frogs. The nose tackle had a sack, forced fumble, and fumble recovery on the day, but his sack was a huge moment late in the game.

On fourth and eight, with 1:08 left in the game, as OU was desperately trying to tie the game, Kesler blew up the OU front five and got to quarterback Paul Thompson for the sack, sealing the victory.

Denzel Johnson deflects pass to win Alamo Bowl

in what was one of the greatest comebacks in college football history, TCU stunned Oregon by erasing a 31-point halftime deficit, eventually winning in triple overtime.

It was a chaotic game full of memorable moments, but the play that sealed the victory can’t be overlooked. On fourth and long, needing a touchdown, Oregon backup QB Jeff Lockie dropped back and let it fly towards a relatively open receiver. It looked for a moment as if the Ducks would have a real chance to score before Denzel Johnson flew in and batted the pass down.

#5 Jones to Jones Relay vs. SHSU vs. #12 Song OT FG to win Cheez-It Bowl

Cody Jones to Keaton Jones 13th inning relay

Clutch moments litter this bracket, but none might be more clutch than this relay in the 13th innings against Sam Houston State in the playoffs.

With the game tied and SHSU threatening, Cody Jones fielded a ball deep in the outfield to Keaton Jones. Jones turned around and fired it home, nailing the runner at the plate to continue the game. The Frogs would eventually win in 22 innings.

Jonathan Song kicks game winning OT field goal in Cheez-It Bowl

The most chaotic game TCU football has ever participated in deserves a moment in this bracket. An abundance of interceptions, Sewo Olonilua dominating on the ground, and TCU SID Mark Cohen earning a 15-yard penalty all led us eventually to Jonathan Song’s 27-yard field goal attempt to win in overtime.

#4 #BoykinFlip vs. #13 Rizer Robs Texas HR

BoykinFlip

Trevone Boykin gave is crazy play after crazy play, but the most ridiculous risk of his own health came against Kansas State in 2014. It was a night game against Top 10 teams, the Carter was rocking, and TCU proceeded to absolutely whip the Wildcats.

Along the way Boykin showed his willingness to sacrifice his body with this wild tumble into the end zone.

Johnny Rizer Robs Texas HR

Few things are more inspiring in baseball than the sound of a big loud smash of bat against ball. Few things are more demoralizing if it’s the other team doing it. And when Texas crushed a ball to deep center, Frog fans sunk. But Johnny Rizer came to the rescue but doing a brilliant Bo Jackson wall walk impression - scaling the wall and bringing back the homer.

#6 Reagor Receiving TD vs. Baylor vs. #11 Norrie Clinches Big 12 Title

Reagor Receiving TD vs. Baylor (2018)

Jalen Reagor wowed us for years with his innate ability to make people miss. That’s on full display in this clip from TCU’s 2018 game against Baylor, in which Reagor single-handedly humiliates Baylor’s defense on the way to the end zone.

Norrie Clinches Big 12 Title (2017)

Men’s Tennis has been on an absolute tear over the last several years, but in 2017 they were on another level.

Led by senior Cam Norris and youngster stud Alex Rybakov TCU went on a run through Baylor, Texas, and Texas Tech - three Top 25 squads - to win the Big 12 Championship. Three aces from Norrie in the finals against Baylor led the way during singles play, as TCU lifted the trophy on Baylor’s home court.

#3 LT Rushes for 406 vs. #14 Garlon Green scores 7 straight to beat Kansas

LT Rushes for 406 yards vs. UTEP

In what was a record until just a season ago, LaDainian Tomlinson absolutely smoked UTEP in 1999 to the tune of 406 yards and six touchdowns. TCU won the game 52-24 and afterward LT simply praised his offensive line, saying “I need to buy them a couple of steaks.”

Garlon Green scores seven consecutive points to stave off No. 5 Kansas (2013)

Green scored 20 points on the night, including seven in a row to hold off No. 5 Kansas in Fort Worth. His and-1 basket with almost two minutes left remains one of the iconic moments during a very dark period for TCU basketball.

According to RPI, it was a bigger upset than a 16-seed over a 1-seed, with TCU’s 62-53 victory sending shockwaves through the college basketball landscape.

What makes the moment even stranger is that is was one of only two conference wins for TCU that season.

Watch highlights from the game here.

#7 Mapaya Triple Jump National Champion vs. #10 Bane game winner vs. Ok. St.

Du Mapaya Wins Triple Jump N.C.

Not only did Du Mapaya bring a national title to TCU in 2019, he did so on his sixth and final jump of the night. Here’s the rundown from GoFrogs.com:

Going into his sixth and final jump of the night, Mapaya was in third place after a jump of 16.94m (55-7) in his fifth attempt. On the final jump of the competition, Mapaya jumped 17.13m (56-2.5) passing up event leader Jordan Scott of Virginia (17.01m, 55-9.75) and winning the national championship. It was TCU’s first national title in track and field since Ronnie Baker won the 60m dash in 2016.

Bane hits big three to beat Oklahoma State

TCU basketball has a tendency to let leads slip away late in games. That was exactly the case in 2018 as Oklahoma State surged back into the game in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament.

The Frogs led 54-38 with just over 14 minutes left in the game, but the Pokes chipped away at TCU’s lead until they took the lead, 70-68, with less than a minute remaining.

Thankfully, Desmond Bane stepped up when TCU needed him most.

#2 Doctson 1-handed catch vs. Minnesota vs. #15 Phillips/Henson 4th & 1 stop vs. Stanford

Doctson’s 1-handed catch vs. Minnesota

Many Josh Doctson moments stand out, but this was the first and arguably the finest. In TCU’s opener against Minnesota in 2014, the Frogs debuted their newly built offense with a drubbing of the Gophers.

Doctson was one of many highlights, but the grace and ease with which he made this catch absolutely stands out. It stood out so much that Doctson’s catch was No. 1 on SportsCenter that night.

Jason Phillips and Robert Henson get huge 4th & 1 stop against Stanford (2008)

The game was moved up six hours to try and avoid Hurricane Ike, but weather still impacted the TCU-Stanford game in 2008.

As the Frogs held a 21-14 lead in the fourth quarter, Stanford started driving. Near midfield they faced a 4th and 1, and opted to go for it. Stanford running back Toby Gerhart hit the line hard, but Jason Phillips and Robert Henson hit him harder, stopping him short of the line to gain and forcing a turnover on downs.

TCU capitalized on that play by kicking a field goal, taking a 24-14 lead with 2:24 remaining in the game, essentially sealing the victory.