TCU-Cal Cheez-It Bowl Postgame Notes

12/27/2018 12:46:00 AM | Football

TCU 10, Cal 7 (OT)

Team Notes  
* TCU posted its 15th winning season in Gary Patterson's 18 years as TCU's head coach.

* Patterson is 7-0 as TCU's head coach versus Pac-12 opponents.

* TCU improved to 17-16-1 in its 34 bowl games.

* The Horned Frogs are 11-6 in bowl games with Patterson as head coach and 13-6 with him on the coaching staff.

* TCU has won 10 of its last 13 bowl games.

* TCU improved to 114-5 when allowing 17 points or less under Patterson.

* The Horned Frogs were a plus-1 in turnover margin and were plus-7 over their last five games after being a minus-12 in their opening eight contests.

* Over the last 14 seasons, TCU is 75-7 when ahead in turnover margin.

* The Horned Frogs' 34:47-to-25:13 edge in time of possession made them 23-1, including 6-0 this season, over the last four years when leading in that area.

* Over the last five seasons, TCU's 47-19 overall record and 30-15 conference mark rank second in the Big 12.

* Ten of the Horned Frogs' last 11 bowl games and 12 of the past 14 have been decided by eight points or less.

* TCU is one of only 18 programs nationally to reach a bowl game in 16 of the last 18 seasons, covering Patterson's head coaching tenure.

* Including Patterson's three seasons (1998-00) as defensive coordinator, TCU is one of just 13 programs in the country to play in at least 19 bowl games over the last 21 seasons.

* TCU played just its third game this season outside the state of Texas.

* TCU and Cal met for the first time. The teams are scheduled for a home-and-home series in the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

* TCU played its first game in a stadium used primarily for baseball. Chase Field is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

* TCU made its third appearance in a bowl game in Arizona, having previously played in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl and 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.

* TCU is now 9-0 in Patterson's tenure when passing for under 100 yards.

* TCU's five sacks tied a season-best from the Baylor game. The Horned Frogs have at least one sack in 67 of their last 70 games.

* TCU's five interceptions were a Cheez-It Bowl record and tied for the most in a game in the 18 seasons with Patterson as head coach. The Horned Frogs also had five picks in a 2012 win at SMU. It's the first time TCU has had five different players with an interception in a game under Patterson.

* TCU scored for the 333rd consecutive game. It's the nation's second-longest current streak and fourth all-time in NCAA history. The Horned Frogs haven't been blanked since Nov. 16, 1991, at Texas (32-0).

* TCU's team captains were Ben Banogu, L.J. Collier, Ridwan Issahaku and Lucas Niang.

* TCU wore a black jersey with purple pants and a purple helmet. It's the second straight game for the Horned Frogs to have that look. TCU also wore that combination in the 31-24 win over Oklahoma State in the regular-season finale and last year's Valero Alamo Bowl win over Stanford.

Individual Notes  
* Sewo Olonilua was named the Cheez-It Bowl Most Valuable Player.

* Olonilua's 194 yards rushing were a TCU bowl record and the most by a Horned Frog since Ed Wesley ran for 209 yards versus Air Force in 2010.

* Olonilua had his first career 100-yard game with his 194 yards, including a season-long 33-yard run. His 32 carries were the most since Joseph Turner had 33 carries against San Diego State in 2007.

* Olonilua's 32 carries were the second-most in TCU bowl history, trailing only LaDainian Tomlinson's 36 versus East Carolina in the 1999 Mobile Alabama Bowl.

* Olonilua's 1-yard touchdown run was his second of the season and 10th of his career.

* Jonathan Song's 27-yard game-winning field goal in overtime made him 9-of-12 on the season and 17-of-20 in his career.

* True freshman quarterback Justin Rogers made his first appearance of the season and had his first career completion.

* Adam Nunez put two punts at or inside the 10-yard line, giving him 11 punts over his last nine games at or inside the 10.

* Taye Barber had a 5-yard reception, giving him a catch in each game this season and multiple grabs in 11 contests.

* Barber is just the second Horned Frog true freshman (KaVontae Turpin, 2015) under Patterson to have a catch in each game of the season.

* Jalen Reagor had a career-long 58-yard punt return.

* Fifth-year senior and graduate student quarterback Grayson Muehlstein made his second career start.

* Tight end Carter Ware made his first career start.

* Jawuan Johnson led TCU with seven tackles, including one for a loss, and his first interception as a Horned Frog. His 72-yard return was the longest by a Horned Frog since Jeff Gladney's 94-yard pick-6 at Texas Tech last season.

* Ty Summers had three tackles, including his 10th career sack, to give him 318 in his career and sole possession of second place for most stops in the 18-season head coaching tenure of Gary Patterson.

* Ben Banogu had sack to give him a team-best 8.5 on the season. He totaled five stops in the game.

* L.J. Collier had his sixth sack of the season, second on the team to Banogu (8.5).

* Arico Evans had a first-quarter sack to give him 2.5 on the season.

* Corey Bethley recorded his fifth sack of the season.

* Jeff Gladney had his second interception of the season and fourth of his career, the most among active Horned Frogs.

* Gladney is the first TCU player with an interception in consecutive games since Innis Gaines in the Valero Alamo Bowl last season and this year's opener against Southern.

* Julius Lewis had his second interception of the season, tying Gladney and Ridwan Issahaku for the team lead. It was the second career interception for Lewis.

* Niko Small had his first interception of the season and third of his career.

* Vernon Scott had his first career interception.

* Montrel Wilson made his first appearance since the Nov. 11 Oklahoma game last season. He missed the previous 16 games due to injury. He had a tackle for loss on his lone stop in the game.