By Melissa Triebwasser
Frogs Today staff writer
The fans have stormed the field a few times this season.
They hopped the barriers and surrounded TCU after the Horned Frogs knocked off then-No. 18 Oklahoma for their first Big 12 win of the season and the first victory over the Sooners since 2014.
They did it again after TCU vanquished a top-10 Oklahoma State team in double overtime.
By the time they wrapped up their fourth win over a ranked opponent, the Frogs were the higher ranked team but a few fans — mostly young kids — trickled down after TCU rallied to topple Kansas State.
In Waco, it appeared that the Baylor brethren would do the field-storming, until a last-second field goal shocked the Bears and left TCU fans crying tears of joy as they high-fived and hugged anyone within arm’s reach in purple.
Of all the field storms of the season, Saturday night’s may have been the most subdued but also the most joyous. As fans took pictures with TCU players, mobbed coach Sonny Dykes and his staff and high-fived athletic director Jeremiah Donati, there was a sense of catharsis on the field. The Frogs had exercised so many demons this season, and after throttling Iowa State 62-14 to make it a 12-0 regular season, found themselves one win away from a spot in the College Football Playoff.
We love a good redemption story in sports. Whether it’s overcoming long odds, seeking forgiveness for past sins or watching a David rise up against long odds to overcome Goliath, fans love to root for an underdog in any form or fashion
The story of TCU football in 2022 has felt like a redemption story. The Frogs have exercised the Oklahoma demon, paid back a walk-off winner in Waco, beat Texas in Austin with their former coach in burnt orange, and once again finished their season with a bludgeoning of Iowa State to try and finish a national narrative.
For the first time ever, TCU beat Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Baylor in the same season, and in a great stat shared by sports information director Mark Cohen, has five wins over teams this season that it lost to by at least two scores last season.
I don’t know if there is such a thing as a team of destiny in college football, but if there is, maybe, just maybe, it’s TCU.
The Frogs are one step closer to finding out, and, if they can take down Kansas State for a second time this season, they’ll get their chance to test it on the national stage.
