Why didn’t TCU challenge to review an apparent touchdown catch?
TCU senior wide receiver Eric McAlister had a career game against SMU with eight catches for 254 yards and three touchdowns in the Horned Frogs’ 35-24 win Saturday, but his performance could have been even better if not for a controversial call.
McAlister seemingly made an incredible 30-yard touchdown grab in the front corner of the end zone, but upon an expedited review, it was determined that there was no catch. However, many fans and pundits felt pictures and video showed the catch was completed inbounds.
TCU head coach Sonny Dykes didn’t challenge the play because it had already been reviewed.
“[Officials] said replay reviewed it and said it wasn’t a catch,” Dykes said. “I felt bad for the officials on the field, because I think they saw the replay but there was nothing they could do about it.”
TCU quarterback Josh Hoover agreed with Dykes, joking he thought his vision was pretty good. Hoover also had a big game with 379 yards and five touchdowns with one interception.
“I was on the [SMU] sideline over there trying to not get jumped, but I got pushed out of bounds,” Hoover said. “But I saw on the video board, and I mean, I got 20/20 vision, looked like a touchdown to me.”
McAlister concurred, saying it would’ve also been a touchdown in the NFL, where receivers need two feet inbounds on catches.
“That was in,” he said. “I saw the video. That was in, two feet. That’s good in the league.”
This story was originally published September 20, 2025 at 7:16 PM.
