Storybook ending: TCU, backup QB Ken Seals come back to win Alamo Bowl in OT — PHOTOS
Ten years ago, backup quarterback Bram Kohlhausen led TCU football to a dramatic comeback win over Oregon in the Alamo Bowl.
On Tuesday, it was backup quarterback Ken Seals’ turn for a storybook ending, as he helped TCU overcome a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat No. 16 USC 30-27 in overtime in the Alamo Bowl.
“Proud of what they did tonight. It took a special effort to find a way,” TCU head coach Sonny Dykes said. “After talking to Bram Kohlhausen last night, his message was you’ve got to find a way. We found a way tonight. It wasn’t always pretty, but we found a way.”
After the Trojans kicked a field goal to open overtime, the Horned Frogs faced third-and-20 from the 35. Sophomore running back Jeremy Payne caught a short pass that appeared to be designed only to set up a tying field goal attempt, but he shed three tacklers and tightroped down the sideline to the end zone, sending the TCU sideline into a frenzy.
“When I catch the ball, I was always taught to beat one player,” Payne said. “Once I beat that one player, I was thinking, ‘Let’s get the first down,’ and then I broke another tackle and was like, ‘Oh, I could make it.’ It’s an amazing feeling.”
Both teams were without key players and coaches. TCU (9-4) played without transfer portal-bound starting quarterback Josh Hoover and departed offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, while USC (9-4) was down nearly a dozen starters and also lost defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to Penn State a day before the game.
Seals, a senior from Azle who played at Weatherford High, started for the first and only time for the Horned Frogs after sitting behind Hoover for two seasons after transferring from Vanderbilt.
Despite trailing 24-14 with 9:37 remaining in the game, TCU was able to force overtime, as Seals engineered two scoring drives in the fourth quarter.
First, Payne cut the deficit to 24-21 with a 5-yard touchdown run with 4:24 remaining. Then, Seals led a 13-play, 59-yard drive to set up Kyle Lemmermann’s game-tying 27-yard field goal at the buzzer.
Here are four takeaways from TCU’s bowl victory:
Ken Seals gets his moment
Seals finally got his long-awaited moment to start for his hometown team. After a slow start on the first two drives, Seals settled down and showed why he started nearly two dozen games in the SEC at Vanderbilt.
Seals played to his strengths, using his legs to buy time when he needed, and he even ran for a 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Seals completed nine of his 13 pass attempts in the first half for 91 yards while also rushing for 16 yards to help TCU take a 14-13 lead into halftime.
He ran into adversity at the start of the second half, as he had a pass that was deflected and eventually intercepted by USC deep in the Horned Frogs’ territory. The turnover didn’t lead to points thanks to Channing Canada picking off USC quarterback Jayden Maiava in the end zone.
But as the second half wore on, the lack of a vertical passing game nearly doomed TCU. While Maiava was throwing deep shots to his receivers, many of Seals’ throws were for less than 10 yards.
But with the game on the line, Seals played his best ball, completing a number of impressive passes during the hectic comeback.
Seals was voted offensive MVP and finished with 258 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception in his first start in over two years.
“My mentality was just sell out. It’s your last one, man,” Seals said. “In some ways I needed a refresher on how to run the football. It’s been awhile since I got hit. It kind of took me a second to shake the rust off, but once I feel like I settled in and got back to my game, I felt really confident in what I can do.”
True freshmen shine
Bowl games are often an opportunity for younger players to have a bigger role, and the Alamo Bowl was no different as TCU had multiple freshmen make standout plays.
Offensively, running back Jon Denman and wide receiver Terry Shelton showed why they’re so highly regarded around the program. Denman scored a 5-yard touchdown in the second quarter set up by an impressive 16-yard run that showcased his blend of power and speed.
Shelton, a former four-star recruit, got the most playing time of his career and responded with a highlight catch when he rose up over a defender for a 22-yard gain to convert a third down and set up another touchdown.
On defense, cornerback Gil Jackson and safety Julius Simms saw plenty of action. Jackson had a hard hit on Maiava on a cornerback blitz, but also showed his youth when he gave up a 36-yard completion to Tanook Hines that led to a touchdown. Jackson made up for it by coming up with a huge pass breakup on third down late in the fourth quarter that helped TCU get the ball back.
New play-caller
Tight ends coach Mitch Kirsch got the nod to take over play-calling duties after Briles’ departure, and Kirsch made a strong impression during this rare opportunity. The first drive lacked imagination, as TCU ran three straight times and was forced to punt, but after that, Kirsch opened up the game plan as the Horned Frogs threw everything at USC.
Read options with Seals, jet sweeps with Major Everhart and designed deep shots to McAlister and Shelton — TCU used it all in the first half. The second half would be much a tougher outing for Kirsch and the offense as USC’s defense began to zero in on some of TCU’s tendencies.
The offense managed just 35 yards as the Trojans retook the lead at 21-14 with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter. In the fourth, the Horned Frogs wisely leaned on McAlister to get the offense going, as they got him the ball in a variety of ways, from slants to bubble screens.
TCU finished with 375 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per play.
“To Mitch’s credit, when we were down 10, if you’re a young play-caller you’ve got to treat the game as if it’s a 0-0 game,” Dykes said. “If you start dropping back and taking shots, it can start to snowball, especially against a talented defensive front like that. He did a great job. He kept his composure. He didn’t panic.”
Entertaining start
It was a back-and-forth battle in the first half as the Horned Frogs and Trojans exchanged haymakers. Initially TCU was reeling as the offense looked like it was missing Hoover. The Horned Frogs failed to pick up a first down on their first two possessions, and USC took a 3-0 lead and was driving to extend it late in the first quarter.
That’s when All-Big 12 safety Jamel Johnson made a game-changing play with a diving interception of Maiava. That was enough to pick up the offense, as TCU leaned on Denman and McAlister to set up their first touchdown of the night. Denman showed great vision as he used a jump cut to find a crease for a 5-yard touchdown to put TCU ahead 7-3 at the start of the second quarter.
But USC would answer right back on its next drive as Maiava responded to the interception with a 36-yard strike to Tanook Hines to set up a 2-yard touchdown by King Miller to put the Trojans back in front 10-7 with 9:57 remaining in the half. The Horned Frogs answered with a lengthy 13-play drive that was capped by Seals’ touchdown run as TCU retook the lead at 14-10 with 4:58 remaining.
The half ended with Bud Clark coming up with two pass breakups in the end zone after the Trojans got inside the red zone. The Trojans would settle for a field goal, and the Horned Frogs took a 14-13 lead into halftime.
This story was originally published December 30, 2025 at 11:47 PM.
