2010: Oregon State vs Texas Christian
2010: No. 6 TCU Horned Frogs 30, Oregon State Beavers 21
TCU quarterback and Texas native Andy Dalton made history in the second Cowboys Classic, passing Sammy Baugh to become the winningest quarterback in TCU history with his 30th career victory as the No. 6 TCU Horned Frogs defeated the No. 24 Oregon State Beavers, 30-21, in the opening game of the 2010 season.
The Cowboys Classic game proved to be a springboard for the Horned Frogs’ best season ever, culminating in a 21-19 Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin. TCU would finish the season with a perfect 13-0 overall record and a No. 2 ranking in the final polls.
TCU, having just completed a perfect regular season in 2009 only to falter in a Fiesta Bowl loss to Boise State, used the big stage of Cowboys Stadium to show the world that it belonged back atop the college football mountain.
Dalton completed 17-of-27 passes for 175 yards and ran for another 64 yards in route to the victory. The Horned Frogs were never able to pull away from the pesky Beavers, who themselves came just short of making the Rose Bowl a season prior. Dalton scored on a 4-yard keeper at the end of the third quarter to snap a 21-21 tie and put TCU ahead for good. The only other scoring in the game came on a fourth quarter safety.
Dalton would conclude the season and his TCU career holding school career records for wins (42), passing yards (10,314), pass attempts (1,317), completions (812), and completion percentage (61.6). He also completed his career as the Mountain West Conference career leader in total offense (11,925 yards) and plays from scrimmage (1,730).