2013: Louisiana State vs Texas Christian

helmetshistory2013

2013: No. 12 LSU Tigers 37, No. 20 TCU Horned Frogs 27

For the first time, the Cowboys Classic game featured two teams making return trips to the Classic when the No. 12 LSU Tigers took on the No. 20 TCU Horned Frogs.

Both teams were winners in their previous Cowboys Classic contests, but the Tigers got the better of the Frogs on this night with a 37-27 win before 80,230 fans, the third consecutive year that the game’s attendance eclipsed the 80,000 mark.

The Tigers broke in a new offensive coordinator and a new passing attack that featured several future NFLers, including quarterback Zac Mettenberger, receiving stars Odell Beckham, Jr. and Jarvis Landry, and talented rusher Jeremy Hill. It took the Tigers’ offense a while to get going, but they finally mustered enough of an attack to thwart the upset-minded Frogs playing in their backyard.

The game featured a 100-yard kickoff return by TCU’s BJ Catalon, but it was a 75-yarder by Beckham, Jr. in the fourth quarter that set the Tigers up at the TCU 25-yard line. Up just 30-27, Mettenberger would later hit Landry on a 20-yard touchdown strike to push the LSU lead to 37-20 with 6:09 left in the game.

Landry finished with eight catches for 109 yards, while Beckham had five catches for 118 yards. It was the first time since 2001 the Tigers had two 100-yard receivers in the same game. Mettenberger completed 16-of-32 passes for 251 yards.

Both teams were playing for the third time in Cowboys Stadium, where both had been 2-0.