HOUSTON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A seven-yard run by Justin Watts gave TCU a fourth-quarter lead Friday and the Horned Frogs held on to down Houston in the Texas Bowl 20-13.
Houston drove from its own two-yard line to TCU's 19 in the final 90 seconds, but quarterback Case Keenum then threw three incompletions to wipe out the comeback hope.
Houston (8-5) lost in a bowl game for the eighth straight time, having last won a post-season encounter in 1980 against Navy.
The run by Watts gave TCU (8-5) a 17-10 lead just 32 seconds into the fourth quarter and the Frogs boosted their advantage to 10 on Chris Manfredini's second field goal -- a 36-yarder with 7:28 to go.
T.J. Lawrence brought Houston within seven with a 32-yard field goal with 1:57 to play, but TCU recovered the onside kick. The Frogs were forced to punt and TCU killed the ball at the two, setting up Houston's final bid for a victory.
Keenum gave Houston its only touchdown on a broken play with a 67-yard pass to Andre Kohn for the game's first score. TCU quarterback Andy Dalton ran three yards for the tying touchdown late in the first period.
