This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2006, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
From the moment he completed his first pass to get the offense moving again, quarterback Brett Ratliff had a feeling it would be a good night for his Utah Utes.
Boy, was he right.
Just five days after suffering their worst home loss in 17 years, the Utes bounced back and perhaps saved their season with a definitive 20-7 victory over defending league champion Texas Christian in front of 43,790 fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
"We didn't go in the tank, man," defensive end Martail Burnett said.
Not even close.
Receiver Brent Casteel caught two touchdown passes and Ratliff redeemed himself for his miserable performance in the landslide loss to Boise State by rushing for 64 yards and completing 19 of 32 passes for 223 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
But it was really the defense that earned the victory.
The Utes smothered a weakened TCU offense - the Horned Frogs were without injured running back Aaron Brown, while quarterback Jeff Ballard left the game at halftime with an injured shoulder - recovered fumbles on three straight possessions in the fourth quarter and broke up a fourth-down pass deep in their own end with barely four minutes left.
"We just played fast," defensive coordinator Gary Andersen said. "After last week, our backs were up against the wall. And anytime you get your back against the wall, you do one of two things. You're going to fight harder or you're going to lay down and accept the blow - and these kids didn't want that. I saw it in their eyes all week."
The victory kept alive the 4-2 Utes' hopes of winning the Mountain West Conference championship for the third time in four years, and all but eliminated the defending champion 3-2 Horned Frogs from contention.
"I'm not mad at them," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "I'm disappointed, because we had our chances out there."
If there was one complaint the Utes could make, it was that they never could bury the Horned Frogs - much the way they could not put them away before giving up a lead and losing a heart-breaker in overtime last season in Fort Worth.
In fact, the Utes managed just 87 yards of offense in the second half, while the Horned Frogs kept getting chance after chance to cut into the lead - despite managing just 81 rushing yards.
But even with quarterback Marcus Jackson occasionally moving the Frogs after relieving Ballard, the Utes kept controlling the field position and making plays when they needed them.
Defensive lineman Paul Soliai forced one fumble and recovered another, while teammates Eric Weddle and Joe Jiannoni also recovered fumbles - all in the fourth quarter - that kept the Frogs from coming close.
And once TCU's Donald Massey dropped a pass in the end zone and Utah's Casey Evans broke up a fourth-down pass two plays later, it was over.
"We believe in each other and we know that . . . if we just bring it like we know how to do it, we can play with anybody," Weddle said. "It showed tonight. Defense played phenomenal. Offense did just enough, put some points on the board for us, and that's all we had to do."
Ratliff insisted he did not have a confidence problem after his 5-for-21 passing performance against Boise State last week, but enjoyed the glow of a strong start, just the same.
He converted a third down on his first pass, hit a wide-open Casteel on third-and-goal from the 1 for his first touchdown and later connected with him for a 49-yard touchdown pass that Casteel hauled in after TCU's Stephen Coleman tipped it right to him.
By halftime, Ratliff, 15 for 20 passing for 191 yards and two touchdowns, was back on track, even though he tailed off in the second half against a defense that he said "put more pressure on us . . . and made more plays."
"I'm back to where I need to be," he said. "Every game is something to learn from and improve on."
Utes Storylines
* IN SHORT: Brent Casteel caught two TD passes and the Utah defense smothered TCU for a 20-7 victory that kept the Utes' conference championship hopes alive.
* KEY STAT: The Horned Frogs started 11 of their 16 drives inside their own 20-yard line, and none farther downfield than their 37-yard line.
* KEY MOMENT: TCU had moved quickly to the Utah 21 in the fourth quarter when Utah's Kelly Talavou forced a fumble that linemate Paul Soliai recovered.