Evans’ field goal gives TCU a 10-10 tie with Boise State after 3 quarters

TCU field goal knots Fiesta Bowl 10-10 after 3

GLENDALE, Ariz. — All-American defensive end Jerry Hughes forced and recovered a Boise State fumble, leading to a 29-yard field goal by TCU’s Ross Evans that left the Fiesta Bowl tied at 10 after three quarters on Monday night.

Hughes stripped Doug Martin and recovered it at the TCU 43. Andy Dalton then completed passes of 14 yards to Jimmy Young and 22 yards to Jeremy Kerley to set up Evans’ successful kick with 3:42 left in the third.

Dalton tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Clay late in the second, cutting Boise State’s lead to 10-7 at halftime.

The Broncos were the nation’s highest-scoring team at 44.2 points per game, but they had only three points on offense through three quarters against the Horned Frogs. Boise State’s touchdown came when Brandyn Thompson returned an interception 51 yards in the first quarter.

Boise State’s Kyle Brotzman missed a 26-yard field goal but came back to nail a 40-yarder in the second.

With TCU facing its largest deficit of the season, Dalton responded with a perfect pass to Clay with 49 seconds left in the half. Clay beat Thompson as the Frogs went 62 yards in five plays.

There were 12 punts through three quarters in what was supposed to be a high-scoring game.

The Fiesta Bowl included two unbeaten teams from non-BCS conferences — Mountain West champion TCU entered 12-0 and WAC champion Boise State was 13-0 — for the first time in one of college football’s marquee games.

One side of University of Phoenix Stadium was a sea of orange, the other mostly the purple of TCU.

TCU began the night with offensive credentials that were almost as impressive Boise State. In their last five games of the regular season, the Frogs scored 55, 55, 45 and 51 points.

The game was played on the same field where Boise State stunned Oklahoma in overtime with a “hook-and-ladder” play for the winning touchdown.

No. 4 TCU, in a BCS bowl for the first time, entered a seven-point favorite over the sixth-ranked Broncos.