Defense was the only thing fans donning "Cherry Crush" T-shirts could cheer about Saturday at University Stadium.
While the Lobos met an unsavory 26-3 loss to rival TCU, the defense held its own, especially the secondary, which limited the Horned Frogs to 120 yards passing.
At the beginning of the third quarter, safety Blake Ligon made a big play that set up a Lobo field goal.
TCU quarterback Andy Dalton rolled out of the pocket and threw the ball deep downfield, along the sideline, and Ligon came over the top, picked it off and did a little tap-dance routine to stay inbounds.
"We were in zone, and I was supposed to be over the deep middle," Ligon said. "I was checking all of the other receivers to see if anyone was coming inside. I saw the stop-and-go, and Glover (Quin) came down on the stop, so I knew I had to get over there for his guy. (Andy Dalton) happened to just throw it. I had no idea how close I was to the sideline, but apparently I got a foot in."
Ligon said he thought that would be the spark the Lobos needed.
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"If you can get any opportunity like that to change the game, that's what you have to do," Ligon said. "It just feeds off onto everybody else, so I think it was a catalyst for (our offense)."
But the Lobos never got going offensively. Still, the defense leaned on Lobos Ian Clark and Clint McPeek for defensive production.
Clark, who plays a hybrid safety/linebacker position known as the "Lobo," led the team with 9.5 tackles, eight of which were unassisted. McPeek, who also plays in the Lobo position, was second with 7.5 tackles.
Clark said the Lobo position is grueling - he and McPeek are usually in the thick of things.
"The way our defense is designed, it just allows Clint and I to make plays all game long," he said. "It's what we have to do. Hopefully, we can get our assignments right (for the next game)."
Clark also had a crucial sack on Dalton on third-and-long to make it fourth-and-13 toward the end of the third quarter.
"I came off the edge, and the running back went down to the linebacker, and I just came free," he said. "I saw my opportunity and took it."
McPeek said growing as a team starts with the individual.
"We just need to be more assignment-sound," he said. "And just know that if we don't come out hard or play physical, teams will do that to us. We need to play better."
