TCU coach Sonny Dykes was ejected on Saturday after receiving two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties at the start of the second half during the Horned Frogs’ 66-42 defeat to SMU, the team he used to coach.
The Frogs were already down 41-21 when a kickoff return that looked like a touchdown was called back due to a holding penalty, which upset Dykes.
Starting from their own 10-yard line, TCU then completed a 22-yard pass, but Dykes continued to argue with the officials, resulting in a second penalty. This led to his automatic ejection.
“Two penalties from two different officials. I understood why I got the first one, I thought I deserved it,” Dykes said. “The second one, I really don’t know where it came from. The first one I deserved.”
This was the first time Dykes had ever been ejected in his 15 years as a college head coach, marking his 165th game.
“Certainly uncharted territory for me,” he said. “I apologized to our players, our fans. It should never happen. I was disappointed it happened. I thought it was maybe unwarranted, but it happened. And that’s my responsibility to make sure that never happens. So 100% my fault.”
When asked why he felt the second penalty was unfair, Dykes mentioned he would rather not elaborate, saying it wasn’t in his best interest to do so.
Before leaving the field, Dykes had a long conversation with referee Kevin Boitmann. As he walked to the tunnel, he raised both arms to acknowledge TCU fans.
Dykes had won the previous four matchups against SMU. He is in his third season at TCU, which had won the last two games in this rivalry after he previously led SMU to two straight wins for the first time since 1992-93.
