go into the final barely 24 hours after finishing the longest

AUSTIN, Texas -- Charlie Strong went to the corner of the stadium to sing The Eyes of Texas with his team for what was most likely the final time.Texas running back DOnta Foreman knelt in the end zone, tears streaming down his face. His brother, Armanti, sprinted off the field rather than rather than get caught in a public show of emotion.All of it signaled the likely end of Strongs coaching tenure at Texas, a three-year rut of losing capped by a dismal 31-9 loss to TCU on Friday night.The Longhorns took the field amid swirling reports Strong would be fired at the end of the week. Strong and school administrators had said hed been promised an evaluation after the final game, but a 16-21 overall record for the only Texas coach in program history with three consecutive losings seasons may be all anyone needs to know. Texas will miss a bowl game for the second straight season.Strong said hell likely meet with Texas President Greg Fenves and athletic director Mike Perrin on Saturday and hell plead his case for more time. He has two years left on a guaranteed contract that pays him more than $5 million per year.I said the third year well make progress, the fourth year will be our year, Strong said. I was told when I came in three years ago to build a program. The wins and losses dont add up, but its more than that ... (Its) taking the program in the right direction.Fenves office did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday night.Texas somber finish was a long fall from the season-opening win over Notre Dame when Strongs players tossed him in the air in celebration.Weve been blessed to have him, freshman quarterback Shane Buechele said. No one wants him to leave. Everybody wants him to stay.But Strongs program has moved backward in the Big 12, and Fridays loss was the third in a row to TCU. Horned Frogs quarterback Kenny Hill did the damage this time, running for two touchdowns before TCU put the game away with two fourth-quarter touchdowns.Hill scored with a 4-yard run that capped the Horned Frogs first drive. He scored again in the third quarter on a 41-yard scamper that saw him break away from a pass rush and dart along the right sideline to the end zone for a 17-9 lead.Even after Hill left the game with an injury, TCU (6-5, 4-4 Big 12) blew it open in the fourth quarter when Trevorris Johnson capped a 97-yard touchdown drive with a 5-yard TD and Darius Anderson ran 70-yards for a score.TCU coach Gary Patterson said he ignored the emotions that were bubbling on the Texas sideline.I didnt worry about Texas. I had enough problems ... Were just glad to win, Patterson said. We got bowl eligible and not anything really good has happened for these guys this year.DOnta Foreman rushed for 165 yards for Texas (5-7, 3-6) and passed 2,000 yards on the season.I cried because its emotional to put everything on the line. I gave my all every game, every practice. To come up short in a game like this is very emotional, Foreman said.THE TAKEAWAYTCU: The Horned Frogs became bowl eligible behind a defensive effort that gave up big yards to Foreman but didnt break when it mattered. By keeping him out of the end zone and forcing early field goals, TCU never let the Longhorns grab a lead. TCU also dialed up steady pressure on Buechele with four sacks.Texas: Longhorns players had rallied behind their coach this week , with several giving tearful pleas for him to return next season. And the defense played arguably its best game of the year. Strong had hoped a win and a bowl trip would earn him another year, then had to watch as the game turned into a blowout.Every year, it turned into being all about me. It never should have been all about me. The players should have been given a chance to enjoy it, Strong said.DONTAS RUNForeman is a junior and said he has to decide if he will turn pro after this season. His 2,028 yards this season rank second only to Ricky Williams 2,124 at Texas in 1998, the year Williams won the Heisman Trophy. Foreman also has a school record 13 consecutive 100-yard games dating to last season.UP NEXTTCU: The Horned Frogs host Kansas State to end the regular seasonTexas: The Longhorns season is over. Hydro Flask Sale . The veteran safety was a starter for the Bengals from 2008-2012. He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season. Cheap Hydro Flask . Just not the game. Kyle Palmieri scored two straight goals in the third period to rally the Anaheim Ducks past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night. http://www.waterbottlecybermonday.com/s-well-cyber-monday.html . -- Edmontons Val Sweeting is two wins away from a trip to Winnipeg to play in Canadas Road of the Rings in December. Swell Bottle Black Friday . Ouellette, from Montreal, already has three Olympic gold medals since joining the team in 1999. Hydro Flask Wholesale . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. Were down to the final regular-season match of the year, and the stakes couldnt be higher. Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic will play in the championship match of the ATP World Tour Finals (ESPN2 & WatchESPN, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET) with the winner also snaring the year-end No. 1 ranking. This scenario has never happened.So who has the advantage? Hometown boy Murray or the much fresher Djokovic? Our writers weigh in.What does this match mean for mens tennis?Nic Atkin: Murray said it would be the perfect way to end the season, and I have to agree. While Im sure the crowd wouldnt have minded seeing Murray beat Nishikori in the final, any other matchup would have been a letdown.Peter Bodo: The match is a tribute to the quality and diversity of the field in mens tennis. It demonstrates how quickly the landscape can change, considering how far in front Djokovic was in the rankings as recently as June. It also validates the concept of a year-end final. Imagine the debate we would be having about the No. 1 ranking this year if the season had ended with the Paris Masters 1000. Now we will have a clear-cut answer.Greg Garber: This, as the U.S. president-elect would say, is huge. With Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal -- and Serena Williams, too -- all falling off their classic games, here are the two best-matched rivals in the game. One match for No. 1. It doesnt get any better than that.Johnette Howard: This is a rousing end to a mixed bag of a year in which Federer and Nadal were absent for long stretches. Even Djokovic -- the most reliable man in the game in recent years -- hit an unexpected trough. Given whats at stake here -- Murrays late-career chance to finally experience being No. 1 after years of never-say-die work versus Djokovics rallying to show he isnt giving up the top ranking without a fight -- this could be a memorable match.How will the pressure affect Murray?Atkin: There will be a lot of weight on Murrays shoulders. While he has overtaken Djokovic at the top of the rankings, he hasnt beaten the Serb on the way to No. 1 this year. Murray needs to show he is done playing second fiddle.Bodo: Murray has played his way into a zone where he probably wont be feeling much pressure at all, at least not the usual kind. Hes in a groove, playing lots of matches and winning them all, including two marathons this week. Murray will feel nervous, though, and he should. Nerves are just a sign that a players physical and neurological systems are going on high alert.Garber: I dont think pressure is the issue here. Against Raonic in the semifinals, Murray rose to the big occasion, again and again -- even saved a match point. I think the fact that hes played two three-hour-plus matches in a span of four days will be more telling.Howard: Playing in London agrees with Murray. He won Olympic gold there, not just Wimbledon. I think hell grouse, grimace, bluster and yell throughout. Hell play stretches of sensational tennis. But the match will not be over quickly. He will lose some games he shouldnt, especially if his legs are tired, and make it a nail-biteer.dddddddddddd.What does Djokovic need to do to maintain his dominance against Murray?Atkin: Djokovic doesnt need to change anything physically. He will be far fresher than Murray. Djokovic just needs to make sure he keeps his cool and doesnt get wound up by the mental distractions that have plagued him in the second half of 2016.Bodo: The main themes for Djokovic should be consistency and serve efficiency. Murray still has lapses, struggles with his form and gets frustrated. Those can be exploited. Murray is returning very well and very aggressively. Djokovic needs to ramp up the efficiency of his own service game the way Murray has his these past few months.Garber: Play his crazy, all-court game. He looked ridiculously dominant against Nishikori, especially returning serve. Djokovic has won 16 of his past 19 matches against Murray, something the Scot will have a hard time discounting as he prepares for this.Howard: I think the three-set format favors Djokovic. He has the potential to win points quicker. Hes the better shot-maker and bigger risk-taker, whereas Murray is often risk-adverse and often gets worse when more is at stake. Djokovic has arguably the best service-return game in history, too, so if Murrays serve is off at all, hell find trouble.Who needs this win more?Atkin: Murray, for sure. If he loses, then doubt will still be at the back of his mind going into next season that his best still isnt good enough to beat Djokovic when the Serb is playing his best.Bodo: Djokovic needs to win this more because the rumors that hes lost something are growing louder and louder, while the chorus for Murray is all positive. Hes finally hitting his stride. Nobody is going to think Murray has dropped a level as a player if he loses this, but that will be the takeaway for most people if Djokovic does. Its especially true in light of Djokovics outstanding record at the O2.Garber: Its pretty much of a wash, but Ill say Djokovic. Murray has had a wonderful run, winning 22 consecutive matches, which matches his career high. Hell head into 2017 with a lot of optimism, regardless of the result. Djokovic needs this one to get back on track.Howard: Murray. Hes had to soldier on in the greatest era of mens tennis ever. Hes always been the junior partner in the Big Four and has always remained determined to chase Djokovic, Federer and Nadal, who all have double-digit major title totals. Murray has to know he may not get another chance to climb this mountain and be No. 1 again. So if not now, then when?Prediction?Atkin: Andy Murray ... in 3 hours, 39 minutes.Bodo: This week Murray has played two of the three longest three-set ATP matches of the year, and hell go into the final barely 24 hours after finishing the longest of those. So what? And