Field Level Media
Oct 20, 2018
The Oklahoma defense wasn't perfect against TCU in its first game with a new coordinator, but the No. 9 Sooners did enough on that side of the ball to beat the Horned Frogs 52-27 on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas.
Ruffin McNeill took over Oklahoma's defense after a 48-45 loss to Texas two weeks earlier cost Mike Stoops his job.
McNeill didn't make any grand schematic changes -- though the Sooners (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) did play a four-man front more often -- but he tweaked the lineup with several changes among the starters.
Oklahoma's defense got off to a fast start, holding the Horned Frogs to punts on each of their first three drives.
The Sooners led 28-7 midway through the second quarter before the Horned Frogs (3-4, 1-3) switched quarterbacks, bringing in Michael Collins for Shawn Robinson.
To that point, TCU had gained only 25 yards of offense and its only score was a 99-yard kickoff return by KaVontae Turpin.
After the switch, the tenor of the TCU offense changed immediately and the Oklahoma defense returned to its struggles.
Collins connected for a 41-yard touchdown to Turpin on the third play. TCU added 10 more points before halftime to cut the lead to 28-24.
But the Sooners' defense came up big after the break, holding the Horned Frogs to just a second-half field goal.
Kennedy Brooks (career-high 168) and Trey Sermon (110) combined to rush for 278 yards and three touchdowns as the Sooners rushed for 325 yards.
Kyler Murray completed 19 of 24 passes for 213 yards and four touchdowns to help Oklahoma outgain TCU 536-275.
Collins threw for 142 yards and a pair of touchdowns for TCU.
The Horned Frogs have dropped four of their last five games.
--Field Level Media