TCU came out strong against the Oklahoma Sooners and jumped out to a 14-0 lead, the biggest deficit OU has faced this year.
Trevone Boykin hit a wide open Deante’ Gray in the flat for a first down and gain of 19 to jumpstart the luckiest drive of the season. Boykin ran for 13 yards to get into Sooner territory, then the luck arrived.
Wide receiver Josh Doctson caught a tipped ball and ran for 21 yards to the OU 15-yard line. Then Doctson made a great catch on a jump ball, and somehow fought forward for a 7-yard gain on 3rd and 6 to get a red zone first down.
This all led to a fumble by Boykin on a designed run that rolled into the end zone. The ball was recovered by tight end Cliff Murphy on the first touch of his career for a touchdown. TCU has scored a touchdown on its first possession in every game this season, and led 7-0 with 10 minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The TCU defense forced an Oklahoma 3-and-out to start the game. They filled the box to shut down the run on the first two downs. OU had to pass, and a great bull rush by defensive tackle Davion Pierson got him right in the face of quarterback Trevor Knight. Had the pressure not been there, an OU slot receiver wide open over the middle would have been an easy first down.
TCU’s offense went back to work and was helped by two 15-yard penalties to get into OU’s red zone quickly. They finished the drive with a sweep option pitch to running back B.J. Catalon for the 14-0 lead. The drive was a very quick strike and only took 2:46 off the clock.
OU came thundering back into the game. Free safety Derrick Kindred gave up a 53-yard bomb on the right sideline to Oklahoma wide receiver Sterling Shepard that set up a one-yard TD run by OU running back Samaje Perine.
TCU seemed to be rumbling for a third straight score after a big third down conversion to avoid a 3-and-out by running back Aaron Green over the middle. Boykin nailed wide receiver Listenbee for 43-yards on a fade route with 1-on-1 coverage on the outside.
Boykin followed this by not seeing a wide open Listenbee open over the middle and being late on a throw to receiver Ja’Juan Story that should have given the Frogs a first down. TCU had to punt with a 14-7 lead.
Free safety Derrick Kindred gave up another bomb to OU wide receiver Sterling Shepard for 75-yards to get OU right back in it 14-14.
This was followed by a pair of punts on the following drives by both teams as the defenses tightened up in the second quarter. Cornerback Kevin White almost got an interception on a long throw over the middle.
OU’s punter shanked a punt to allow TCU into OU territory, and Boykin hit a wide open B.J. Catalon for 39-yard touchdown to give TCU a 21-14 lead in just 24 seconds.
TCU’s defense held strong after a holding call got OU into a 1st and 20 hole. They brought the blitz on third down and forced a punt.
TCU’s luck ran out on its next possession and Boykin was picked off by OU linebacker Jordan Evans at Oklahoma’s 37.
Another big play to OU wide receiver Sterling Shepard for 36 yards gave OU their first red zone trip. OU committed to the run and TCU stuffed them for a fourth down try on the 1-yard line. OU came out in the pistol and OU running back Perine tied the game up 21-21.
TCU showed some trickery on the following kickoff with a cross-field lateral, but a 37-yard return was negated by a penalty. The drive eventually stalled after a great run by Boykin was overshadowed by TCU offensive penalties, and kicker Jaden Oberkrom nailed a 31-yard field goal to give TCU the 24-21 lead with 1:39 left in the half.
Oklahoma drove down the field to score a 32-yard field goal and tie up the game 24-24 to end that half.
