No. 7 TCU football bests West Virginia 41-31 in Morgantown to stay undefeated

gofrogs.com

No. 7 TCU moves to 8-0 after defeating West Virginia 41-31 on Oct. 29, 2022. (Photo courtesy of gofrogs.com)

By Micah Pearce, Staff Writer
Published Oct 30, 2022

No. 7 TCU improved to 8-0 after quarterback Max Duggan sealed the game with a 29-yard passing touchdown to receiver Savion Williams with 20 seconds left in the game.

With an 8-0 start, head coach Sonny Dykes continued to write his name in TCU’s history books as the first newly-hired head coach to start the season 8-0 since Francis Schmidt in his first season in 1929. He has also scratched his name into Big 12 history.

Dykes and linebacker Johnny Hodges both said in previous games the Frogs started playing tight, .but they loosened up for the Mountaineers.

The Horned Frog offense got rolling with a 71-yard pass from Duggan to wide receiver Taye Barber.

It looked like the game would turn into an offensive battle after West Virginia and TCU went on back-and-forth scoring drives.

Only two drives in the first half had an outcome that wasn’t a touchdown.

TCU’s opening drive ended in Jordy Sandy’s first punt attempt of the game. The other drive ended in a West Virginia fumble, which led to a TCU touchdown on the first play.

Duggan handed it off to running back Kendre Miller, who ran for 51 yards to put the Frogs up 21-14.

Miller led the Horned Frogs in rushing yards with 120 yards on 12 carries for an average of 10 yards per carry and one touchdown. It was his fifth 100-yard performance in his last six games and the ninth of his career.

Duggan took care of the passing for the game, throwing for 341 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He outpassed his counterpart JT Daniels 341 yards to 275. The Frogs’ passing helped get them the edge over the Mountaineers as the two teams rushed nearly the same amount of yards, TCU’s 153 to WVU’s 155.

After the half, the defenses of both teams shined with the first of three touchdown drives coming with 4:12 left in the game when West Virginia WR Reese Smith caught a 23-yard pass from Daniels to decrease TCU’s lead to 3.

TCU’s defense showed up in the red zone, forcing West Virginia to settle for a field goal on one drive and turn the ball over on downs on the next.

The only other touchdown of the second half was TCU’s final 29-yard pass to Williams that ended West Virginia’s hopes of a last-minute comeback.

On the final play of the game, safety Bud Clark intercepted Daniels’ pass and ran out of bounds as time expired. It was his third straight week with an interception, his only three interceptions of his career.

Penalties got to the Frogs as they allowed 6, giving up 67 yards. One call on Clark led to a West Virginia touchdown, putting them within 3 points of the Frogs late in the 4th.

However, the Mountaineers gave up their own fair share of yards: 50 yards on seven.

Up next

TCU will play Texas Tech at home next Saturday, Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff will be there.