Texas Christian is a lot like Sherman Klump’s granny Ida Mae, ain’t no easy win. You’ll limp back. You’ll walk over. But you limping back. Gary Patterson’s boys are tough. The Horned Frogs are the best 5-5 team in football, which you might feel like being the universe’s best blacksmith elf. You might not have your hands, but you can still make the axe that can be wielded by god to strike Thanos dead.
TCU has been blown out just once all year—a 49-24 loss to Iowa State last month. They’ve lost every other game by an average of just 4.6 points. And every loss has come against a team who is or has been ranked in 2019.
When TCU gets beat, they get beat by a good team. Then remember Patterson has dropped Texas, made like Gareth Evans and directed the raid on Texas Tech, rocked and then chalked KU and were a 51-yard field goal with 41 seconds left to play from knocking off Baylor before losing that game in triple overtime.
Texas Christian gave up 223 yards rushing to Chuba Hubbard—with a long 92-yard score—quarterback Max Duggan threw three interceptions in that game and still only lost by single a score. Duggan is beginning to figure FBS quarterback thing out in his true freshman year.
He’s thrown for at least 258 yards in three of TCU’s last four with six touchdowns and seven interceptions. But his last game? The win against Tech? That’s the first game he’s played since Oct. 19 against Kansas State without throwing a pick.
But only the Pokes (18) are responsible for more turnover opportunities for their opponents than TCU (17) this season. And TCU is tied with Baylor for most fumbles recovered by opponents at nine.
However, Patterson’s 4-2-5 is still one of the stoutest defenses in the nation. TCU leads the league in rush defense allowing just 3.8 yards per carry. They’re the second-best team in the Big 12 in pass defense efficiency. The Frogs allow a league-best and stingy 55.3 percent and have held opponents to just over 209 yards passing per game. And, yes, they’re the best of the Big 12 in total defense just ahead of OU.
The Frogs have been successful with their defense because they can run-support with eight defenders in the box, and Patterson trusts his corners in man-coverage. However, Patterson’s best defensive back won’t be available to him for the first half against OU on Saturday.
Corner back Jeff Gladney was ejected during the second half of TCU’s win against Tech for targeting. By rule, he must sit out the next half TCU plays. For OU, who might have to play yet another game without CeeDee Lamb, that’s a part of the field that’s ripe for attack.
For TCU, it’s just one more impediment for the Frogs to bowl eligibility. They need one win in their next two, and the Frogs haven’t beaten OU during the Riley Era and still remember getting embarrassed 41-17 in 2017 in the first Big 12 title game since 2010.
What I’m saying is this is TCU. The same TCU it’s always been. The same TCU that can stick out a tongue, body snatch you, and eat you alive. Expect a fight.
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RJ Young is the host of The RJ Young Show on The Sports Animal from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. CT weekdays. His book LET IT BANG was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2018. He was featured in Natural Light's 2019 Super Bowl commercial. He graduated with a master's in professional writing from the University of Oklahoma. He doesn't like it when his socks get wet.
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