How TCU beat Oklahoma 55-24 for their first Big 12 win of the season

Star-Telegram sports editor Dave Ammenheuser’s key plays and notes from Saturday’s Oklahoma at TCU football game at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth:

Final statistics

TCU outgained Oklahoma 668-355 in yardage, including 307-176 in passing and 361-179 in rushing.

Max Duggan completed 22 of 33 passes for 302 yards, three touchdowns. He also rushed 5 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns.

Kendre Miller rushed 13 times for 136 yards and Emari Demercardo rushed eight times for 62 yards.

Derius Davis had a team-high seven receptions for 32 yards while Taye Barber had three catches for a team-high 107 yards and a touchdown. Quentin Johnson had four catches for 41 yards, Savon Williams had three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown.

Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel was 7 of 16 for 126 yards and backup quarterbck Davis Beville was 7 of 16 for 50 yards.

Jovante Barnes led the Sooners with 18 carries for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

TCU held Marvin Mims to just four catches for 41 yards.

Fourth quarter highlights:

FInal 8 minutes: Using mostly second- and third-string players, neither team threatened to score.

Damond Harmon injured: Oklahoma defensive back was injured in the fourth quarter and was carried off the field with 7:25 left in th game.

TCU 15th possession: Coach Sonny Dykes takes out quarterback Max Duggan and many other starters. Freshman Quentin Johnson enters the game at quarterback. His first drive is unsuccesful as the Horned Frogs punt after three downs.

OU 14th possession: Started at the OU 27 with 1:34 left in the third quarter. The Sooners scored on a Jovante Barnes 1-yard run with 11:24 left. TCU leads 55-24.

Third quarter highlights:

TCU 14th possession: Starting the TCU 33, the Horned Frogs marched down the field again. Again led by Max Duggan. He scores on a 2-yard run to push the lead to 55-17 with 1:40 remaining in the period.

OU 13th possession: The Sooners move the ball into TCU territory but turn it over on downs when Davis Beville is sacked at the TCU 33 on fourth down.

TCU 13th possession: The ensuing Horned Frog series loses a yard (their poorest series of the game). The Horned Frogs punt to the OU 33. 6:20 left in the quarter.

OU 12th possession: Another dreadful OU series. Three plays and a OU punt to the TCU 30.

TCU 12th possession. Starts at TCU 20. Another long touchdown. This time Kendre Miller runs 69 yards for the seventh Horned Frogs TD of the game. They lead 48-17 with 9:30 remaining in the period.

OU 11th possession: Starts at the OU 26. The Sooners drive stalls and they punt into the TCU end zone.

TCU 11th possession: The Horned Frogs go three-and-out and punt the ball away.

Halftime statistics

Some of the crazy halftime statistics:

-- TCU has a 479-233 yardage advantage

-- Max Duggan has completed 19 of 28 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns. He also has rushed for 70 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown.

-- The Horned Frogs are averaging more than 10 yards per rushing carry (19 for 198)

Second quarter highlights:

TCU 10th possession: Starts at TCU 20 with 36 seconds left. Drive ends at OU 45 as time in the crazy first half expires.

OU 10th possession: Starts at OU 28. Sooners lose yardage and punt.

TCU ninth possession: TCU begins at TCU 10. 90 yards later, the Horned Frogs are in the end zone for the sixth time. Max Duggan connects with Gunnar Henderson on a 62-yard pass play. The extra point pushes the Horned Frogs ahead 41-17 with 1:34 left in the second quarter.

OU ninth possession: Begins at OU 40. Sooners drive to TCU 49, then punt to TCU 10.

TCU eighth possession: Starts on TCU 25. Horned Frogs drive to the OU 40 where they turn the ball over on downs.

OU eighth possession: Starts at OU 35. On fourth play of the drive, OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel is injured on a 1-yard run. TCU’s Jamoi Hodge is ejected from the game for targeting. The Sooners resume the drive with Davis Beville at quarterback. OU drives the field and scores on a Jovante Barnes 20-yard touchdown run. The Horned Frogs lead 34-17 with 8:49 left in the quarter.

TCU seventh possession: Starts at TCU 11 with 14:20 remaining in 2nd quarter. Less than four minutes of game clock later, the Horned Frogs are in the end zone again. Emari Demercado scores on a 1-yard run. The drive’s big play was a Demercado’s 35-yard run to the OU 1. He had 57 rushing yards on the 9-play, 89-yard drive. TCU leads 34-10 with 10:30 left in the second quarter.

OU seventh possession continues: Resumes at OU 42 and quickly stalls. Sooners punt to TCU 11.

First quarter highlights:

OU’s seventh possession: Starts at OU 25. After a 17-yard run, the quarter finally ends (gotta be one of the longest first quarters in the history of college football).

TCU sixth possession: The Horned Frogs responded quickly, marching from the TCU 15 in 6 plays to their fourth touchdown of the quarter: A Kendre Miller 15-yard run. Kell’s extra point pushes TCU ahead 27-10 with 7 seconds left in the quarter.

OU sixth possession: Starts at OU 24. On third down, Dillon Gabriel connects with Brayden Willis on a 78-yard pass play to the TCU 1. Eric Gray then scores on a 1-yard run. . Zach Schmit’s extra point cuts the TCU lead to 20-10 with 2:15 left in first quarter (yes, one hour into the game, still the first quarter).

TCU fifth possession: Starts at TCU 20. Drive stalls at TCU 35. Punt to OU 24.

OU fifth possession: Starts at OU 33. Goes nowhere. Punt into TCU end zone.

At this point, the Horned Frogs have scored three touchdowns on their first four possessions. The three scoring drives used just 2 minutes and 43 seconds on the clock. Crazy.

This seems appropriate:

TCU fourth possession: Starts at TCU 35. And Max Duggan immediately runs around the right side of the line for a 67-yard touchdown. Kell’s extra point gives TCU a 20-3 lead with 7:17 left in the first quarter.

OU fourth possession: A post-TD unsportsmanlike penalty on TCU and a good kickoff return sets up the Sooners at the TCU 39. Despite the good field position, the Sooners turn the ball over on downs at TCU 35.

TCU third possession: Starts at TCU 25. On third down, Max Duggan connects with Taye Barber on a 73-yard touchdown pass. Barber was wide open (OU defensive breakdown). Kell’s extra point fails as pushes TCU ahead 13-3 with 8:35 left in the quarter.

OU third possession: After a Mims reception moves OUS to TCU 28, drive stalls and Zach Schmit kicks 45-yard field goal. TCU leads 7-3 with 9:45 left in Q1.

TCU second possession: Starts at TCU 10. Three straight Duggan incomplete passes and it’s time for a Jordy Sandy 35-yard punt. OU ball at the TCU 45.

OU second possession: Starts on OU 11. Despite a nice gain on pass play to Marvin Mims on first play drive stalls at the OU 30. 60-yard punt to TCU 10.

TCU first possession. Starts on the OU 46. Horned Frogs march down the field quickly, scoring on Max Duggan’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Savion Williams. Griffin Kell kicks the extra point and TCU leads 7-0 with 12:45 left in 1Q

OU first possession: Starts on OU 26. After picking up a first down, OU stops when Marvin Mims fumbles reception and it is recovered by Dee Winters at the OU 46. 14:03 left in 1Q.

Coin toss

Oklahoma wins toss, elects to receive.

Kickoff is at 11 a.m.

TV: ABC

Radio: WBAP Radio with Riff Ram, Varsity and Tune-In apps

Pregame notes and links:

Did you read Steven Johnson’s inside story on why Max Duggan decided to stay at TCU rather than transfer after losing his starting quarterback job in training camp? If not, you should. It’s a good read, found here.

Also, Max offers answers to 10 fun questions that Steven asked him.

Steven’s work is not done. Read the reasons why he thinks TCU will win today and why he thinks Oklahoma will prevail.

And finally, he posted this story on talented wide receiver Quentin Johnson who is looking to reach his lofty expectations.

Duggan on Unitas list

Copied from TCU sports information: TCU’s Max Duggan has been named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award’s Top 25 Watch List. The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award recognizes the country’s top senior or upperclassman quarterback. Duggan is the nation’s leader in passing efficiency (216.0) while ranking third in completion percentage (77.0, 47-of-61). He has thrown for 695 yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions. The senior from Council Bluffs, Iowa, has made 31 career starts, the most among current Horned Frogs, and ranks fourth on TCU’s all-time passing list with 6,615 yards.