Oklahoma Sooners vs. TCU Horned Frogs: 5 Players to Watch

Sep 28, 2013; South Bend, IN, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Blake Bell (10) leaves the field after Oklahoma defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 35-21 at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma Sooners vs. TCU Horned Frogs matchup has a long history, tracking back long before TCU joined the Big 12. As a matter of fact, the Horned Frogs were one of the few teams to beat OU in Norman back when that was a very rare feat. Now, on Saturday, Oct. 5, they are coming back to Memorial Stadium and want to do it again.

Here is a look at five Oklahoma Sooners players that will need to step up this weekend if the Sooners want to hold on to their undefeated season.

Blake Bell

It seemed slightly ridiculous at times to listen to the Notre Dame television announcers talk about how Blake Bell was nothing but a running quarterback who lacked accuracy on his passes. They said this as he was completing over 70 percent of his passes for the second consecutive game.

Bell has become the leader for this offense, which is impressive since he started out the season as the backup quarterback. After Trevor Knight proved ineffective leading the Sooners offense, Bell has come in and the Sooners are suddenly able to throw the ball again.

Bell will need to continue to show the accuracy he has demonstrated the first two starts of his career. He also hasn’t thrown the interceptions that Knight did in his starts, and Bell will need to continue that this weekend. While TCU is 2-2, one of their strengths is their defense and Bell will need to be at his best this Saturday.

Geneo Grissom

For the first time this season, the Oklahoma Sooners play the kind of quarterback who gave them fits last season. Trevone Boykin is the closest the Sooners might see to a Johnny Manziel-styled quarterback this season, and the biggest thing the Sooners need to do is keep him in the pocket.

That makes the defensive ends the most important players on the field, and Geneo Grissom will have to do everything in his power to stop Boykin from running.

So far this season, the Sooners have bent but not broken, mainly because the linebackers have been there to stop the running backs that get past that defensive line. The Sooners need to do what they can to limit that, because a runner like Boykin could give the linebackers headaches all afternoon if Grissom can’t help contain him.

Last year, OU held Boykin in check, but he is a year older and a lot better than he was in 2012.