The 4th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) travel to Fort Worth, Texas this Saturday to take on the 25th-ranked TCU Horned Frogs (3-0, 0-0 Big 12). It will most likely be a battle of the defenses, as the Sooners ranked 17th in the nation with only 16.5 points allowed per game and the Horned Frogs rank 2nd with a mere 7.0 PPG allowed.
I’ve personally seen many people on Facebook and on Twitter talk about how people are making the game a bigger deal than it actually is and that Oklahoma should cover the spread and dominate. But I’m here to tell those people to not bite off more than they can chew.
More from Stormin in Norman
- Oklahoma football: Injury report includes pair of Sooner defenders out for season
- Oklahoma football: ESPN, USA Today bowl projections after Week 3
- Oklahoma football: Sooner ‘D’ grading well, but real test begins with Big 12 play
- Two Oklahoma football players receive Big 12 weekly honors
- Oklahoma football: Sooners’ stock rising fast in ESPN prospective rankings
Don’t get me wrong, I hope that Oklahoma can go out on Saturday afternoon and dominate all four quarters. But I honestly do not see that happening. Remember a year ago, TCU came into Norman and nearly left with an upset win. Oklahoma won a close one, 20-17. If it weren’t for Blake Bell running over tacklers at the end, TCU could have had a chance to win it at the end.
Sure, that was a year ago and both teams are different. Both teams have improved since then, But that’s the thing: BOTH teams have improved. This season, the game is in Fort Worth, where Oklahoma struggled two years ago in a 24-17 win that came down to the last play against a 7-5 TCU team.
You can argue that Oklahoma is better this season, and I would agree. This team looks to be the team that gets the long-awaited national championship. But TCU isn’t going away.
TCU has always had a very good defense ever since they joined the Big 12 and they seem to finally have that offense that they have been searching for. In their first three games this season, the Frogs have scored 48, 30, and 56. It wasn’t against the best competition, but they seem to be rolling on offense, something they have been missing the past few years. Their defense is only getting better.
As mentioned above, TCU is 2nd in the country in points allowed, as they have only allowed 7.0 a game. Oklahoma struggled offensively for the first half two weeks ago against West Virginia. It took running back Samaje Perine going full-monster mode to get the offense rolling. This TCU defense is much better than West Virginia’s.
TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin also looks to be legitimate. In the first three games, he has thrown for over 800 yards, eight touchdowns, and only one interception. The Sooners secondary struggled against WVU quarterback Clint Trickett and wide receiver Kevin White for a while. The Sooner secondary better be ready for Boykin, a QB that can run and pass, as opposed to Trickett, who’s bread and butter is in the pocket.
Being ranked #25 and undefeated with a chance to really leap into, not only Big 12 title talks, but possible College Football Playoff berth talks, you can be sure TCU will want to win this game.
Oklahoma should end up getting the job done Saturday because at the end of the day, the Sooners have more talent. But don’t count out the Frogs, led by a good coach in Gary Patterson, a great defense, and an up-and-coming QB trying to prove himself.