FEELING FROGGY
AFTER BEATING TEXAS, CAN TCU KEEP ROLL GOING IN STILLWATER?
Keys for TCU
Stay balanced: TCU head coach Gary Patterson finally let freshman quarterback Max Duggan loose and it resulted in a come-from-behind victory over a struggling Texas squad. The Horned Frogs entered the game with a onedimensional offense. TCU can go win this game on the road if Duggan can threaten defenses vertically to wide receivers Taye Barber and Jalen Reagor. Running backs Darius Anderson and Sewo Olonilua will benefit the most. Stop Chuba Hubbard: Oklahoma State lines up and dares defenses to stop running back Chuba Hubbard for four quarters. The sophomore is already over 200 carries on the season and is averaging 6.4 yards per game. TCU must win on first and second down, stop Hubbard and put more pressure on quarterback Spencer Sanders.
Keys for Oklahoma State
Win first down: These two teams mirror each other offensively. Neither offense is built to win on third-andlong. Mike Gundy’s squad needs to win on first down by getting Hubbard cooking early, while forcing TCU to rely on freshman quarterback Max Duggan. The team with more success on third down wins this game and that is usually determined by the down and distance created after first and second down. Oklahoma State trusts Sanders more than TCU trusts Duggan.
Show up: Oklahoma State is the better team if the Cowboys show up focused for the game against TCU. That’s not a given, however. Mike Gundy’s squad beat Kansas State and Iowa State this season. It’s also lost to Texas Tech. The defense allowed 45 points in the losses to Texas Tech and Baylor. Quarterback Spencer Sanders takes care of the football in wins. Mindset is a key in this matchup.
Prediction
Oklahoma State 34, TCU
28: The offense at Oklahoma State is more explosive than the Horned Frogs and that’s the difference in Stillwater. Spencer Sanders should outplay Max Duggan at home, while Chuba Hubbard is the most dominant player on the field. TCU is full of confidence after a win against Texas, but the Cowboys extinguish it with a solid conference win over the Horned Frogs.