Duggan, TCU rout Oklahoma
FORT WORTH — TCU quarterback Max Duggan outran the Oklahoma defense for a long touchdown and lofted passes to wide-open receivers for other lengthy scores.
Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel never got much of a chance to match him.
Duggan went 67 yards for one of his two rushing TDs and threw for three scores, leading the Horned Frogs to a 55-24 rout of the 18th-ranked Sooners on Saturday in a second consecutive loss for firstyear coach Brent Venables.
“We’re not very good obviously right now,” Venables said. “We’ve got a lot to get better at. We’ve got to give them answers and we’ve got to help get them better quickly.”
Gabriel was knocked out of the game in the second quarter when he was hit in the head while sliding by TCU linebacker Jamoi Hodge, who was ejected for targeting.
Players had to be separated after Hodge’s hit while Gabriel stayed down for several minutes, surrounded by the medical staff, before the Central Florida transfer walked off the field on his own.
Gabriel remained on the sideline without his helmet, and Venables said after the game his quarterback was being evaluated for a concussion. Pittsburgh transfer Davis Beville replaced Gabriel and struggled.
There was an even longer delay in the fourth quarter when Oklahoma defensive back Damond Harmon was carted off after being immobilized on a stretcher.
Harmon flashed a thumbsup as he was put on the cart in an emotional scene that included Oklahoma linebacker Kelvin Gilliam, a childhood friend and high school teammate, appearing to fight back tears.
Venables said a surgeon on site believed Harmon’s neck was stable, and a precautionary MRI was planned. The coach said Harmon had a history of back issues.
When Lincoln Riley shocked the Sooners by leaving for Southern California, they hired their former defensive coordinator after Venables won two national titles in that role at Clemson.
His defense was no match for Duggan and company as Oklahoma lost consecutive regular-season games for just the second time since 1999. The Sooners (3-2, 0-2 Big 12) opened conference with a home loss to Kansas State.
NO. 25 KANSAS ST. 37 TEXAS TECH 28
Adrian Martinez rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns and threw for another score to give the host Wildcats the edge over the Red Raiders.
Martinez was 12-for-19 passing for 116 yards for Kansas State (4-1, 2-0 Big 12), while Deuce Vaughn had 170 rushing yards for the Wildcats, who extended their winning streak against the Red Raiders to seven games.
Donovan Smith was 34for-48 passing for 359 yards and two TDs for Texas Tech (3-2, 1-1). Smith also rushed for a touchdown.
Martinez raced 57 yards on the first play of the game, then capped it with an 18-yard touchdown on the second play, giving K-State a quick 7-0 lead.
The Wildcats also got three field goals from Chris Tennant after drives stalled.
KANSAS 14, IOWA ST. 11
Jace Gilbert missed three field goals, including a 37yarder with a chance to tie the game with under 30 seconds to play as the host Jayhawks remained undefeated.
At 5-0 overall, this is the Jayhawks’ best start to the season since 2009 and just the second time in the last 14 years they’re 2-0 to begin Big 12 Conference play.
Jalon Daniels and Daniel Hishaw both scored rushing touchdowns for the Jayhawks.