TCU leaves no doubt in win vs. OU

Max Duggan ran 67 yards for one of two touchdowns and threw for three scores, leading TCU to a 55-24 rout of No. 18 Oklahoma on Saturday in a second consecutive loss for new Sooners coach Brent Venables.

OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel was knocked out of the game in the second quarter when he was hit 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 UCF transfer walked off the field on his own. Pittsburgh transfer Davis Beville replaced him.

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 when he was injured in the fourth quarter.

Harmon flashed a thumbs-up 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.

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. It’s the most points Oklahoma has allowed since a 63-28 loss to LSU in the 2019 national semifinals.

“We’re not very good obviously right now,” Venables said. “We’ve got a lot to get better at, a lot to improve. We’ve got to give them answers and we’ve got help get them better quickly.”

The Horned Frogs (4-0, 1-0) had four touchdowns of at least 62 yards, topped by Taye Barber’s 73-yard catch during a 27-point first quarter.

TCU led 41-17 at halftime with 479 yards while finishing with 668 yards in coach Sonny Dykes’ Big 12 debut after four seasons at crosstown rival SMU.

Kendre Miller ran 69 yards for a touchdown to put TCU up 48-17 early in the second half and finished with 136 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

Purdue stifles Minnesota: Purdue has made a habit of these upsets of Top 25 teams under Jeff Brohm.

Toughing out this win at Minnesota was one of his proudest moments in six years as head coach.

Devin Mockobee rushed for 112 yards and a late touchdown to pad Purdue’s lead, and the Boilermakers’ defense fueled yet another takedown of a ranked opponent in a 20-10 victory over No. 21 Minnesota on Saturday.

“It was a long week. I’m tired,” Brohm said. “Because you’ve got to prepare for these guys. They’re really sound. They normally don’t beat themselves.”

Rising’s 3 TDs lead Utes: Cameron Rising threw for 199 yards and three touchdowns and added 73 yards and a score on the ground to lead No. 12 Utah to a 42-16 victory over Oregon State on Saturday.

The Utes (4-1, 2-0 Pac-12) forced four turnovers to avenge their only Pac-12 loss from last season.

Third-string quarterback Ben Gulbranson threw for 177 yards and two interceptions to lead the Beavers. Gulbranson played the final three quarters after starter Chance Nolan left with a neck strain.

Oregon State (3-2, 0-2) suffered its second straight loss despite rolling up 417 yards and 21 first downs.

Utah broke open a close game with a pair of third quarter touchdowns. Devaughn Vele fought scored on a 16-yard catch. Then, R.J. Hubert picked off a pass from Gulbranson in the end zone and returned it 70 yards to set up Jaylen Dixon’s 22-yard scoring run.

Kansas State holds off Texas Tech: All it took was one play for Kansas State quarterback Adrian Martinez to set the tone against Texas Tech.

And that play was the first of Saturday’s game — a 57-yard run that quickly put the Red Raiders on their heels.

“Explosive plays are a big stat for us,” said Martinez, who scored on an 18-yard run on the ensuing play. “It goes along with turnovers and a couple other key factors. It definitely helped us.”

Martinez rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns and threw for another score to lead No. 25 Kansas State to a 37-28 victory. He 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.

Martinez and Vaughn combined for three runs of at least 50 yards, plus another that was nullified by a holding penalty.