The TCU Horned Frogs defeated the Kansas Jayhawks 38-31 to move to 5-0 under new head coach Sonny Dykes. Led by quarterback Max Duggan, the Horned Frogs scored 28 points in the second half. Duggan passed for over 300 yards for the third time in four games, connecting with seven different receivers in the process.
TCU’s Quentin Johnson had a career day, connecting with Duggan for 206 yards on 14 receptions, including the game-winning touchdown, an eye-brow-raising display of athleticism in which Johnson snatched a 47-yard pass out of the air and toe-tapped the field before being forced out of bounds late in the fourth quarter.
Kansas entered the game on a five-game win streak, the best start to a season the Jayhawks have experienced since 2009. The Jayhawks started the game with Jalen Daniels at quarterback, but he was knocked out of the game after taking a physical — but legal — tackle in the second quarter. His replacement, Jason Bean, passed for four touchdowns and 262 yards but threw a costly interception with the score knotted at 17 in the third quarter. The interception came just one play after Bean fumbled, but was fortunate to have a teammate recover the loose ball.
The turnover set up Duggan for yet another rushing touchdown to go with his three passes for scores. Duggan has two rushing TDs this season and 21 overall in his time at TCU. Running back Kendre Miller led the team on the ground, piling up 88 yards on 18 carries and scoring a touchdown. Miller has scored at least one touchdown in every game this season.
The Horned Frogs’ special teams units also did their jobs admirably. Punter Jordy Sandy had four kicks with one touchback, and placekicker Griffen Kell hit his lone field goal attempt and all five extra points. Sandy’s kicking was excellent and led to zero return yards for Kansas on punts.
TCU’s Shadrach Banks got two opportunities at kick returns, a job that often falls to running back Emari Demercado. Banks broke one of his kicks for a 32-yard pickup that set the game-winning series in motion.
The TCU defense largely held up in the first half against a Kansas team that has demonstrated the ability to score points. The defense held the Jayhawks to a field goal in the first half. Daniels completed only 50 percent of his passes before leaving the game with a shoulder injury and had no touchdowns. The Jayhawks were forced to punt twice, failed to convert a fourth down, and saw Daniels fumble the ball away on a second-and-goal play from TCU’s three-yard line. The ball was recovered by Banks and set up a 99-yard, six-play drive for a touchdown. Kansas wouldn’t score until only 38 seconds remained in the first half.
TCU has now won two Big 12 matches in a row, handily defeating Oklahoma last week in a blowout before taking down the Jayhawks in Lawrence, Kansas. The Horned Frogs return to North Texas next week for another Big 12 match against the Oklahoma State University Cowboys.
