Oct 4, 2014; Fort Worth, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs running back B.J. Catalon (23) celebrates with receiver Deante' Gray (20) against the Oklahoma Sooners at Amon G. Carter Stadium. The Horned frogs beat the Sooners 37-33. (Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
FORT WORTH, Texas — After a day spent giving up big plays, TCU’s defense came up big when it mattered most.
An interception returned for a touchdown, turnovers and a big fourth-down stand in the fourth quarter helped the No. 25 Horned Frogs pull off a 37-33 upset over No. 4 Oklahoma on Saturday at Amon Carter Stadium.
After a TCU turnover gave the Sooners the ball in TCU territory with about six minutes to play, the Horned Frogs stopped Oklahoma quarterback Trevor Knight just short of a first down on third and 2. The defense then stopped Sooners running back Samaje Perine on fourth down to pull off the upset and the Horned Frogs’ first win over the Sooners since TCU joined the Big 12 in 2012.
Early in the fourth, on third and 2 from near midfield, Knight scrambled and threw the ball into the flats, where TCU linebacker Paul Dawson grabbed it with nothing but grass in front of him.
Dawson cruised in from 46 yards out to put the Horned Frogs ahead early in the fourth quarter.
Sooners nose guard Jordan Phillips blocked the extra-point try and cornerback Zack Sanchez scooped up the ball and returned it for a two-point conversion.
Later in the quarter, TCU safety Chris Hackett intercepted Knight deep in Horned Frogs territory.
TCU (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) jumped out to a 14-0 lead in about nine minutes with quarterback Trevone Boykin making plays with his arm instead of his feet.
The Horned Frogs also had a bit of good fortune on the first drive.
With TCU driving, Boykin’s pass was tipped near the line of scrimmage, but receiver Josh Doctson adjusted and came down with the catch, going 21 yards.
Six plays later, Boykin fumbled into the end zone on third-and-goal at the 1, but tight end Cliff Murphy was there to fall on the ball for the touchdown.
The Sooners (4-1, 1-1) came back with a couple of big plays from junior wide receiver Sterling Shepard.
Right after running back B.J. Catalon put TCU up two touchdowns on a 7-yard run, OU’s Knight found Shepard for a 53-yard gain to set up the Sooners’ first score.
A little more than three minutes after Perine’s one-yard touchdown gave the Sooners a 14-7 lead, Shepherd tied the game on a 75-yard touchdown reception.
Oklahoma’s secondary had been a strong point for the most part in the Sooners’ first four games, but OU struggled to cover the Horned Frogs in their new-look Air Raid offense.
Catalon caught a wide-open 39-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter that put TCU up 21-14 and the Sooners had several more coverage breakdowns.
NOTES: TCU never had scored more than 20 points on Oklahoma in any of their previous 13 meetings. … Oklahoma LG Dionte Savage started in place of Adam Shead. … Oklahoma K Michael Hunnicutt has now made a field goal in 22 consecutive games. … TCU honored former running back LaDainian Tomlinson during a first-half presentation on the field. Tomlinson will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday. … TCU will play at Baylor next Saturday. Oklahoma plays Texas in Dallas.
