Oct 29, 2015; Fort Worth, TX, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Trevone Boykin (2) side arms his pass during the second quarter of a game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
FORT WORTH, Texas — No. 5 TCU wasn’t about to get into a shootout with West Virginia this time out.
The Horned Frogs got up big early and improved to 8-0 by overpowering the Mountaineers 40-10 Thursday night at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
Horned Frogs quarterback Trevone Boykin bolstered his Heisman credentials with four touchdowns — three passing and another rushing — and 472 yards of total offense.
TCU’s quest for a spot in the College Football Playoffs is down to four games, including the regular-season finale at home against No. 2 Baylor. A pair of sturdy tests remain on the road at No. 12 Oklahoma State (Nov. 7) and No. 14 Oklahoma (Nov. 14).
Unlike the last three nail-biters between the two newest members of the Big 12, TCU raced out to a 17-0 lead against West Virginia and never looked back. The Horned Frogs (5-0 Big 12) have scored at least 40 points in each of their last seven games.
Boykin completed 32 of 47 passes for 388 yards, with two scores going to receiver Josh Doctson. The senior caught 11 passes for 183 yards, and leads all active players with 34 career touchdowns.
The Mountaineers dropped to 3-4 overall and 0-4 in the Big 12 after their fourth consecutive loss.
West Virginia quarterback Skyler Howard repeatedly tried to test the TCU secondary deep, but his receivers weren’t much help. Several dropped passes doomed scoring chances.
Howard completed 16 of 39 passes for 160 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Running back Wendell Smallwood posted his fourth 100-yard rushing effort of the season with 113 yards on 20 carries.
Boykin also led the Frogs with 84 yards rushing.
Boykin accounted for two touchdowns and 244 yards in the first half, as the Horned Frogs took a 23-10 lead at the break.
The Frogs went methodically down the field on their first possession, covering 91 yards in 12 plays. Two pass-interference calls aided a drive that ended with Boykin lofting a soft 17-yard scoring pass to Doctson.
TCU mounted another long march on its second possession, going 81 yards after the Mountaineers’ second punt. Boykin took it the final 2 yards, running left and diving into the end zone.
The Frogs finished the first quarter with a 17-0 lead on kicker Jaden Oberkrom’s 20-yard field goal.
The Mountaineers found their footing on both sides of the ball in the second quarter to get back into the game.
The visitors got on the board on Howard’s 32-yard touchdown pass to diving receiver Shelton Gibson early in the second period.
West Virginia pulled within 17-10 on kicker Josh Lambert’s 51-yard field goal with 5:02 left in the second period.
Oberkrom helped TCU regain some momentum going into the locker room with two more field goals, including a career-long 57-yarder as the half expired.
NOTES: TCU QB Trevone Boykin has thrown a touchdown pass in 23 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak in the country. … The previous three meetings between TCU and West Virginia were decided by a total of five points, with the Horned Frogs winning two one-point games. … TCU last played on Thursday in 2008. … West Virginia has played on Thursday 71 times. … Abby Faber, the young Iowa State fan with cerebral palsy who recently befriended by Boykin, was at the game as a guest of TCU.
