Kyler Murray threw four touchdown passes and No. 9 Oklahoma (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) got 100-yard days from two running backs to pull away from TCU (3-4, 1-3 Big 12) Saturday afternoon. Oklahoma’s 52-27 victory showed the ability Oklahoma had to make adjustments following a TCU quarterback change, but the concern after the game may fall on the status of running back Trey Sermon.
Sermon, who rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns, left the game with an apparent right leg injury in the fourth quarter. The status of Sermon was unclear, but the depth at running back would take another hit if Sermon’s injury is of any significance. Rodney Anderson went down for the year early in the season with his own injury.
Kennedy Brooks, along with Sermon, had a big day on the ground against the Horned Frogs Brooks rushed for a game-high 168 yards with one touchdown in the box score. Murray was 19 of 24 for 213 yards with four touchdowns. Lee Morris caught two of those touchdown passes from Murray, and CeeDee Lamb and Carson Meier caught the others.
In the first half, with Oklahoma leading 28-7, Gary Patterson chose to make a switch at quarterback. With Shawn Robinson struggling, he inserted Michael Collins to take over. The position change seemed to work as TCU went on a run to close out the first half and cut the Oklahoma lead to 28-24. But after halftime, the TCU offense was once again controlled by Oklahoma’s defense and there was not enough big plays by KaVontae Turpin in the TCU arsenal to keep things going. Turpin had a kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter and later added a 41-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass before halftime.
The win by Oklahoma did show some areas where the Sooners can improve moving forward but the result will keep Oklahoma in striking distance in the Big 12 championship hunt, and thus still alive in the College Football Playoff race.
Oklahoma will return home next week for a game against Kansas State. TCU will be on the road to play Kansas.
