TCU-Oklahoma State preview: Teams are strikingly similar
TCU (5-4, 3-3 Big 12) vs. Oklahoma State (8-2, 6-1)
When, where: 11 a.m. Saturday, Amon G. Carter Stadium
TV: FS1
TCU returns to the football field with more healthy players, a fresh boost of confidence from a 62-22 rout of Baylor in the team’s last outing and a chance for the Horned Frogs to become bowl-eligible by beating No. 13 Oklahoma State.
After last week’s open date, the Frogs begin a three-game closing push to the regular season Saturday in Amon G. Carter Stadium with a chance to avenge last year’s season-turning loss in Stillwater, Okla. Both teams entered last year’s contest with undefeated records before OSU prevailed, 49-29 to keep the Cowboys in the thick of the Big 12 title race until the final week of the regular season.
TCU is coming off its best performance of the year on both sides of the ball, including a 431-yard rushing performance against Baylor.
Where they are similar
Category | TCU | Oklahoma State |
Scoring offense | 37.4 | 41.3 |
Top rusher | Kyle Hicks (789 yards) | Justice Hill (789) |
Top passer | Kenny Hill (299.3 yards) | Mason Rudolph (338.4) |
Scoring defense | 29.2 | 29.3 |
Sacks | 34 | 26 |
Where they are different
Category | TCU | Oklahoma State |
Turnover margin | Minus-2 | Plus-8 |
INTs by QB | Kenny Hill, 10 | Mason Rudolph, 4 |
4th-down conv. | 70% | 37.5% |
vs. Baylor | W, 62-22 | L, 35-24 |
Record in games decided by TD or less | 1-3 | 4-1 |
Recent developments
TCU’s depth improves this week with the return of two veterans who have missed time with recent injuries: right guard Patrick Morris and receiver Deante Gray. In addition, receiver/kick returner KaVontae Turpin has been a full participant in recent workouts after being limited in practice since returning from a knee injury sustained Sept. 17. RB Kyle Hicks, the Frogs’ leading rusher, is coming off a career-best performance against Baylor (192 rushing yards, 5 TDs). Oklahoma State enters on a six-game winning streak, the Cowboys’ longest since opening with a 10-0 record last season. OSU is coming off last week’s 45-44 victory over Texas Tech, a triumph clinched when Red Raiders’ kicker Clayton Hatfield missed a game-tying PAT with 1:39 remaining.
Trends
The home team has won every meeting in this series since TCU joined the Big 12 for the 2012 season. The caveat is that three of the four meetings have been played in Stillwater because of a scheduling quirk. Four members of the TCU coaching staff have OSU connections: co-offensive coordinator Doug Meacham (OSU player, 1985-87); defensive coordinator Chad Glasgow (OSU player, 1991-93 and graduate assistant, 1994-95); running backs coach Curtis Luper (OSU player, 1984-87 and assistant coach, 2005-08) and graduate assistant J.W. Walsh (OSU player, 2011-15). OSU leads the series 14-10-2. TCU holds the edge in Fort Worth, 6-4-2.
Key performers
TCU
LB Travin Howard | 100 tackles, 11.1 per game |
DE Josh Carraway | 6.5 sacks, 9.5 TFLs |
QB Kenny Hill | 336 yards per game |
WR Taj Williams | 33 catches, 643 yards, 5 TDs |
OSU
QB Mason Rudolph | 65.5 completion percentage, 24 TDs, 4 INTs |
WR James Washington | 56 catches, 1,132 yards, 9 TDs |
S Jordan Sterns | 68 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 3 INTs |
LB Devante Averette | 67 tackles, 5.5 TFLs |
Significant statistics
TCU | OSU | ||
Category | Stat | Category | Stat |
Sacks | 3.78 per game | Sacks allowed | 27 |
INTs by Kenny Hill | 10 | INTs | 11 |
Rushing TDs | 25 | Rushing TDs | 25 |
Red zone defense | 91.9% | Red zone offense | 87.3% |
Jimmy Burch: 817-390-7760, @Jimmy_Burch
This story was originally published November 16, 2016 at 11:19 AM with the headline "TCU-Oklahoma State preview: Teams are strikingly similar."