Big 12 Championship: Will TCU get revenge on Oklahoma?

Will TCU get revenge? It was only three weeks ago when the Oklahoma Sooners dismantled the Horned Frogs 38-20 in Norman, Okla. TCU responded to the thumping with two dominating wins against Texas Tech and Baylor. To pull of the win Saturday in the Big 12 Championship on Saturday at AT&T Stadium, the No. 11 Horned Frogs (10-2) will have to somehow slow down leading Heisman trophy candidate Baker Mayfield. To do that, the TCU offense needs to keep the Oklahoma offense off the field. No one would be surprised if the rematch turns out to be a much closer contest.

A close game would be great for fans, but might not do any good for the winner. The No. 3-ranked Sooners could impress College Football Playoff committee members with another dominating win but could drop out of the top four if they win a squeaker. For a CFB playoff spot, TCU needs to embarrass the Sooners and hope for mass chaos in the other conference championships. Who doesn’t want a little chaos?

Here’s a look at what the Star-Telegram staff expects on Saturday:

Mac Engel, columnist: This will not be the blowout that was in Norman, but only one team has kept the Sooners under 30 —Texas, which limited Boomer to 29. The Sooners are too good, and this is their season. TCU will give them a game, but talent, and the nation’s best quarterback, wins. Oklahoma 31, TCU 24.

Stefan Stevenson, reporter: If there’s anyone in the country who can figure out how to slow down Mayfield and the Sooners it has to be Gary Patterson. But the problem for the Horned Frogs is, do they have the personnel? Man for man, can they match the speed, strength and ability of the Sooners? On Nov. 11, it was apparent they could not, at least in the first half. Oklahoma 27, TCU 26.

John Henry, correspondent: It’s difficult to believe TCU won’t bring the energy missing in Norman, and Gary Patterson will undoubtedly prescribe defensive adjustments. The key lies in TCU controlling the ball on offense to keep the Sooners’ formidable playmakers off the field. OU ranks middle of the pack in the Big 12 against the run, 44th nationally. Can TCU do that and get Baker Mayfield out of his comfort zone? A tall task. Oklahoma 31, TCU 23.

This story was originally published December 1, 2017 at 12:10 AM with the headline "Big 12 Championship: Will TCU get revenge on Oklahoma?."