Steven Johnson: An early look at TCU’s next opponent, No. 8 Oklahoma State
Even before the two teams were ranked in the Top 15, TCU’s matchup with Oklahoma State was always going to be a crucial game for the Horned Frogs.
The Cowboys won 12 games last season, were a yard away from a Big 12 championship and beat Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.
Oklahoma State, one of the best teams in the country and in the midst of their best campaign in a decade, rolled TCU 63-17 in Stillwater.
No game on the schedule will show how much progress has made TCU made this season more than this one.
The Horned Frogs can reasonably jump squarely into the College Football Playoff mix with a win over the No. 8 Cowboys.
Here’s four things to know about Oklahoma State:
A battle for QB1?
The only Big 12 quarterback that can make a case that they’re playing better than Max Duggan is Oklahoma State quarterback Spencer Sanders. He was voted first-team preseason All-Big 12 and was No. 1 in my preseason quarterback rankings. I thought there was a good chance Duggan or OU’s Dillon Gabriel could supplant him and I was about halfway right.
Sanders has taken a big step forward. He has averaged 10 interceptions per season, but only has two through five games so far. Sanders has thrown for nearly 1,400 yards with 12 touchdowns. As a runner he continues to be dynamic with six touchdowns on the ground and 241 rushing yards. With Sanders at the helm, the Cowboys are averaging 46.4 points per game. The same as TCU.
A deep defensive line
During the broadcast of the Cowboys’ 41-31 win over Texas Tech, announcers said Oklahoma State feels they can go 14 deep on their defensive line. That’s a staggering number, but there is plenty of talent up front. Brock Martin leads the team with four sacks with Collin Oliver and Ben Kopenski right behind him with three.
Tyler Lacy is another good one and most of the two-deep depth chart is filled with seniors or super seniors, athletes that are using the extra year of eligibility due to the COVID year. For the third straight week, TCU is facing the team that leads the Big 12 in sacks. The offensive line held its own against Oklahoma and Kansas, but the Cowboys are deeper, more talented and more physical than those two.
Chandler Morris and Sam Jackson were sacked seven times in last year’s game. Just as the game is an overall measuring stick for TCU, it’s the same for the offensive line. They’ve proven to be a solid unit, but if they want to make the case for the being the best in the Big 12 and one of the best nationally, Saturday will be the day to prove it.
Balanced receiving core
There’s no big name in the Oklahoma State receiver group. While SMU and Oklahoma relied heavily on one receiver and Kansas’ receivers had limitations, the Cowboys have plenty of options that can produce a 100-yard day. Braydon Johnson has filled in nicely for Tay Martin who led the Big 12 and Cowboys in receiving last year before departing.
Johnson has 360 yards and three touchdowns. 5-foot-8 Brennan Presley could be a nightmare matchup in the slot and is second on the team with 314 yards. Bryson Green leads the team with four touchdown catches and 284 yards while John Paul Richardson is another receiver with at least 200 yards. Green and Richardson, just sophomores, could become household names in due time.
Running back Dominic Richardson is a threat in the pass game with 133 yards through the air to complement his 355 yards on the ground. Richardson averages almost 10 yards per catch and is great safety valve for Sanders. Considering how the TCU pass defense performed in the second half against Kansas with a backup quarterback, the Frogs must be better.
TCU should be able to score
The Cowboys had one of the best defenses in the country in 2021. Oklahoma State was Top 10 in scoring defense, led the Big 12 in sacks with 57 and held opponents to 4.6 yards per play. Because of the unit’s excellence, Ohio State plucked former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to have the same impact in Columbus.
A few key secondary pieces — Jarrick Bernard-Converse (LSU) and Tanner McAllister (Ohio State) — departed via the transfer portal. Three more regular contributors are in the NFL or pursuing pro opportunities. New defensive coordinator Derek Mason has had some growing pains with so many pieces to try and replace. Take out the 63-7 blowout of Arkansas Pine-Bluff and the Cowboys are allowing almost 30 points per game.
Oklahoma State is allowing 5.6 yards per play and 470-plus yards of total offense. The Cowboys have weaknesses, but do some things well. They’re excellent on third down, allowing conversions only 28% of the time. Opponents are being held to 3.5 yards per rush and we’ve already discussed the pass rush. Texas Tech was on its third string quarterback and he threw for 380 yards while the offense scored 31 points. Central Michigan scored 44 and a lackluster Baylor offense had nearly 500 yards of offense.
If TCU can slow the pass rush, there’s no reason the Horned Frogs shouldn’t be able to match or exceed that production.
This story was originally published October 11, 2022 at 4:00 AM.
