Oklahoma Holds Off TCU for 24-17 Win
Oklahoma beat TCU 24-17 Saturday afternoon at Amon G. Carter Stadium, handing the Horned Frogs (7-5, 4-5) their fourth conference home loss of the season.
With the win, the Sooners (10-2, 8-1) clinched at least a share of the Big 12 title.
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Here's a quick recap of Saturday's game:
Easy Touchdowns Hurt Frogs
All three of the Sooners' touchdowns came relatively easy Saturday.
Landry Jones flared a pass out to an uncovered Damien Williams near the end of the first quarter for a score, then hit Jalen Saunders for a 24-yard touchdown on third and 23 just before the half.
And on Oklahoma's first possession of the second half, Williams went untouched for a 66-yard touchdown run.
"The plays that broke our back was the easy touchdown, and then you give up a third and 25 right before the half," Patterson said. "You got to be kidding me. Those things shouldn't happen."
Near the end of the game, Boykin scored what would have been a game-tying touchdown run, before it was called back on a Blaize Foltz holding call. A questionable ruling on Jaden Oberkrom's field goal kick in the third quarter also took points away from TCU.
Patterson said he'll review Oberkrom's kick, which from the replay appeared to be good, and protest to the Big 12 if need be.
The call on Foltz was justified, but Patterson pointed out quickly it was the only holding call of the entire came.
Still, the easy scores cost the Frogs, Patterson said.
"Should've found a way, though," he said. "Shouldn't have given up the easy touchdowns is what we should've done."
Stills Shut Down
Oklahoma's top receiver, Kenny Stills, was shut down most of the game, finishing with only two catches for 16 yards. Stills dropped a would-be touchdown just before halftime, and didn't record his first catch until the third quarter.
Cornerback Jason Verrett covered Stills most of the game.
"It makes life easy," Sam Carter said. "You only got to defend 10 guys because you have one guy that can defend him."
Carter said there were several times when Stills was double-teamed or when Verrett received help from other members of the secondary, but for the most part, it was a one-on-one situation.
"It's a lot of help, but when he's over there by himself he does a great job," Carter said.
Carter Sparks Offense
Brandon Carter only finished with one catch Saturday, but it was a big one, an 80-yard touchdown grab with 9:33 left in the third quarter. The score cut the Sooners' lead to 21-14.
A former Oklahoma commit, Carter told TCU running back Matthew Tucker before the game he was pumped to play the team he nearly signed with in 2011.
"He came up to me right before the game and told me, 'Tuck, let's go, let's get it,"' Tucker said. "I was like, I know, let's go, it's your game, it's your game."
Boykin Still Progressing
Trevone Boykin started slow, but threw for 197 yards in the second half, including the long touchdown pass to Carter.
He finished 17-of-31 passing and rushed for 36 yards.
Patterson said Boykin is still progressing -- it's just a matter of not trying to do too much.
"You can't always make the great play," Patterson said. "We did that again today in a couple drives. When people turn it up, take what people give you."
It's not always about stats, Patterson said.
He's got to keep learning," he said. "Fun is not about yardage. Fun is W-I-N. Period. When you're that guy, that's the only thing that counts. People are looking for winners."
Long Season
The Frogs sure didn't go undefeated this year, but Patterson said the up-and-down nature of the season, and the adversity TCU had to face, was similar to the one the Frogs had two years.
"I'm not upset with them," he said. "This has been a long season. The way it's been, this has been like a 13-0 season with the things these kids have gone through."
Houston, Tempe Possible Bowl Destinations
Patterson wouldn't delve too much into bowl talk, but he did say the Meineke Car Care Bowl, in Houston, and the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, in Tempe, Ariz., are possible destinations for the Frogs.
"If I was a betting man, it would probably be Houston or Phoenix," he said. "But I'm not, because I can't."