Top Performers: TCU-WVU
Under the lights Thursday night in Amon G. Carter Stadium, TCU shined bright.
The Horned Frogs remained undefeated against West Virginia and put up a few highlight plays in the process. The Frogs won 40-10 behind the great performances of a few players. Let's take a look at this week's top performers.
1. Trevone Boykin
Trevone Boykin embarrassed defenders repeatedly Thursday night, to the point even WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen had to show his respect, giving him a high five after one first down run.
"I could've started yelling at our guys but what good is that going to do?" Holgorsen said. "I mean, congratulations bud. You made a hell of a play."
Boykin went 32-of-47 for 388 yards and three touchdowns. He was also the Frogs' best option running the ball, carrying it 11 times for 84 yards while resurrecting the Boykin Flip.
Flip-Six!
The flip didn't make his head coach very happy. Gary Patterson said he didn't even watch the play because he saw what was coming. With Boykin dominating in primetime on national television, he was about the only one who was able to look away.
2. Josh Doctson
Josh Doctson is not surprised that he is playing as well as he is. That has been his goal since he started at TCU
"I told myself when I got here I was going to play my heart out," Doctson said. "I was going to capitalize on every opportunity I got."
He did that against the Mountaineers. The wideout caught 11 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns, his sixth straight game with both 100 yards and at least two touchdowns. He and Michael Crabtree are the only FBS receivers in the last 20 years to accomplish that feat.
3. Terrell Lathan
Defensive end Terrell Lathan led a TCU defensive line that played its best game of the season, recording four tackles, a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits.
The defensive line as a whole was able to get more pressure on the quarterback than in either of the previous two games. That pressure helped cause Skylar Howard to complete less than half his passes (41 percent) for 160 yards.
Lathan, Davion Pierson and Mike Tuaua are the senior leaders along the defensive line. After each missing time due to injury or suspension, they are beginning to play the way they did in 2014. As the Frogs enter their final four games, three of which come against teams who are currently undefeated, they will need those veterans to keep that going.
4. Travin Howard
Linebacker and former safety Travin Howard had to do some of everything for the Frogs again. He played linebacker and had to cover receivers in space as well as make plays against the run. Then the Frogs moved him into the slot to help in coverage on WVU's four-wide sets.
His play of the night came in the fourth quarter with the Mountaineers threatening to score for the first time in the half. He flew into the flat to tip away a pass and managed to haul it in with one hand to end the WVU possession. It had Patterson fired up, even if he couldn't believe it.
"I don't know how he caught it," he said.