Tag: josh hoover

Report Card: Offensive fireworks help gloss over Sooners’ defensive woes

Offense dominates the day and passes final Big 12 test en route to a 69-45 win over TCU. We graded the team’s performance in this week’s report card.

Oklahoma has rebounded from the nightmarish season from 2022. They’ll spend the rest of Thanksgiving weekend at 10-2, a sharp contrast from the 6-6 record they amassed before their bowl game last year.

Friday saw the Sooners end their final regular season as Big 12 members in true Big 12 fashion with an old-fashioned shootout. The two teams combined for over 1,000 yards of total offense and 114 points in a 69-45 Oklahoma win.

Senior Day festivities preceded the game, with more than 20 Sooners recognized. Oklahoma’s win also solidified their 59th undefeated home record as well.

As Oklahoma waits to see how the rest of the Big 12 race plays out, we’re here to grade their performance in the win over TCU. Here’s the final report card for the regular season.

Relive the Oklahoma Sooners 69-45 win over TCU with these amazing photos

Relive the Oklahoma Sooners explosive performance against the TCU Horned Frogs with these incredible photos.

It was a magical day at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The Oklahoma Sooners hosted their final Big 12 home game before their move to the SEC next summer.

Oklahoma earned double-digit wins for the first time in Brent Venables’ career. The Sooners had a nice send-off for their seniors. And their seniors were instrumental in the 69-45 win.

In particular, Dillon Gabriel and Drake Stoops had huge days on Senior Day. Gabriel threw for 400 yards and accounted for four touchdowns. Stoops caught 12 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. It was his third 100-yard day in the last four weeks as he became the Sooners’ top receiving option.

After the first half, it seemed like the Oklahoma Sooners were going to roll to an easy win, but TCU made things really interesting, pulling to within 14 points in the second half. But at 52-38, the Sooners went on a 17-0 run, capped off by Billy Bowman’s interception return for a touchdown.

It wasn’t a dominant performance, but it was a performance that will be memorable as it allowed Oklahoma’s seniors to walk off Owen Field with a perfect 5-0 record at home in 2023.

It remains to be seen if the Sooners will have one more meaningful game in Big 12 play or if they’re simply awaiting their bowl destination. However, Oklahoma did what it needed to on Black Friday to give them a shot at a Big 12 title game berth.

Relive the big 69-45 win over the TCU Horned Frogs with some of the best photos from the game.

Oklahoma Sooners win final Big 12 home game, beat the TCU Horned Frogs 69-45

The Oklahoma Sooners cap off their 2023 regular season with a big win over the TCU Horned Frogs.

The Oklahoma Sooners played their final [autotag]Big 12[/autotag] home game against the [autotag]TCU Horned Frogs[/autotag], coming out on top with a 69-45 win.

On senior day and Oklahoma’s final day in the Big 12, this game had everything.

The defense forced a punt on their first drive and nearly earned an interception.

The offense marched right down the field on their first drive of the game. [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag] hit [autotag]Nic Anderson[/autotag] on a 50-yard pass to start the drive. TCU was called for pass interference on Austin Stogner and on the following play, Gabriel then ran it in from eight yards out for his 12th rushing touchdown of the season.

After a muffed punt by [autotag]Gavin Freeman[/autotag] set TCU up with great field position, the Horned Frogs scored on a [autotag]Josh Hoover[/autotag] keeper but missed the extra point.

The offense picked up right where it left off. Gabriel found [autotag]Jayden Gibson[/autotag] on 3rd and 11 for a gain of 17. He then found Gibson on a 59-yard touchdown pass, dragging a defender into the end zone.

After a 48-yard pass to [autotag]Jojo Earle[/autotag] got the Horned Frogs into OU territory, TCU took advantage as Hoover hit Earle on a 6-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 14-13.

To start the second quarter, the Sooners went with Freeman, Drake Stoops and [autotag]Brenen Thompson[/autotag] as the wide receivers. OU used their speed, and Gabriel hit Thompson on a deep post route for a 53-yard touchdown pass.

The defense forced a three-and-out, and Gabriel continued his incredible performance. He helped convert a third and long and then a fourth down on the drive. [autotag]Gavin Sawchuk[/autotag] capped it off with a 12-yard touchdown run that gave the Sooners a 28-13 lead.

The Sooners forced a three and out on a sack by [autotag]Reggie Pearson[/autotag]. But TCU tried a fake field goal, and it was snuffed out by the Sooners. The offense took over and marched right down the short field and capped it off with a 7-yard run by Sawchuk.

The Sooners’ defense forced its third straight three and out on TCU’s next drive. And on Oklahoma’s next possession, Sawchuk took off on a 41-yard run, setting OU up in TCU territory. The drive was capped off by a 9-yard touchdown run by [autotag]Tawee Walker[/autotag].

The Sooners took a 42-16 lead into halftime.

The Sooners outgained the Horned Frogs 375-221. They were also 7 of 9 on third and fourth down while holding TCU to 4 of 12. Gabriel finished the half 14-23 for 278 yards and three touchdowns.

The Sooners drove right down the field on their first drive of the half but had to settle for a 23-yard field goal. [autotag]Zach Schmit[/autotag] nailed it to extend the Sooners lead to 45-16. TCU responded as Emani Bailey ran it in untouched from 32 yards out. Gabriel tried another deep shot to Thompson, but it was into the wind and a bit late, and this time it was picked off.

TCU took advantage as Hoover found [autotag]Jared Wiley[/autotag] for the four-yard score to cut the lead to 45-31 after TCU converterted the two-point try. The Sooners faced a 4th and 1 on their own side of the 50 and Gabriel picked up 40 yards on the option keeper. Stoops capped off the drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Gabriel.

TCU went right back down the field like it was nothing. Bailey had a 49-yard run and then a touchdown catch on the following play to cut the Sooners lead back to 14. The Sooners drove the field but, after a sack, were forced to kick a 40-yard field goal. Schmit knocked it through to put OU up 17 with 10:14 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The defense finally made a stop, forcing TCU to turn it over on downs in their own territory. The Sooners capitalized as Sawchuk ran it in from nine yards out to make it 62-38. [autotag]Billy Bowman[/autotag] would add to the lead after a 45-yard interception return to seal the win.

The Sooners had several big-time performances in the win. Dillon Gabriel completed 63% of his passes for 400 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 36 yards and a touchdown. Gavin Sawchuk had his fourth straight 100-yard day with 22 carries for 130 yards and three touchdowns. Sawchuk added 16 yards on two receptions to his big performance.

On the receiving end, Oklahoma had three players with more than 75 yards in the win. Drake Stoops caught 12 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. Nic Anderson had four receptions on eight targets for 97 yards. Jayden Gibson continued his strong finish to the season with two receptions for 76 yards and a score.

Defensively, the Sooners struggled in the second half, allowing 299 total yards and 9.3 yards per play. But as they’ve done often this season, the defense came up with big plays in key moments. In addition to his interception return for a touchdown, Billy Bowman led the team with nine tackles.

In total, Oklahoma outgained the Horned Frogs 607-520 on the day.

Oklahoma moved to 10-2 in year two under [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag]. Now they wait for this weekend’s results in the Big 12 to know if they’ll be playing next week in Arlington, Texas for the Big 12 title.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners vs TCU Horned Frogs: How to Watch, key players, weather forecast for gameday

Here is how to watch and other information about the Oklahoma Sooners final regular season game against the TCU Horned Frogs.

The Oklahoma Sooners are set to put a bow on their 2023 regular season as they take on the [autotag]TCU Horned Frogs[/autotag] on Black Friday. The Sooners are 9-2 and are looking for their first 10-win season under Brent Venables.

TCU is coming off a historic season where they played for a national championship. This year hasn’t gone as planned at 5-6. They need one win to clinch a bowl game berth.

The Horned Frogs come into this game with the No. 14 ranked offense in the country and the No. 86 ranked defense.

Offensively, they do a lot of their work in the air, boasting the nation’s 9th-ranked passing attack. Defensively, they have a pretty good run defense but can be beaten in the passing game.

But let’s take a look at how you can watch the game, an injury report, and some key players to keep an eye on for both teams.

By the Numbers: No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners vs. TCU Horned Frogs

A statistical look at how the Oklahoma Sooners and TCU Horned Frogs stack up heading into their Black Friday Showdown.

The Oklahoma Sooners vs. the TCU Horned Frogs may look like a mismatch based on their records coming into the game. However, the [autotag]TCU Horned Frogs[/autotag] are a bit reminiscent of the Sooners from 2022, who struggled in one-score games.

TCU was really good in one-score games a year ago, but haven’t been as fortunate this season. They’re a young team that has had some growing pains. In particular, they’ve gone as redshirt freshman [autotag]Josh Hoover[/autotag] has gone. When he’s protected the football, the Horned Frogs have been hard to beat.

The same can be said for the Sooners. In their two losses, Oklahoma turned the ball over six times. In their other nine games, the Sooners turned the ball over just six times.

The other big storyline in this game is the health of [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag]. Brent Venables said earlier in the week that he expects Gabriel to be available. But if he’s not, Jackson Arnold will get the first start of his career. We’ve seen some good things from the true freshman former five-star quarterback. But how will he respond to his first start on a short week?

This game has a chance to be a weird one given the early kickoff and coming on Black Friday. Will the home Sooners show up? Will they stay explosive in the passing game even if it is [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] at the helm?

Here’s a statistical look at the two sides for this Black Friday affair in this week’s By the Numbers.

No. 13 Oklahoma vs. TCU Horned Frogs: Sooners Wire Staff Predictions

How will the Oklahoma Sooners final Big 12 regular season game play out? Sooners Wire staff predicts OU vs. TCU Horned Frogs.

And just like that, we’ve reached the conclusion of the 2023 regular season. As they old saying goes, “Time flies when you’re having fun.”

Though the results haven’t gone Oklahoma’s way each week, here we sit heading into game 12 with a chance at a 10-win season and an outside shot to play in the Big 12 title game.

Yes, 10 wins and “a shot at a conference title game” aren’t meeting the standards at the University of Oklahoma. However, the improvement we’ve seen from this team from year one of Brent Venables is as important as anything.

There are still things that have to continue to get better. But as the Oklahoma Sooners get set to host the TCU Horned Frogs, one more opportunity awaits for Venables and the Sooners to prove they’re a team on the rise.

Here are this week’s Sooners Wire Staff Predictions for OU vs. TCU.

TCU Horned Frogs Color Analyst Landry Burdine previews game vs. the Oklahoma Sooners

TCU will be no cake walk as they bring in one of the best offenses in the entire country.

When many people look at the record of the [autotag]TCU Horned Frogs[/autotag], they’ll immediately think this is a game the Oklahoma Sooners will dominate. But if you dive into the tape and look at them more intently, you’ll see this TCU team is far better than a 5-6 ball club.

TCU lost a ton of their offensive production from a season ago. It’s taken them some time to start clicking on offense. But man, have they started to click since [autotag]Josh Hoover[/autotag] took over at quarterback.

The Horned Frogs rank No. 14 in the nation in total offense and No. 9 in the nation in passing offense.

Color Analyst for TCU’s radio network, Landry Burdine, joined my podcast, Eat. Sleep. Bedlam., to preview the upcoming game on Friday. He talked about what the reason has been for the recent offense success. “I think they’re figuring it out at the right time,” Burdine said. “Chandler Morris is a hell of a quarterback. He’s really good, but he’s just gotten the injury bug. So, I think with Josh Hoover, the reason he’s still playing is he’s done well, but it’s also given them a chance to get a young guy some important minutes in a season that, I don’t want to say, getting to a bowl game doesn’t matter but they’re afforded the luxury of allowing some young guys to get some playing time.”

One of the things that Burdine mentions that has held TCU back this season is their red zone offense. In fact, they rank No. 127 out of 130 teams in college football. That’s something they’ll have to improve on if they want to pull off the upset.

For Oklahoma, they have to be ready to play on both sides of the ball. This might be the best offensive team they’ve seen all season and they’ve faced a ton of good ones. This is shaping up to be a good final game to end the 2023 regular season.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jaron on Twitter @JaronSpor.

Keys to the Game: Aggressive playcalling on both sides of the ball critical to a Sooners win over TCU

Oklahoma takes on TCU this Friday in their final Big 12 regular season game. Here are our keys to the game and how the Sooners can win.

Oklahoma and TCU get set for one final battle on the gridiron before Oklahoma departs for the SEC next summer. For both schools, the game still has a lot of significance.

On the home side, the Sooners are looking to reach 10 wins for the year and keep their slim Big 12 title game hopes alive. It’s also Senior Day, and a host of Oklahoma players could be putting on the crimson & cream at home for the last time.

TCU is searching for that elusive sixth win to clinch bowl eligibility.

TCU is a flawed team, but they have the talent at critical positions to push Oklahoma. A close game in the fourth quarter is anyone’s game, and that’s all TCU has to do.

Brent Venables has the more talented team, but the possibility of being without their veteran quarterback and fighting off the emotions of a final home game and an unfamiliar gameday experience could make things challenging.

For Oklahoma to win, we believe these five keys are essential. Check them out below.

Know Your Foe: Five TCU Horned Frogs to know for regular season finale

Oklahoma takes on TCU in their final Big 12 home game to end their regular season. Here are five TCU players to know as the Sooners prepare.

Friday will be an emotional day of celebration. The Oklahoma Sooners (9-2, 6-2 Big 12) will host their Senior Day. This will be the last time the Sooners host a Big 12 game on Owen Field.

The crimson and cream have made it through another Big 12 slate. The chances of earning a trip to Arlington for the Big 12 Championship are slim but not quite zero. The Sooners will need help from other Big 12 members to make that happen.

All Oklahoma can do is worry about finishing their final Big 12 slate with a win at home.

Their opponents were the first Big 12 team not named Oklahoma to make it to the College Football Playoff. Sonny Dykes orchestrated a masterful coaching job to get TCU (5-6, 3-5) to the national championship last year. Things didn’t go so hot in their game against Georgia, but his work speaks for itself.

The Horned Frogs lost a significant amount of production from that team, and this season has hardly been as fruitful. This team can still hang with many teams and is hungry for bowl eligibility. They are one win shy of playing in a bowl game and would love nothing more than to spoil Oklahoma’s festivities and get that sixth victory.

There is no Max Duggan, Quentin Johnston, Kendre Miller, Dee Winters, Steve Avila, or Derius Davis for this year’s TCU Horned Frogs. That group of players was the backbone of last year’s team and a big reason Oklahoma lost 55-24 in Fort Worth last year.

With so many faces gone and off to the NFL, who are the players to know for Sonny Dykes’ team? We break down five TCU Horned Frogs to know ahead for Oklahoma’s regular-season finale.

Josh Hoover will start at QB for TCU against Texas

Texas will play against the redshirt freshman when they travel to Fort Worth on Saturday.

The starting quarterback of the TCU Horned Frogs, Chandler Morris, has been out of play since Oct. 7 due to a knee injury he sustained against Iowa State.

Since then, redshirt freshman Josh Hoover has taken over the offense, resulting in a fluctuating performance with an equal number of touchdowns and interceptions.

In his best game of the year against BYU, Hoover threw for 439 yards and four touchdowns, but he has thrown an interception in every game he has played.

Texas must capitalize on the freshman’s mistakes and prioritize finishing drives to get into the endzone.

Hoover will start for the third consecutive game on Saturday as Texas heads to Fort Worth for a 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff.