No. 18 Oklahoma suffered one of its worst losses of the Big 12 era as TCU smashed the Sooners 55-24 to snap an eight-game losing streak for the Horned Frogs in the series. Suddenly, the Sooners sit at 0-2 in Big 12 play for the first time since the 2020 pandemic season after just a one-game nonconference slate. However, this is the first time the Sooners have lost their first two conference games in a normal regular season since John Blake coached the team in 1998 — which also happens to be Oklahoma’s last losing season.
The fifth game of the Brent Venables era also becomes the program’s most lopsided loss since a 63-28 defeat against LSU in the 2019 College Football Playoff, and it is the largest against a Big 12 foe since a 48-14 loss to Baylor in 2014.
Heading into Saturday, TCU had lost eight straight matchups against the Sooners dating back to Lincoln Riley’s first season in 2015. The losses have come by more than two touchdowns a game, including by a combined 40 points over the past two seasons. However, TCU took over this matchup in a shockingly short amount of time with a 20-3 lead in less than eight minutes behind two passing and one rushing touchdown from TCU quarterback Max Duggan. The senior was masterful, finishing with 302 yards passing, 116 yards rushing and five total touchdowns.
A scary moment came in the second quarter when Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel was targeted by a TCU linebacker and hit his head on the turf. Gabriel went to the locker room and did not return. Later, Oklahoma safety Damon Harmon also suffered a major head injury and had to be immobilized and carted off the field on a stretcher.
Oklahoma struggled in every phase of the game even without their two injured stars. The Sooners threw for just 176 yards on 5.5 yards per pass attempt and averaged 3.7 yards per carry. Ten different receivers caught passes for TCU against a porous secondary.
Should Oklahoma and Texas fall out fo the AP Top 25 on Sunday, it will mean the Red River Shootout will feature two unranked teams for the first time since 1998.
