No. 2 TCU earns opening night win that might pay off at season end
MINNEAPOLIS — Breaking down No. 2 TCU's 23-17 victory against Minnesota in the 2015 season opener for both teams:
THE BIG PICTURE: It’s difficult to draw broad statements from the season’s opening weekend, even if a matchup of TCU and Minnesota — one a clear championship contender, another one of the stronger teams in the Big Ten Conference — lends itself to big-picture analysis. It’s early: TCU is still young on defense, Minnesota is still unbalanced offensively, and the teams that premiered on Thursday night will likely share little with the teams that contend for conference championships in November.
Yet it’s possible to impart one takeaway: TCU’s perceived struggles in a victory don’t reflect poorly on the team’s quest for a Big 12 Championship and potential College Football Playoff berth. Instead, the Horned Frogs’ uneven play reflects well on Minnesota, which despite losing the opener proved itself to be a legitimate contender in an open Big Ten West Division. The Golden Gophers are clearly poised to reach another bowl game and push for a spot in the conference title game in early December.
Essentially, beating Minnesota on the road by six points is reflective of the Horned Frogs’ status at this early-season juncture: TCU is still growing, particularly on defense, and will need all three of its nonconference games — Stephen F. Austin and SMU to follow — to round into form before the start of Big 12 play. This loss should do little to dissuade TCU from considering itself worthy of being viewed among the elite teams in college football.
WHAT WE’LL BE TALKING ABOUT: The Gophers’ game plan remains based in simplicity: control the football, grind out yards on the ground, use the clock and force opponents to go on extended drives to score points. Essentially, it’s a formula that doesn’t play to TCU’s own strengths; TCU’s at it best — as seen during the second half of last season — running at a frenetic pace, skipping longer drives in favor of quick-hitting scores designed at crippling defensive momentum.
That TCU proved itself able to win against a meat-and-potatoes opponent, and on the road, no less, is a positive sign heading out of the year’s opening weekend. Baylor won’t force TCU to play this style, nor will most teams in the Big 12 Conference; Texas and Kansas State might, however, and so might a potential opponent in the postseason — perhaps in one of the national semifinals or national title game. The Horned Frogs will put this in their back pocket.
THE DECIDING PLAY: A 33-yard field goal from TCU kicker Jaden Oberkrom pushed the Horned Frogs lead to 23-10 with 7:33 left in the fourth quarter, essentially ending the Gophers’ hopes of an upset.
BREAKOUT PLAYER: In all, TCU’s defense held Minnesota in check for most of the game. Credit goes to the Frogs’ four-man front, which limited the Gophers’ inside running game. The standout was defensive end Terrell Lathan, who made four tackles, broke up two passes and had a key, fumble-causing sack that led to a touchdown in the first quarter.
KEY STAT: The Horned Frogs improved to 95-3 under Gary Patterson when allowing 17 points or less.
KEY STAT, PART II: TCU is the only team in college football to not return any career starts at linebacker. One of the Horned Frogs’ starters against Minnesota, true freshman Mike Freeze, finished with five tackles.
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