November 21-23, 2019

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OUDAILY Gameday Preview

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

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GAMEDAY PREVIEW

• Nov. 21-23, 2019

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Redshirt senior wide receiver Nick Basquine poses for a photo Nov. 11.

OU to send off ultimate senior GEORGE STOIA @GeorgeStoia

When Mar y Basquine steps onto Owen Field ahead of Oklahoma’s senior night Saturday, she will be overcome with emotion.

“I think I might faint,” she said. “I don’t know if I can do it.”

Mary’s son, redshirt senior wide receiver Nick Basquine, will play his final game at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memor ial Stadium this weekend against TCU. As a sixth-year senior, it will be Nick’s 78th game on OU’s roster. Former quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Jason White holds the school record for games on roster at 79, according to Oklahoma’s sports information department. By the season’s end, Nick, 24, will go down as the longest on-roster OU football player ever.

He is, in essence, the ultimate senior and Sooner.

“I’ll hate it when he’s gone,” coach Lincoln Riley said. “One of those guys you probably won’t realize all he’s done, or people on the outside might not realize all he’s done, until he is gone.”

Nick’s OU journey isn’t just the longest, but also one of the most inspirational.

A Norman native, he always dreamed of playing at OU. Once a walk-on, he’s earned playing time on some of the best Oklahoma teams in recent memory, despite suffering three season-ending injuries. As the oldest player on the roster, he’s served as an older brother and mentor for many of the Sooners’ talented young players. And, soon, he will walk away from OU with a bachelor’s degree in management and a master’s in adult and higher education.

“He’s the ‘OG’ here,” senior quarterback Jalen Hurts said. “Been here a minute.

We all love him. He’s a great person, a great player. He’s the pride of Norman.”

While Nick’s success on and off the field is much to his own credit, one person has been his biggest advocate since the beginning: Mary. And that’s why Nick will be joined by no one but her on senior night.

He wants to make sure all 85,000-plus in attendance

know who’s been by his side, living with him his entire life and believing in him since the moment he was born.

“If there is such thing as a perfect child, I would say it’s him,” Mary said. “He’s always worked hard toward the goals he has in mind. He wanted to make something of himself. He wanted to be proud of himself ... I’m sure he’s tried to please me in many ways.

“I’m proud to be his mom.

I’m honored, actually.”

‘CAN YOU PLEASE LET ME GO TO OU?’ Nick and Mary sat in the living room of their home off Norman’s Rock Creek Road following a visit to the University of New Mexico — one of the few schools that recruited him for football — in the fall of his senior year at Norman North High School.

Nick had been strongly considering attending New Mexico. But he and his mom knew there was only one place he truly wanted to be.

“Mama, I’ll go (to New Mexico), but that’s not where my heart is,” Mary recalled Nick saying. “I just want to go to OU. You were able to go to OU ... How come I can’t go to OU? What’s the worst that could happen? I could get a degree. You told me not to have any regrets in life.

“Can you please let me go to OU? If you let me go, you’ll never regret it.”

Mary, of course, said yes.

“I want you to follow your dreams,” Mary remembers telling her son. “I’ll never regret letting you chase your dreams.”

Trouble was, Nick was not recruited by Oklahoma. With guys like Michiah Quick, Dallis Todd and Jeff Mead — all highly touted out of high school — committed to the Sooners in 2014, Nick and his 5-foot-11, 190-pound frame were an afterthought.

But like many Norman kids, Nick grew up a big fan of Oklahoma football. His mom attended the university, earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in social work. His brother, AJ, also graduated from OU with a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in human relations.

So when Nick decided to follow his dream and walk on at Oklahoma, Mary, a single parent, found more work. She was already working full time at the Oklahoma

Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services as a drug and substance abuse therapist.

“I started doing contract work to help ends meet that way,” Mary said. “I was going to do whatever it took.”

Mary’s sacrifice allowed Nick to pursue his dream, as he joined the team before the 2014 season.

“I always wanted to go to OU,” Nick said. “I had offers from some places, but I wanted to play at Oklahoma.

That was my dream since I was a kid. People looked at it as a big risk, and it was a big risk. But I didn’t necessarily look at it like that.”

Nick has since seen it all during his six years at Oklahoma, from being a voice of influence amid racist events on campus to enduring season-ending injuries to being a key component on championship-level teams.

As a redshirt in 2014, he was named one of the offensive scout team players of the year alongside eventual 2017 Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield. The following spring, he saw how leaders like Eric Striker could make an impact beyond the football team after the racist Sigma Alpha Epsilon video that surfaced in March 2015.

In 2015, he watched from the sidelines due to a season-ending hand injury as Mayfield led Oklahoma to its first College Football Playoff appearance.

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a 23-yard touchdown pass from Mayfield in the famous 66-59 Texas Tech game.

Just 20 days later, thenhead coach Bob Stoops put Nick on scholarship — a life-changing moment for the Basquines.

“He called me and said, ‘Mama, I have something to tell you. I got a scholarship.’

And I just broke down and cried,” Mary said. “It meant everything to us. He no longer had to worry about how I would pay for school or for loans or any of that. It was a burden off of us.”

In 2017, which was expected to be Nick’s breakout season, he ruptured his left Achilles tendon in the first week of fall practice, sidelining him the entire season.

The following spring, he ruptured his right Achilles tendon, sidelining him for all of spring practice.

“That year, I was supposed to be a really big help to the team,” Nick said. “Guys were counting on me. I worked hard that summer. And the expectations — I wasn’t trying to prove myself anymore.

My coaches and teammates were behind me and pushing me. That was probably my lowest point.”

Still, not once did he consider quitting.

“At the time, it was a blind blessing,” Mary said. “It allowed him to take a step back. It was a detour. But out of that tragedy we found promise.”

In fall 2018, Nick returned.

He played in all 14 games and made seven catches

He’s the ‘OG’ here. Been here a minute. We all love him. He’s a great person, a great player. He’s the pride of Norman.

-Jalen Hurts , senior quarterback

In 2016, he finally got his chance. His first career catch was a touchdown, 62 yards against Louisiana Monroe, which ended with him diving into the end zone. He went on to play in 13 games, catching 20 passes for 265 yards and one of the biggest scores of the season,

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Nick Basquine looks back on six years at Oklahoma

for 134 yards, including a 35-yarder against Alabama in the Orange Bowl. In spring 2019, after another racist incident on campus involving two OU students using blackface, Nick was one of the first players to speak out.

“We’re one of the few

people on campus that have that platform,” Nick told The Daily in January. “It’s not exclusive to us, student-athletes — it’s for everybody on campus. But we have one of the biggest voices, so we need to use it appropriately.”

This season, after receiving a medical redshirt, he’s played in all 10 games so far and has made 14 catches for 216 yards while serving as a leader on a team full of young talent. With just two regular season games remaining, as well as a possible Big 12 Championship and another College Football Playoff berth, Nick has left his stamp on the program.

“He’s been extremely resilient. He’s been a real, real valuable member of this team for a long time,” Riley said. “Does so much for us on special teams, he’s been a real good player for us offensively. He’s become a good leader. Helped mentor a lot of young receivers who’ve come through here.

“He’s a guy that kind of always shows up on tape doing things — he’s made a lot of great plays here — but, a lot of times, shows up on tape doing things that maybe don’t show up in the stat box that help us win.”

‘IT’S THE END OF A JOURNEY.’ Mary has lived off Rock Creek Road for 25 years. Nick has lived there his entire life.

Instead of living in the dorms or close to campus like most student-athletes, Nick has lived at home all six years of college. Not only does he think it’s not unusual — he thinks it was important to be there for his mom.

“He wants to make sure his mom is OK,” Mary said.

“He’s a caretaker. He just wanted to make sure I was safe.”

The two spend most of their free time watching football, no matter the day of the week. They often go to their favorite Norman restaurant, Charleston’s, to share a meal, unless Nick picks up Canton Palace in Del City, where their orders are memorized: beef fried rice, Hawaiian chicken, sweet and sour pork and egg rolls.

Nick and Mar y have formed a close bond over the years, creating an unbreakable relationship. This spring, Nick will finally move out of the house he’s lived in all his life. He’ll pursue his

next dream: playing in the NFL. “It’ll be extremely difficult, but I know he’s a young man and he needs to go spread his wings,” Mary said. “He’s an adult now. I’m OK with him going to live his life ... but he’s always said, ‘Wherever I go, you can go with me.’”

Nick and Mary are trying to cherish these last few games.

Before each game, Nick scans the crowd in search of his mom. He always finds her, makes eye contact and gives her a point and a wave.

“I’ve been emotional every game because I know this is one game closer to his last game,” an emotional Mary said. “I don’t care where I am — he knows where I am. We give our little signal to each other, and that’s my way of saying, ‘I’m here for you.’ I could be around thousands of people and he finds me every time...

“Those are my precious moments.”

For Nick, it’s much of the same. As each moment passes — the end of his last training camp, his last home opener, his last OUTexas — he tries to see what lies ahead, and he hopes to be an NFL general manager one day. But he finds it hard not to think of all he’s accomplished.

“I’m trying to soak it all in,” Nick said. “It helps having everything in front of us, knowing we can still win championships and achieve our goals. But you kind of see things along the way and say, ‘Dang, I’m really toward the end.’”

So when Nick and Mary walk onto Owen Field for the final time Saturday, the two admit tears are likely to stream as Nick is introduced to Sooner Nation one last time.

The six years have flown by, they say. But they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We’re grateful for the University of Oklahoma,” Mary said amid tears. “I wouldn’t have been satisfied if he went anywhere else. He wouldn’t have been satisfied.

“It’s the end of a journey.

Now we’re about to embark on another journey.”

George Stoia

georgestoia@ou.edu

GAMEDAY PREVIEW

Nov. 21-23, 2019 •

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Comeback echoes Super Bowl

Defense watched Patriots’ recovery before Baylor game CALEB MCCOURRY @CalebMac21

In 2017, in Houston’s NRG Stadium, New England Patriots wide rec e i v e r Ju l i a n E d e l m a n didn’t care what was on the scoreboard.

The score was dauting — Edelman and the Patriots were losing 28-3 to the Atlanta Falcons in the third quarter of Super Bowl LI. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had thrown an interception in the second quarter. The New England offense had settled for two punts and a fumble in the first quarter.

Atlanta’s Tevin Coleman caught a 6-yard pass from Mat t Rya n t o ma ke t h e score 28-3 with 8:31 left in the third quarter. For the Patriots to win, they’d have to pull off the biggest Super Bowl comeback in the history of the NFL. Yet, in his team’s following huddle, Edelman reassured those around him that it was possible.

“Let’s go, boys,” Edelman said while mic’d up for the NFL. “It’s gonna be a hell of a story.”

Almost three years later on Wednesday, Nov. 13, first-year Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex

Grinch would take those words to heart. That day, he showed his defense a video of the Super Bowl ga m e w i t h t h e Pat r i o t s mic’d up — emphasizing the demeanor of the team in what could’ve been a demoralizing defeat for one of the greatest NFL franchises ever — just days before the Sooners completed a historic comeback of their own against then-No. 13 Baylor.

Of course, Grinch and the then-No. 10 Sooners had no idea they’d face the same situation three days later in Waco, Texas. The Bears were up 28-3 with 11:02 left in the second quarter.

Oklahoma went into the locker room at halftime 3110, and Grinch made sure the message he gave days before wasn’t forgotten.

“Obviously, never in a million years did you think that Saturday,” Grinch said Monday night. “My point was not that we were going to come back from 28-3.

“We should’ve showed them something else. It’s funny. I guess G od was looking down on us.”

Grinch wanted to make sure his message, along with the video he showed, made an impact. He even pulled aside senior quarterback Jalen Hurts coming out of halftime and told him, “It’s gonna be one hell of a story to tell our kids.”

“My point to them was, ‘If we had you mic’d up over the last couple of weeks,

OU defensive coordinator Alex Grinch during the game against Baylor Nov. 16 in Waco.

would you be embarrassed at some of the things you said based on the scoreboard?’” Grinch said. “It was just a big moment on a national stage, and you just try to use (Super Bowl LI) as an example.”

Since his first game as defensive coordinator for the Sooners, Grinch has been known for his intensity on the sidelines. He’s also known for his brutal honesty and telling it like it

is. With the Sooners’ backs against the ropes as their College Football Playoff hopes seemed to be slipping away, Grinch didn’t want his team to play like the game was over.

“Regardless of the scoreboard, your performance still matters,” Grinch said.

The second half was arguably the Sooners’ best football all year. Baylor didn’t score for the rest of regulation, prompting the

Sooners to score 24 unanswered points. There were even two turnovers forced by the Sooners — a fumble forced by senior cornerback Parnell Motley and an interception to ice the game by redshirt freshman linebacker Nik Bonitto — after being without a takeaway since September.

“It was (a message on) how to handle adversity,” said sophomore linebacker DaShaun White, who

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

rewatched the Patriots’ comeback win in Super Bowl LI. “It was just about being ready to attack adversity at any level, in any shape or form.

“It gave me the chills.

That doesn’t happen. It obviously gave me the chills.

I’m really speechless on that.”

Caleb McCourry

caleb.a.mccourry-1@ou.edu

Sooners’ defense confident through struggles VIC REYNOLDS @vicareynolds

As then-No. 10 Oklahoma danced Saturday night on the south side of McLane Stadium after a 34-31 win over then-No. 13 Baylor, the Sooner defense had something to celebrate for the first time in weeks.

The Sooners had just completed a 25-point second-half comeback — the largest in program history — due in large part to the defense’s performance.

After getting torched in the first half to the tune of Baylor’s 238 yards and 31 points, Oklahoma forced three three-and-outs, two turnovers and allowed zero points in the second half.

Oklahoma’s tale-of-twohalves per for mance on Saturday was, in some ways, reflective of how they’ve been for much of 2019. Early in the season, the Sooners looked like an effective and sometimes dominant defense — like in their ninesack outing against Texas in the Cotton Bowl back in October. In others, they’ve looked like the woeful defenses of the past — like when they gave up over 40 points to both Kansas State and Iowa State.

Yet, through the inconsistencies, one thing has remained steady: the Sooners’ confidence.

“We’re always confident, no matter the circumstance of the game,” sophomore safety Delarrin Turner-Yell said. “We know the offense is going to make plays, and we have to make plays.

Whenever the offense is

making plays, we just have to keep our composure and fight exactly like we did this past weekend.”

The confidence Oklahoma has flashed at times and exemplified on Saturday is uncharacteristic of recent Sooner defenses. In the past two seasons, when Oklahoma has struggled defensively, it has often caved in on itself and allowed opponents to score at will.

The Sooners’ newfound confidence will be crucial down the stretch of the season, as they are still vying for a Big 12 Championship title and a potential College Football Playoff appearance. It’s a confidence that seemed like it was missing for much of the past two seasons, when now-No. 9 Oklahoma (9-1, 6-1 Big 12) showed a tendency to fold

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We’re always confident, no matter the circumstance of the game.

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OU looks to build off Baylor win, finish strong

- Delarrin Turner-

Yell, sophomore safety

as soon as it was challenged.

“If you get a team that’s been struggling and having forced confidence, then they have a big game where they’re confident, are they fixed? No,” said Dr. John Murray, a licensed sports psychologist. “I think it needs to be more of a habit that’s ingrained in the philosophy of the team and the structure of the team

and, most importantly, the behavior of the team over time.”

Oklahoma’s defense has been an internal roadblock preventing the team from reaching national championship games for the past two seasons. When coach Lincoln Riley had to hire a new defensive coordinator in January, a focus on shifting the mentality as opposed to scheme would prove to be key, as the Sooners were returning 10 defensive starters from 2018’s team.

A mentality shift is what Riley hired in Alex Grinch, whose defensive philosophy is largely centered on playing with the right state of mind as opposed to being highly focused on schematics.

While confidence may seem like just another buzzword for the players and coaches to talk about, the Sooners may be able to build on Saturday’s momentum and turn their confidence into on-field results.

“I think there’s a lot of really good research to show that confidence, in addition to a lot of other mental skills, are really associated with or correlated with better performance,” Murray said. “There’s no question about it. ... I take that as a given in my work.”

Despite the defensive relapses prior to Saturday, Oklahoma ranks No. 36 nationally in total defense, which is astronomically better than its 2018 ranking at No. 101, showing that this team has the potential to be one of the nation’s better defenses.

The highs of Saturday were arguably some of the best defensive football the Sooners have played in

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Sophomore safety Delarrin Turner-Yell during the game against Baylor in Waco Nov. 16.

years. To engineer a record comeback against an undefeated foe in an intense road setting not only shows Oklahoma has the confidence to perform, but also the talent to do so.

“I think for us, collectively, we just feed off that energy,” senior cornerback Parnell Motley said. “ There’s a lot of things that we left out there in the first half, but with how we played in the second half ... that definitely showed how we want to progress in the future.”

According to Murray, confidence isn’t just something that one can gain after one or two good performances — it’s something that a team and individual has to build after hard work, repetition and mental training.

Not only does it need to be honed over the course of time, it needs to manifest itself regardless of the

circumstances of the game.

So when the Sooners returned from the locker room to start the third quarter with over 50,000 fans cheering for the Bears, that confidence needed to be present to spark the comeback.

“If I’m working with a player for five or six weeks, I’m expecting that player to act confidently regardless of performance,” Murray said.

“So, what does that mean?

It means to expect the best and to believe in himself. To show it in actions, thoughts, feelings and sensations.”

Grinch was hired with the goal of changing the culture of Oklahoma’s maligned defense. In his 11 months in Norman, Grinch has shifted the focus of the defense to be centered on playing fast, creating turnovers and collectively playing with more confidence.

With TCU, which has a top-50 scoring offense, and Oklahoma State, which has

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a possible Heisman candidate in running back Chuba Hubbard, the Sooners will have ample opportunities to flex their confidence and ability.

And if Grinch and the Sooners can maintain their c o n f i d e n c e a n d ab i l i t y consistently for the home stretch of the season, they just might be able to reach the heights they’ve been aiming for.

“You have to stay with the one-week evaluations,” Grinch said. “We can’t get too big picture or else you go down a road on either side. I think what it speaks to is that if you don’t have elite execution — if you don’t have 11 guys that are dialed in on a particular snap — a game that is really difficult becomes impossible to get a stop.”

Vic Reynolds

victor.reynolds@ou.edu

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GAMEDAY PREVIEW

• Nov. 21-23, 2019

mEET THE OPPONENT TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY HORNED FROGS

CALEB MCCOURRY @CalebMac21

TCU (5-5, 3-4 Big 12) will come to Norman for a Saturday night game against No. 9 Oklahoma (9-1, 6-1 Big 12) at 7 p.m. CT on FOX. The Horned Frogs have beaten the Sooners five times in the 19 times the two programs have played each other.

Oklahoma is currently on a five-game win streak against TCU dating back to 2015, which includes a win in the 2017 Big 12 Championship.

Here are some things to know about the Sooners’ next opponent — TCU: HEAD COACH: GARY PATTERSON Now in his 19th season as TCU’s head coach, Gary Patterson has tallied a 17268 overall record. He’s led the Horned Frogs to two victories against the Sooners in 10 attempts. In his first meeting with the Sooners

DEFENSE The Sooners will face a TCU defense that ranks No. 26 in total defense and No. 24 in rushing defense in the FBS. The Horned Frogs lead the Big 12 in both of those categories.

TCU is coming off a 33-31 win over Texas Tech. The Red Raiders accumulated 402 total yards of offense against the Horned Frogs.

TCU’s defense allowed just 69 rushing yards and gained OFFENSE TCU relies heavily on the two turnovers — a fumble run game. The offense aver- and an interception. ages 215.6 rushing yards per PLAYERS TO WATCH game, good for 22nd in the Although the Horned Football Bowl Subdivision.

The Horned Frogs have Frogs have a rush-heavy ofa backfield that includes fense, junior wide receiver freshman quarterback Max Jalen Reagor has accumulatDuggan, who has 440 yards ed 545 receiving yards and r u s h i ng ; s e n i o r Da r i u s five touchdowns. He also avAnderson, who averages 5.8 erages 15.1 yards per catch.

Duggan has 20 touchyards per carry and has accumulated 785 yards and downs on the season — 15 six touchdowns; and senior passing and five rushing. He Sewo Olonilua, who has threw for 323 yards and two racked up 488 rushing yards touchdowns in the Horned and six touchdowns.

Frogs’ win over Texas Tech, in 2005, Patterson coached TCU to a 17-10 victory over then-Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops in Fort Worth.

The defensive-minded coach has held positions at 11 different schools, and he has coached linebackers at Pittsburg State, Tennessee Tech and UC Davis while also coaching defensive backs at Navy and Utah State. Patterson is now in his 37th season as a coach.

while also running for 75 yards and a touchdown.

Junior linebacker Garret Wallow has accumulated 97 total tackles and an interception this season, and he has proven to be a valuable veteran for the TCU rushing defense.

Caleb McCourry

caleb.a.mccourry-1@ ou.edu

OU VS. TCU When: 7 p.m. Saturday Where: Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium How to watch: FOX How to listen: 95.3 FM and 107.7 FM (Oklahoma City)

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THREE KEYS TO BEATING

TCU VIC REYNOLDS

@vicareynolds victor.reynolds@ou.edu

CAITLYN EPES/THE DAILY

Senior quarterback Jalen Hurts yells before the game against Baylor Nov. 16 in Waco.

1.

CONTAIN WIDE RECEIVER JALEN REAGOR

Jalen Reagor is without question the Horned Frogs’ most dynamic threat on offense. The junior wide receiver has 36 catches for 545 yards and five touchdowns, and he also presents problems in special teams, as he ranks fourth in the NCAA in total punt yards and average yards per punt return.

The Sooners have shown they can contain Reagor in past seasons. In his three career games against Oklahoma, he has caught only four passes for two touchdowns. The Horned Frogs lost each of the three games by an average of 22 points and struggled offensively, never scoring more than 27 points in those contests.

Reagor’s stats this year aren’t up to par with his sophomore season numbers, but he’s still shown the ability to change games with his dynamic speed. If the Sooners want to prevent TCU’s offense from getting off the ground, stopping Reagor needs to be a key

2.

PLAY CONSISTENTLY AND BUILD ON MOMENTUM

The Sooners played what was arguably their best football of the season in the second half against Baylor, outscoring the Bears 24-0 and forcing two takeaways.

Against TCU, it’s crucial for the Sooners to build on the momentum they created in Waco and continue to showcase a dominant level of play.

TCU has been inconsistent at best this year.

With a 5-5 record, the Horned Frogs have shown at times that they can hang with elite teams, as they lost to Baylor in triple overtime.

But they’ve also had games rife with struggle, like a 49-24 blowout loss against Iowa State.

The Sooners have also struggled with consistency this season, which is why they need to maintain their success from the Baylor game. If TCU plays like it did against Baylor and Oklahoma plays like it did at its low points, then a Horned Frog upset is a realistic outcome on Saturday.

3.

BE PREPARED FOR CEEDEE LAMB’S ABSENCE

Oklahoma’s offense uncharacteristically struggled at times in the Baylor win, which likely had a lot to do with the absence of wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. The junior has been the Sooners’ best offensive player all season, but he is once again questionable against TCU on Saturday.

With Lamb possibly out again, some younger receivers will need to be ready to step up. Freshmen Austin Stogner and Theo Wease Jr. scored three touchdowns, which were critical in the Sooners’ comeback effort.

Along with them, the Sooners have an array of young talent at wide receiver.

Freshmen Trejan Bridges and Jadon Haselwood have both shown they can perform well and redshirt sophomore Charleston Rambo was the Sooners’ leading receiver through three games. If Lamb doesn’t play, these players may be called on to lead Oklahoma’s receivers this Saturday.

This week’s DAILY predictions After a dramatic win over then-No. 13 Baylor, No. 9 Oklahoma returns to Norman for its final home game this season against TCU (5-5, 3-4 Big 12), looking to improve its playoff resume ahead of Bedlam.

OU 42, TCU 21 After its thrilling comeback win against Baylor, Oklahoma should expect another win this week. The Sooners looked like one of the best teams in the country in the second GEORGE half against the Bears, with Jalen STOIA, Hurts leading the way and Alex SPORTS Grinch’s defense holding its own EDITOR with a dominating performance.

I expect Hurts to have another big day, and if CeeDee Lamb returns, Oklahoma’s offense should roll the Horned Frogs. If the Sooners’ momentum carries over to this Saturday, the defense should take care of TCU’s struggling offense with no problems.

George Stoia

georgestoia@ou.edu

OU 48, TCU 21 The Sooner defense will have its hands full with TCU’s run-heavy offense and dual-threat quarterback Max Duggan. But I expect the Sooners’ momentum to carry over after their second-half performance CALEB in Waco last week, where they held MCCOURRY, Baylor scoreless in a 34-31 comeASSISTANT back win.

SPORTS TCU is known for being one of the EDITOR better defenses in the conference, especially with its No. 22-ranked rushing defense in the country. But I think Hurts and the offense won’t have any issues. I expect redshirt sophomore running back Kennedy Brooks to have a good game, as well.

Caleb McCourry

caleb.a.mccourry-1@ou.edu

OU 48, TCU 17 The Sooners’ second half against Baylor was probably the best football they’ve played all year. If they can keep up that momentum, they should have no problem against VIC TCU on Saturday.

REYNOLDS, It took three overtimes for Baylor SENIOR to take down the Horned Frogs on SPORTS Nov. 9, which shows they can be REPORTER trouble for higher-ranked teams, and the Sooners shouldn’t take them lightly. But TCU has been inconsistent for much of the year, which is reflected in its .500 record. The momentum and talent discrepancy point to a blowout Oklahoma win.

Vic Reynolds

victor.reynolds@ou.edu