TCU’s offense sputters in 24-21 loss against West Virginia in Big 12 home opener

TCU fell 24-21 to the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Following the game TCU head coach Sonny Dykes said his team didn’t execute the way they needed to.

“They played really hard, played tough, just like we thought they would,” said Dykes, “Just like we told our players all week they would, they just did a good job against us when they, they made plays when they needed to and we didn’t, and we got beat and we deserve to get beat.”

With a little under five minutes, TCU’s defense desperately needed a stop against West Virginia to give its offense a shot to win the game.

On third-and-one Garrett Greene’s pass was broken up by Bud Clark and TCU’s offense was given one more chance to drive down the field and score.

With the game on the line, TCU picked up three first downs and had the ball on West Virginia’s 39-yard line and the Mountaineer’s defense did what they had done all second half and stonewalled the Horned Frogs offense.

TCU would only gain four yards on the following three plays which included a sack and an incomplete pass before attempting and missing a 55-yard field goal that effectively ended the game.

It was the story of the second half for the Horned Frogs, the defense giving the offense opportunities that would ultimately be squandered.

Dykes drew parallels to the team’s struggles against Colorado in the season opener.

“It’s twice this year, we had opportunities at the end of the game to be able to put a drive together and, and kick a field goal or score a touchdown and win the game and it’s two times we haven’t been able to do it,” said Dykes.

Another example was when TCU’s defense made a massive goal-line stand to keep the game tied at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

With the Ball and momentum, TCU got one first down before the offense sputtered gaining zero yards over the next three plays and punted the ball back to West Virginia.

In the second half of the game TCU’s offense had 121 yards, scored zero points, went 0-for-6 on third down and missed two field goals.

TCU QB Chandler Morris said he failed to play to his standard after the loss.

“I mean, it was just, it just came down to execution and, I it, it came down to me doing my job and, and I did not do that at a high level in the second half,” said Morris

However, TCU offensive lineman Andrew Coker said TCU’s goals of winning a Big-12 title were still alive.

“The best way I can do it is, you know, we’re talking about, you know, K-State [Kansas State] last year, K state last year lost a non-conference game, they lost two conference games,” said Coker, “So, you know, for us we have to realize that the big 12 champion is not out of reach for us and we have to realize that, you know, we’re going to have to grow our team and go back to work, but it’s not out of reach.”