TCU 70, Stephen F. Austin 7: What We Learned

[caption id="attachment_18550" align="alignleft" width="300"]Photo by Graham Staniforth Photo by Graham Staniforth[/caption] TCU made short work of in-state FCS foe Stephen F. Austin on Saturday. What did we learn from this one? DCTF's Thomas Bingham breaks it down.Back at Full Form TCU’s offense didn’t look good against Minnesota in its season opener, but it took care of business against Stephen F. Austin this afternoon. The Horned Frogs went gangbusters early and never let up. Before halftime, quarterback Trevone Boykin led the team on five scoring drives of two minutes or less, and an 11-play stretch that included 132 yards and four touchdowns. Boykin only played one series in the second half but his drives were responsible for 42 of the team’s points. Kolby Listenbee, his favorite target, finished with six receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown. Their chemistry was responsible for a 60 yard touchdown before Boykin’s day was over. The Horned Frogs continued to pile on the points when Bram Kohlhausen took over the reins. He finished seven of nine for 112 yards and a touchdown. The only other time the Horned Frogs scored 70 points was against Texas Tech in 2014. They beat the Red Raiders 82-27 on Oct. 25. Defense Wins Championships Gary Patterson used defensive excellence to build TCU into a national program, and that side of the ball was productive from the opening snap. The defense forced two interceptions and a fumble, including a pick six by Hunter Taylor in the third quarter. It only allowed 39 yards (11 in the second quarter) and three first downs in the first half. It also faced two fourth and goal situations but shutdown the Lumberjacks on both occasions. It’s only slipup came in the fourth quarter. Not only did Loren Easly outrace the TCU defense, he also broke up the shutout with a 75 yard touchdown run. Recognize the opponent you were playing It was a great win but it’s nothing to brag about. TCU was against a FCS opponent, so take it for what it’s worth. The offense is back at full form and the defense has played well in back-to-back games to start the season, so focus on that. You have bigger tests ahead, including rival SMU next week. Use today’s performance as a springboard for bigger and better things.