The TCU Horned Frogs defense won the weekend

We had a hunch. It started when TCU manhandled Jackson State, holding the Tigers to just 65 total yards. Then the Frogs went to Arkansas and shut down an SEC opponent — albeit just the Hogs — holding quarterback Austin Allen to just 9 of 23 passing. A week later, aside from some razzle-dazzle trick plays, the Frogs held SMU’s high-powered attack largely in check, most clearly exemplified by holding the Ponies’ sensational receiver Courtland Sutton to a mere one catch for no yards. We had a hunch that maybe — just maybe — the Gary Patterson magic was back, and the fierce Horned Frogs defense with it. It looked like it could be there, but we weren’t sure. Saturday in Stillwater, the hunch was confirmed: TCU’s defense is back, and with a vengeance. Yes, the offense did its part in controlling the clock, allowing the high-powered Oklahoma State attack to have the ball for just under 21 minutes. But that’s only part of it. Every level of the Frogs’ defense shined. Up front, L.J. Collier and Chris Bradley controlled the line of scrimmage, with Collier chasing quarterback Mason Rudolph all night and Bradley even coming up with the vaunted #FatGuyInterception. Getting a fresh injection from Mat Boesen — ineligible for the first half due to a targeting penalty — in the second half was just what the doctor ordered. The linebackers were superb, as Travin Howard was absolutely everywhere and Ben Banogu came up with a few big plays, including a strip-sack of Rudolph. And then there’s the secondary, always the calling card of a great Gary Patterson defense. Yes, they gave up a couple of long plays to the home run-happy Cowboys — most notably a long touchdown strike to James Washington in the first quarter — but in sum, this was a virtuoso performance by the back line. Ridwan Issahaku and Nick Orr get special commendation, but the unit as a whole was the decisive factor in this matchup. The numbers may not bear out just how impressive the Frogs’ defensive effort against Oklahoma State was. After all, the Cowboys did rack up 499 yards of total offense and 31 points; that’s not nothing. But between the uncanny ability to take the ball away — three interceptions and another fumble recovery — and complete dominance up front, this was a day that belonged to the TCU defense.