TCU vs. Oklahoma: Game Grades, Analysis for Horned Frogs and Sooners

What. A. Game. 

The Oklahoma Sooners added a huge resume booster to their College Football Playoff application bid with a thrilling 30-29 victory that came down to a failed two-point conversion in the game's final moment. 

Both teams had to use multiple quarterbacks—Baker Mayfield left with concussion concerns, while Foster Sawyer struggled and was benched—and the Sooners had the game seemingly locked up early in the fourth quarter. But a furious rally by the Horned Frogs fell just short. 

With that, let's check out the game grades for each team's positional units. 

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Oklahoma Sooners

Rush Offense: A+

The Sooners tallied 333 yards on the ground as well as a score, led by Samaje Perine who had 188 yards on 26 carries. Joe Mixon added 87 yards on just 11 touches, providing the perfect complement. Oklahoma ultimately controlled the tempo of the game on the ground, which is so critical against an explosive squad like TCU. 

Pass Offense: B-

The numbers from Oklahoma's aerial attack aren't gaudy by any stretch. Mayfield and Trevor Knight went a combined 14-of-37 passing with 203 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The numbers likely would have been better had Mayfield not left the game with an injury, but Oklahoma didn't make any critical mistakes in the passing game. 

Rush Defense: B

Without Trevone Boykin or Josh Doctson, you knew going into this contest that TCU would try to run the ball. Oklahoma's front line responded by limiting the Horned Frogs to 161 yards on 36 carries. The Horned Frogs did have a few big plays on the ground, but they didn't make a huge difference in the final score. 

Pass Defense: B+

The Sooners would've graded out perfectly had it not been for KaVontae Turpin's huge touchdown grab that gashed the Oklahoma secondary in the fourth quarter. In the end, the Sooners were on the hook for 229 yards and three touchdowns through the air, but they also had three interceptions. Zack Sanchez, who had a terrific game, had two. 

Special Teams: C

Austin Seibert started his day 3-of-3 on field goals. But a missed attempt, followed by a punting snafu in which he fielded a low snap with his knee on the ground, proved costly for the Sooners and were big reasons the Horned Frogs were able to stay in the contest. 

Coaching: A-

The Sooners let TCU hang around longer than they should have, but beating the once-Big 12 favorite is no easy task. Oklahoma did enough to preserve its playoff hopes by scheming out the Horned Frogs on a blistering cold Saturday night in Norman. 

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TCU Horned Frogs

Rush Offense: B-

The Sooners knew that TCU would try to rely on its rushing attack without Boykin or Doctson, so a bit of a handicap is necessary in this grade. Aaron Green was impressive with 126 yards on 23 touches and a score, but TCU ultimately couldn't make up for its lack of an aerial assault by pounding the ball. 

Pass Offense: C+

Sawyer clearly wasn't the answer, but Bram Kohlhausen nearly was when it came to finding a solution for the absence of Boykin. The two combined for 229 yards, three touchdowns and as many picks through the air, but Kohlhausen was a huge spark plug in the fourth quarter. Again, a handicap is fair here since these guys aren't the usual starters. The three interceptions were a huge momentum swing in the contest, but TCU got itself back into the game through the air late. 

Rush Defense: D-

The Sooners wanted to control the flow of the game on the ground, and TCU's defensive line allowed them to. Giving up 333 yards on the ground is inexcusable and shows perhaps the Horned Frogs' biggest weakness defensively. 

Pass Defense: B+

While Mayfield looked like a joystick in the first half, that masked his actual performance statistically. He had just 127 yards, albeit with two scores, while only completing nine of 20 passes. Knight wasn't any better, going 5-of-16 passing for 76 yards. 

Special Teams: A

TCU had no issues on this front. Jaden Oberkrom connected on his only field-goal try from 43 yards out, and the Horned Frogs didn't give up any huge returns. 

Coaching: B+

This is perhaps the highest grade for any losing coach this year. Plenty will be made, and debated, about the decision to go for two points after scoring what could have been the game-tying touchdown in the final minute of the game. While the decision itself actually makes sense—TCU didn't have the playmakers to shut down an Oklahoma team that, in all honesty, had dominated most of the game—but the play call was questionable to have Kohlhausen roll out. Then again, a slightly mistimed jump by Steven Parker of the Sooners instead of a perfectly executed one, and TCU could have very well taken the lead on that play.