TCU Football: Kansas Halftime Report

TCU leads Kansas 10-7 at the half
TCU Football: Kansas Halftime Report
TCU Football: Kansas Halftime Report /

First Half Analysis

In a battle of unbeaten teams, the No. 17 TCU Horned Frogs (4-0, 1-0) are at halftime against the No. 19 Kansas Jayhawks (5-0, 2-0). It's the biggest game in Lawrence, Kansas in at least 15 years, so much so that ESPN College GameDay made its first-ever trip to the Kansas campus. 

It's a battle of defenses in Lawrence. 

ESPN College GameDay at the TCU/KU game.
ESPN College Game Day in Lawrence :: Tony Beblowski/KillerFrogs

The first quarter was a battle of the defenses. TCU took the opening drive to the 21-yard line before the Jayhawks held them on 3rd and 7. Griffin Kell came in for the field goal to put the Frogs on the board first. After that, neither team was able to advance the ball much thanks to the work of both defenses. 

In the second quarter, Kansas got back to their bread-and-butter option play. Then on their second possession of the quarter, Jalon Daniels threw a crazy 48-yard completion to Mason Fairchild. The Jayhawks looked like they had  figured out the TCU defense. They were driving for an inevitable touchdown before fumbling inside the 1-yard line. Shadrach Banks recovered the ball. Max Duggan and Quentin Johnston drove that ball 99 yards in seven plays to go ahead 10-0.

After that fumble, one of our KillerFrogs writer, Brett Gibbons, said "That fumble just assuring everyone you will never take the Kansas out of Kansas."

Max Duggan
Max Duggan / Twitter: @TCUFootball

In the closing play of the first half, Duggan threw his first interception of the season with a ball meant for Johnston close to the goal line. 

Key Players of the Game

Max Duggan - Threw 12-of-16 for 145 yards with a 138.6 quarterback rating; also ran eight times for 52 yards.

Quentin Johnston - Max to QJ - the matchup we've been waiting for all season. Has eight catches for 139 yards with an average of 17.4 yards per catch. 

Derius Davis - Kansas kickers tried to avoid Davis on both the kickoff and punts. Also has one catch for seven yards. 

Kendre Miller - On the second possession, announcers described his run for a first down while dragging several Jayhawks with him as a "weight room run." Nine carries for 34 yards.

Abe Camara - Dislodged a 4th down pass from Daniels to keep the Jayhawks off the board 

Shadrach Banks - recovered a Jayhawks at the 1-foot line saving a Kansas touchdown

Halftime Stats

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

Second Quarter

Total

TCU

3

7

10

Kansas

0

3

3

Team Stats

TCU

Kansas

First Downs

12

7

Third Down Efficiency

3/7

1/4

Fourth Down Efficiency

0/1

0/1

Total Yards

233

194

Passing Yards

145

89

Rushing Yards

88

105

Turnovers

1

1

Times Sacked

1

1

Penalties

1 (5 yards)

0/0


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Published
Barry Lewis
BARRY LEWIS

Barry is the publisher/managing editor for KillerFrogs.com. He has been a Horned Frog since the Jim Wacker era and loves covering all of TCU's sports.