TCU shined in all three phases of the game to give Sonny Dykes a 38-13 victory over Colorado in his debut as the Horned Frogs' head coach on Friday night in Boulder Colo.
The start of the game was delayed 34 minutes due to weather.
Derius Davis tied KaVontae Turpin's TCU career record with his fourth punt return for a touchdown and scored on a 27-yard run.
TCU's defense set the tone early and came up big when it mattered most. Colorado had three possessions inside the TCU 20 and totaled just six points. The Buffs' opening two series saw it inside the TCU 15, but it managed just three points. On the game's opening drive, TCU's 17-year-old true freshman nose tackle Damonic Williams combined with Jamoi Hodge on a stop for no gain when Colorado went for it with a rush on 4th-and-1 at the TCU 15.
Under first-year Defensive Coordinator Joe Gillespie, TCU's defense allowed just 348 yards.
Trailing 3-0, TCU got on the board when Davis returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown 24 seconds into the second quarter.
After leading 7-6 at the half, the Horned Frogs took the second half kickoff and drove 75 yards in just five plays to build their advantage to 14-6 on a career-long 43-yard touchdown run by Emari Demercado.
Griffin Kell's 33-yard field goal extended TCU's lead to 17-6 with 3:45 left in the third quarter. It capped a 12-play, 55-yard drive.
With Max Duggan taking over at quarterback, the Horned Frogs drove 80 yards in 10 plays to take a 24-6 lead on a Kendre Miller 3-yard scoring run with 10:55 remaining. The score was set up by a Duggan 20-yard completion to Savion Williams on a 4th-and-3 at the Colorado 23. Duggan also had a 33-yard run earlier in the series.
Sam Jackson closed TCU's scoring with his first career touchdown, a 7-yard keeper with 3:15 left to make it a 38-6 game.
Up Next
TCU will make its 2022 home debut when it hosts Tarleton at 7 p.m.