TCU Football: 3 takeaways from statement win at Purdue in Week 3

1. Defense once again made the difference

Given the nature of Gary Patterson’s background as a defensive coach and the history of how TCU has dominated across time, it should come as no surprise that it was that side of the ball that proved the difference for the Horned Frogs at Ross-Ade Stadium. The Big 12 visitors clamped down on the Boilermakers all night long, allowing just 204 total yards of offense and 13 points in the runaway win.

Jack Plummer was able to complete only 13 of his 29 passing attempts on the night, finishing with 181 passing yards. Plummer threw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Amad Anderson with 3:40 remaining, but by then it made little difference besides changing the margin of victory. Plummer had already tossed two interceptions by that point as TCU ran up a big lead.

Even more impressive was the result achieved by the Horned Frogs when Purdue tried to run the football. TCU held the Boilermakers to just 23 yards on 25 carries, an average of 0.9 yards per carry. The anemic Purdue ground game made it even easier for the Horned Frogs to tee off against the pass and force Plummer to beat them with his arm.

With a home showdown against non-conference Metroplex rival SMU lurking next on the schedule, the Horned Frogs have one more chance to bolster their record ahead of Big 12 play. A resurgent Kansas also lurks on the schedule at the end of September, and the TCU defense will surely be ready for both contests.