Depleted Oklahoma defense delivers in 38-20 win over TCU

Posted November 12, 2017 6:00 am

By CLIFF BRUNT

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - Oklahoma's depleted defense stepped up and put the Sooners in prime position to make a run at a spot in the College Football Playoff.

There were questions heading into Saturday night's showdown with TCU for the Big 12 lead. Safety Kahlil Haughton and cornerback Jordan Thomas were out with injuries, and safety Will Johnson sat out the first half because of a targeting call in the second half of the previous game, against Oklahoma State.

In stepped three first-time freshman starters - cornerbacks Tre Norwood and Tre Brown and safety Robert Barnes. They helped the fifth-ranked Sooners beat the eighth-ranked Horned Frogs 38-20. Barnes had four tackles, Brown had three tackles and a pass breakup, and Norwood had two pass breakups.

Oklahoma rose to No. 3 in the latest AP Top 25 . A similar move is expected in the College Football Playoff rankings.

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More college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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