BOULDER, Colo — Derius Davis scored on a 60-yard punt return and a 27-yard reverse to help TCU open the Sonny Dykes era with a 38-13 win over Colorado on Friday night.
Dykes took over for longtime TCU coach Gary Patterson after spending the last four seasons at SMU, where he revived the program.
Maybe it was the delayed start — about 35 minutes due to lightning in the area — but the Horned Frogs couldn’t get much going early. Once they did, the Buffaloes couldn’t stop their speed. The Horned Frogs outscored Colorado 31-7 after halftime to turn a close game into a rout.
The Buffaloes entered the game on their home turf as a 13 1/2-point underdog, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Davis ignited a sluggish TCU squad early in the second quarter by fielding a punt, finding room around the edge and sprinting down the sideline for his fourth career punt-return touchdown. That ties KaVontae Turpin for the most in school history.
Davis scored in the fourth quarter on a trick play to make it 31-6 and seal the win.
Emari Demercado added a 43-yard touchdown run through the heart of the Colorado defense early in the third quarter.
TCU came away with points on all five of its second-half drives before a kneel-down to close out the game.
The Horned Frogs went with quarterback Chandler Morris over Max Duggan to start the game. Morris left late in the third quarter after a defender landed on his left leg. He had a towel over his head and ice on his knee as Duggan took over.
Duggan engineered a 10-play, 80-yard drive that culminated in a 3-yard TD run from Kendre Miller.
Colorado went with Brendon Lewis at quarterback before he was relieved for a drive late in the second quarter by J.T. Shrout, the Tennessee transfer who missed all of last season after hurting his knee in Colorado's camp.
Shrout's first pass for the Buffaloes went for 35 yards, but Lewis was back to start the second half. Shrout was inserted in the final period and threw a 23-yard TD pass to Jordyn Tyson with 1:13 remaining.
THE TAKEAWAY
TCU: The Horned Frogs have now won eight of their last nine season openers.
Colorado: The Buffaloes had three drives stall out at or inside the 25. It resulted in two fields goals and being stopped on downs.
HONORING BRANCH
The Buffaloes honored the late Cliff Branch, who was recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Branch played two seasons at Colorado, where he excelled as a receiver and a returner. Branch was a fourth-round pick in the 1972 draft by the Raiders. He had 501 catches for 8,685 yards and 67 touchdowns over 14 seasons with the franchise.
Branch died in 2019 at 71.
GAME NO. 500
Longtime Colorado sports information director David Plati worked his 500th game Friday for the Buffaloes football team. Plati, who’s in his 40th season as a full-time staff member at Colorado, will semi-retire in January. One of his roles will be the program’s historian.
UP NEXT
TCU: The Horned Frogs host Tarleton on Sept. 10.
Colorado: The Buffaloes play at Air Force on Sept. 10. It will be the football team's first trip to Falcon Stadium since 1974.
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