College Football

Duggan, TCU Blow Out Duquense 45-3 as Teams Shorten Second Half

NBC 5 News

Max Duggan threw for a touchdown and was one of four TCU players with a rushing score as the Horned Frogs routed lower-division Duquense 45-3 in an opener shortened in the second half Saturday night.

The coaches agreed to play 12-minute quarters after halftime with the Horned Frogs leading 35-0 in their first meeting with the FCS school.

It was TCU's first non-conference game since 2019 after COVID-19 issues scrapped the only game outside Big 12 play last season along with a bowl appearance.

Duggan, who didn't play in the second half, finished a 90-yard drive on the opening possession with an 8-yard run. His 16-yard pass to J.D. Spielman capped the scoring in the first half at 35-0. The junior and third-year starter was 14 of 19 for 207 yards.

Senior Emari Demercado's first TCU touchdown came on a 2-yard run for a 14-0 lead. Zach Evans and Kendre Miller also had short TD runs before halftime.

The only Duggan-led drive not resulting in points came when he was intercepted by Leandro DeBrito the play after his longest completion, a 47-yarder to Derius Davis.

Duquense quarterback Joe Mischler was injured in the first half as the Dukes finished with 137 total yards and six first downs in their return from a short offseason after playing a five-game schedule in the spring because of the pandemic.

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THE TAKEAWAY
Duquense: This was by far the best FBS program the Dukes have faced since joining FCS in 1993, and it showed. They were down 28-0 before picking up a first down without the benefit of a penalty.

TCU: It was the perfect tune-up for the Horned Frogs. Two quarterbacks got to play in the second half in Matthew Downing and Chandler Morris. The son of former SMU and Arkansas coach Chad Morris threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Blake Nowell in the fourth quarter. There were 10 players with at least one carry, and 10 with at least one catch.

BEEN AWHILE
Duquense is now 7-8-1 all-time against current members of the Big 12. But this is the first time the Dukes have played one of those schools in 79 years. The most recent meeting was a 33-0 victory over Kansas State in 1942. Eight of those 16 games have been against West Virginia, which holds a 4-3-1 edge in a series last played in 1935.

UP NEXT
Duquense: Another FBS opponent in Ohio next Saturday. The Dukes opened with consecutive higher-division foes in 2018, and are scheduled to do the same in 2022. Last year's pair of FBS openers was canceled by the pandemic.

TCU: Cal visits next Saturday in the second of four straight home games to open the season. That has happened just once before in program history.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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