PALO ALTO, Calif. — TCU overcame a slow start in its season opener against Stanford, pulling away in the fourth quarter to secure a 34-27 victory over the Cardinal on Friday night.
Josh Hoover emerged as the unsung hero for TCU, orchestrating a nearly flawless scoring drive to put the Horned Frogs ahead 27-24. Hoover led the offense on an eight-play, 74-yard drive, capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jack Bech with 3:13 remaining in the game.
TCU’s defense struggled to make key stops on third down for much of the game but came up big on one of Stanford’s final possessions. Marcel Brooks and Devean Deal combined for a sack that forced a turnover on downs, giving the Horned Frogs the ball back. Four plays later, the offense found its rhythm, with Cam Cook scoring on a 7-yard touchdown run to extend TCU’s lead to 34-24 with 1:51 remaining.
Two TCU receivers led the way offensively in the win over Stanford. Jack Bech had a standout performance with 139 receiving yards, while JP Richardson added 107 yards to help power the Horned Frogs’ attack.
Josh Hoover picked up where he left off last season, providing a steady presence behind center. The quarterback completed his first eight passes and finished 28-of-42 for 353 yards and two touchdowns.
TCU will be back in action next week in their season opener against LIU. Kick off is set for 7:00pm.
