Robinson 5 TDs for No. 16 TCU in 55-7 win over Southern U
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Shawn Robinson threw touchdowns to three different receivers and ran for two more scores while playing only the first half as No. 16 TCU opened the season with a 55-7 win over Southern University on Saturday.
Robinson, who won his only start last season as a true freshman, came out of preseason camp as the starting quarterback. The Horned Frogs scored on their first six drives to take a 38-7 lead before fellow sophomore Michael Collins, a former transfer from Penn, took over after halftime.
"It's just different because you're the guy," said Robinson, who started at Texas Tech last November for injured Kenny Hill. "Last year, it just happened out of nowhere. I hadn't (started) in a long time. ... It's just totally different."
Derius Davis caught a 12-yard TD from Robinson and the true freshman later returned a punt 73 yards for a score as the Frogs won their 17th consecutive home opener under coach Gary Patterson, who started his 18th full season.
"We did what we needed to do," Patterson said, a statement he would repeat several more times in his postgame news conference.
TCU got a field goal on its opening drive before Robinson, who completed 17 of 24 passes for 182 yards, accounted for touchdowns on the next five drives. He scored on his only two rushing plays from 36 and 9 yards.
Robinson also threw TD passes to Taye Barber (6 yards), another true freshman, and Jalen Reagor (12 yards).
Collins was 3 of 5 passing with a 57-yard TD to TreVontae Hights.
"Both of them were good," Patterson said.
THE TAKEAWAY
Southern: The overwhelmed Jaguars became the first SWAC team to score against TCU — Jackson State lost 63-0 in last season's opener in Fort Worth, and Grambling State lost 56-0 there in 2012. But they were already down 31-0 in the second quarter before first-time starting quarterback John Lampley found Cameron Mackey wide open for a 55-yard TD pass.
TCU: Patterson had called the revamped offensive line the biggest surprise of preseason practice after the loss of four seniors from last season. The front guys didn't disappoint in a solid opener, not allowing a sack while the Frogs ran for 235 yards. The defense was dominant, and held an opponent to seven points or less for the seventh time in a span of 15 games since the start of the 2017 season.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The expected lopsided victory by TCU will do little to sway voters. Any movement by the Frogs in the next poll will be determined more by the outcome of games for other similarly ranked teams.
UP NEXT
Southern: A road game only about 10 minutes from campus at Louisiana Tech next Saturday night.
TCU: At former SWC rival SMU on Friday night.
