Gophers trounced 30-7 by TCU

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – The Gophers turned their highest-profile nonconference football game in three years into one of their worst performances of the Jerry Kill era.

The Texas heat didn't get them Saturday, but Gary Patterson's improved TCU squad certainly did.

Playing with a brace on his left knee, Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner struggled mightily before leaving early in the fourth quarter after a hard hit. By that point, Texas Christian had a 30-point lead.

Chris Streveler entered and threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Maxx Williams, but that was the lone bright spot for the Gophers, as TCU won 30-7 at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

Asked if he considered switching quarterbacks at halftime, Kill said: "There's a lot more to blame than the quarterback. [Leidner] was getting an extreme amount of pressure.

"I'm more worried about the health situation than anything. We thought about [switching quarterbacks] because he was banged up pretty good."

Leidner sprained the medial collateral ligament in the knee one week earlier but was determined to play. Kill also revealed that David Cobb was limited all week in practice because of a sprained ankle.

The Gophers (2-1) saw their 10-game nonconference winning streak come to an abrupt end. TCU handed them their most lopsided defeat since they lost 42-13 last year at Michigan.

The Gophers hadn't played a nonconference game against a team from another Power 5 conference since they lost 19-17 at Southern California in 2011. Their loss to TCU dropped the Big Ten to 1-10 this year in games against Power 5 schools.

This one was billed as a battle between Kill and Patterson, two old friends. But the Horned Frogs were anything but hospitable.

TCU (2-0) showed why many have predicted a bounce-back season after last year's 4-8 finish. The Horned Frogs looked just as stingy on defense as the teams that Patterson took to BCS bowls in 2010 and 2011.

"They are athletic, fast, and they will be as tough as anybody we play," Kill said. "There's no question about that."

"We were prepared for it; we just didn't come out like we wanted to come out," Gophers linebacker Damien Wilson said. "We came out a little flat."

The Gophers committed five turnovers, including a fumble and three interceptions from Leidner. TCU scored 20 points off turnovers, and the Gophers couldn't turn the three turnovers they created into a single point.

Leidner had his arm tipped on one interception, and another deflected off wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky's hand. But Leidner had two other throws that came very close to being intercepted. For the game, he completed 12 of 26 passes for 151 yards.

Streveler, a redshirt freshman, completed two of three passes for 18 yards. He also had seven carries for 33 yards.

"I thought Chris did a good job when he went in there," Kill said. "So we'll just have to see how healthy [Leidner is] next week."

"I'm the backup," Streveler said. "That's the way it is. Mitch is obviously our starter. There's no question about that. He's a tough kid."

And this turned into a tough day. The game-time temperature was 68 degrees, which seemed like a big break for the Gophers, considering it was 100 degrees in Fort Worth earlier in the week.

But the Gophers failed to get a first down on their first three drives.

TCU's first two touchdowns came on impressive passes from Trevone Boykin to Josh Doctson — corner routes with Gophers sophomore Jalen Myrick defending. The first one was a perfect over the shoulder, 13-yard pass. The second one was a 7-yard pass that looked overthrown, but Doctson made a leaping, one-handed grab.

"Let me tell you, Jalen Myrick he's our [sophomore], and they went after him," Wilson said. "He played great defense, but it was a better throw, and a better catch, and you just can't beat that."

Cobb sat on the field, pounding his fist into the ground — the picture of the team's daylong frustration.