The (8-1, 5-1) TCU Horned Frogs were projected to finish seventh in the Big XII this past June at Big XII Media Days in Dallas, Tex. But with just their second year as a member of the conference, they are off to a fast start under longterm head coach Gary Patterson.
Few projected TCU to finish in the Top 25, let alone have the No. 4 spot in the College Football Playoff Rankings in Week 12. But a number of factors have contributed to their progressions throughout the season.
For starters, the Horned Frogs are ranked eighth in the country in passing, averaging 322.9 yards per game. Junior quarterback Trevone Boykin has completed 203 of 350 pass attempts for 2,691-yards and 23 touchdowns, plus another seven rushing touchdowns.
The Horned Frogs rank 50th in total defense, allowing a total of 3,370-yards — 5.01 yards per play — and 23 touchdowns this season. With the biggest stain on their schedule being a 61-58 loss at Baylor, their three regular season games left in the season against Kansas, Texas, and Iowa State will be huge. TCU is going to have to start putting up major style points if they want to secure a spot in the playoffs. Baylor has been electric, and even though their only loss this season was by a wider margin against West Virginia, Baylor has been more lethal despite a weaker non-conference schedule.
To say the Kansas Jayhawks have seen better days, would be putting it lightly. Kansas currently sits at 3-6 and 1-5 in Big XII play. Their only conference win this season was against an Iowa State team that is even more porous.
The Jayhawks are averaging a mere 18.2 points per game and are allowing around 30 points per game. They are ranked 94th in the nation in total defense, allowing an average of 435.9 total yards per game. The only other Big XII team that’s worse in this category in is Texas Tech.
Kansas has only won three out of their past 48 conference games, but then again, there’s a significant reason why head coaches are fired during seasons. Interim head coach Clint Bowen will likely either be off the Kansas coaching staff entirely next season, or retained under their new head coach. The next few games will surely set the tone for anything that might open up for him. With that in mind, he knows that his appointed quarterback, junior Michael Cummings is going to have to show confidence and poise against a TCU defense that leads the nation in forced turnovers.
Like many of the Big XII games in the back end of the schedule, it’s difficult to gauge some of the one-on-one match-ups. Expect Boykin to take straight shots to the end zone when he can, and Bowen to dial it up on Saturday. It is expected to snow in Lawrence, and TCU’s only loss of the season (WVU) was against bad weather.
*Section photo credit to Ronald Martinez; Featured Photo (above) credit to Jerome Miron, USA Today Sports.
