The TCU Horned Frogs are back at .500 after a 20-10 win over Kansas State, and this one looked a lot like the kind of game that has carried them lately: the defense setting the tone, the offense doing just enough, and the whole operation grinding out a result.
If there’s one thing that keeps showing up, it’s how suffocating this defense has become. TCU didn’t let Kansas State run a play on the Frogs’ side of the field in the first half, and the pressure came from everywhere.
Koron Hayward was right in the middle of it, forcing a fumble, while both linebackers added sacks. The one real blemish was a blown coverage that turned the game into a one-possession battle, but that kind of mistake has been rare enough this season to treat it like an outlier.
Sonny Dykes has talked about the possibility of bringing this group back next year, and if that happens, this defense could be even more dangerous.
On offense, Kari Ashley remains the matchup problem that can tilt things in TCU’s favor. He can line up in the backfield, split out wide, or work from the tight end spot, and defenses have to account for him every snap.
He’s tough to bring down with one defender, he’s dangerous after the catch, and his catch radius gives the Frogs a real weapon to lean on. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see even more plays built around him over the final two weeks.
The offense still had its rough stretches, because that’s been part of the story all season. But there were also signs of something more stable.
TCU put together three drives that lasted more than four minutes, and while only one of those ended in points, that kind of pace matters. It complements what the defense is doing by keeping the unit fresh and limiting the number of quick possessions that can flip the field back the other way.
That was especially important in a game where the defense was forcing short series and giving the offense more chances to settle in. When the Frogs go three-and-out too quickly, it puts more strain on the defense. The longer drives against Kansas State helped avoid that trap.
Jeremy Payne’s return from injury also gave the ground game a lift. He brought some needed energy, broke missed tackles, and kept pushing forward for extra yards.
This time, the ball wasn’t funneled through just a couple of names the way it was last week. TCU spread things around more, with seven different players catching passes and six different Horned Frogs getting rushing attempts.
It may feel late in the year for that kind of balance to matter, but it matters now because TCU gets top-ranked Utah next weekend. The Frogs will need the defense to keep doing the heavy lifting, and the offense showed enough against Kansas State to at least give that upset a chance.
In Other News...
Kansas State Faces A Strange New Disruption Before TCU Kickoff
Kansas States trip to Fort Worth turned into an unusual pregame wrinkle Friday when the Wildcats were unable to leave Manhattan Regional Airport because of a national FAA ground stop on all air travel. Instead of settling in the night before, the team will now travel Saturday morning for its Big 12 matchup with TCU, a game set for 1 p.m. CT at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
It is the kind of disruption no team wants on the eve of kickoff, especially with a conference road game waiting and a quick turnaround built into the schedule. The Wildcats will still have the game in front of them on ESPNU and ESPN+, but the logistics of getting there just became part of the story, and it leaves a little extra uncertainty around how smoothly their Saturday unfolds once they finally arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas States Ugly Skid Just Put One Offensive Problem Back In Focus
Travel delays tied to an FAA ground stop were part of the backdrop Saturday, but Kansas States bigger issue was on the field. The Wildcats fell 20-10 to TCU, their fourth straight loss, and the defeat pushed them to last place in the Big 12 standings. A costly fumble by Rodney Fields helped tilt the game, and the offense never found enough rhythm to overcome a defense that kept getting pressured and put in tough spots.
Dillon Duff was sacked five times as TCUs defense controlled enough of the afternoon to make Kansas State chase the game from behind. For a team already trying to stop an ugly slide, the loss put the offense back under a harsh spotlight, with protection issues and ball security once again standing out as problems that have to be cleaned up fast. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Faces A Quarterback Problem At The Worst Time
Kansas State heads into its matchup with TCU still sorting out the most important spot on the field, and the timing could hardly be worse. Coach Collin Klein has not named a starter, and he has left open the possibility that both quarterbacks could see the field as the Wildcats try to stop a slide that has stretched to three straight losses since Avery Johnsons injury.
The uncertainty is only deepened by Jacob Knuths ankle issue, which is expected to keep him out for a third consecutive game. TCU arrives with its own problems after a close loss to Arizona, and coach Sonny Dykes has already said the Horned Frogs need to get better, setting up a game where both teams are searching for answers while Kansas State is still trying to find its quarterback plan. [Read more 🡒]