Arizona gets TCU at home on Friday night in a Big 12 matchup that puts a sharp contrast on the table: the Wildcats are 6-2, but both losses have come in conference, while the Horned Frogs sit at 4-4 and 2-3 against Big 12 opponents.
The Wildcats are trying to shake off last week’s road loss to Texas Tech, which snapped a five-game winning streak. Arizona has also been at its best when it’s not carrying the underdog label, since both of its losses this season came when it was in that role.
TCU, meanwhile, has been more volatile. After opening 2-0, the Horned Frogs have gone 2-3 over their last five games and have already dropped two games outright as favorites, including a few weeks ago against West Virginia when they were laying 10.5 points. TCU did win the first meeting between these teams in 2024.
For Arizona, everything starts with Noah Fifita. The fifth-year senior has thrown for 2,481 yards, which ranks seventh in the nation, and his 19 touchdown passes are tied for 10th.
He’s had multiple touchdown passes in all but two games this season, and Arizona lost both of those. Last week, he did plenty in defeat anyway, completing 33 of 45 passes for 417 yards and a touchdown without a turnover.
That kind of production is why Arizona feels dangerous back at home. The Wildcats didn’t cover in their first two home games, but those came with massive spreads of 33.5 and 34.5 points. More recently, they handled Cincinnati 34-7 as 6.5-point favorites and crushed Iowa State 39-3 as 11.5-point favorites.
TCU has only played twice on the road this season, so the Horned Frogs haven’t exactly built up much experience in hostile settings. They lost 21-31 at Central Florida in Week 3, though they did pull an upset at Baylor a few weeks ago.
Even with that mixed road résumé, the setup points toward Arizona having a strong chance to respond in front of its home crowd on Friday night.
In Other News...
TCU Heads Into Ranked Arizona Test With Plenty Riding On Friday
Friday night brings a little something different for TCU, and not just because the Horned Frogs are heading to No. 22 Arizona for a matchup that carries real weight in the Big 12 race. It is their only Friday game of the season and just their second trip to Tucson in school history, which gives the visit a rare feel even before kickoff. TCU is coming off a win over Kansas, a game shaped by key moments from linebacker Max Carroll and quarterback Jaden Craig, and now the Frogs have to carry that momentum into a tougher road setting.
Sonny Dykes also has to manage the broader picture around the team, with the week complicated by a virus working through the roster. The timing is not ideal, because TCU still has plenty to play for in the closing stretch and every game from here carries added meaning. A strong showing against Arizona would not only boost the resume, it would help steady a team trying to keep its season on track as the finish line comes into view. [Read more 🡒]
TCUs Defensive Identity Is Showing Up Before The Rotation Does
The early-season version of TCU basketball is already showing a clear calling card. After a tied first quarter, the Horned Frogs settled in and rolled past Le Moyne 96-41, leaning on defense to dictate the game while also shooting 52% from the field. Le Moyne never found much rhythm, finishing at 29% shooting as TCUs pressure and pace steadily took over.
Laura Vilcinskas gave the Frogs a strong inside presence with a double-double, while Jessie-May Hall and Jadyn Wooten were among the other contributors who helped keep the offense moving. For a team still sorting out its rotation, the encouraging part is that the defensive identity is already there, even before the lineup fully settles in. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Gets An Early Test Of Whether Its Hot Start Is Real
TCUs first night out looked the part of a team eager to make a statement, rolling past Lindenwood 98-59 and giving the Horned Frogs an early jolt of confidence. Now the schedule turns quickly, with Southern coming to Schollmaier Arena on Nov. 6, and the matchup should offer a cleaner read on whether that opener was just a comfortable start or the beginning of something more substantial.
Southern arrives off a loss to SMU, so the Horned Frogs will not get a soft landing after their first win. For TCU, the challenge is less about the scoreboard from one night to the next and more about whether the energy, pace and balance from the opener can hold up when the opposition is a little more seasoned, which is exactly what makes this one worth watching. [Read more 🡒]