TCU is set to get a major piece back just in time for Saturday’s matchup with Kansas State.
Junior running back Jeremy Payne was not listed on the Horned Frogs’ initial Big 12 player availability report for the 1 p.m. game at Amon G. Carter Stadium on ESPNU, a strong sign he’s trending toward a return. Payne has been sidelined since TCU’s Oct. 17 win over Baylor, when he was hurt on the first series and went on to miss the last three games.
Before the injury, Payne had become TCU’s top ground threat. He leads the team with 429 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and his presence should give the offense a lift after some progress in last Friday’s 29-28 loss to No. 23 Arizona.
TCU may also have starting nickel safety Julius Simms available. He was listed as probable on the report.
The Horned Frogs enter the game at 4-5 overall and 2-4 in Big 12 play, while Kansas State sits at 4-5 and 1-5. The Wildcats will again be without quarterback Avery Johnson, who was listed as out and is set to miss a fourth straight game.
Kansas State has dropped three in a row since Johnson’s injury against Kansas on Oct. 17.
TCU’s report also listed running back Jon Denman, wide receiver Ace Theus, cornerback Devondre McGee, offensive lineman Cade Bennett, wide receivers Keagan Cunningham and Cooper Reid, and tight end Braden Bach as out. Safety Devyn Hidrogo was listed as probable.
Kansas State’s report included Jacob Knuth, linebacker Sawyer Schilke, tight end Lawson McGraw and defensive tackle Eli Jackson as out, with wide receiver Max Lovett questionable.
In Other News...
TCUs Undefeated Start Suddenly Comes With A Real Concern
TCU kept its undefeated start intact with a 100-92 double-overtime win over UL Monroe, but the game came with a sharper edge than the record suggests. Micah Robinson delivered a career-high 27 points and helped carry the Horned Frogs through a night that demanded far more than a routine nonconference finish, with the outcome still hanging deep into the second extra period.
Jamie Dixon and several players pointed to the late-game execution that finally separated TCU from a stubborn opponent, and that is where the real concern begins to surface. The Horned Frogs found a way to win, but a game like this also leaves a reminder that the margin for error shrinks quickly once the competition tightens, and TCU will have to clean up the details if it wants the unbeaten run to mean more than just a clean record. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Is Rallying Around Ed Small After A Brutal Moment
TCU spent the days after its loss to Arizona trying to turn the page, but the conversation around the program kept circling back to sophomore wide receiver Ed Small. The critical onside kick recovery error became one of the defining moments of the defeat, yet coach Sonny Dykes and teammates have made clear they are not letting one play define a player they value for much more than a single snap.
As the Horned Frogs prepare for Kansas State, the message inside the building has been about support and response rather than blame. Smalls teammates have rallied around him, pointing to his character and the work he has put in, and TCU now faces the familiar challenge of carrying a difficult moment forward without letting it linger into the next game. [Read more 🡒]
Baylors Season Suddenly Feels Very Different Under Joe Klanderman
With three weeks left in the Big 12 regular season, the league picture is starting to sharpen, and Baylor has quietly become one of the more interesting teams in it. Under interim coach Joe Klanderman, the Bears have won two straight, locked up a bowl berth and suddenly look far more stable than they did a few weeks ago, a notable turn in a conference where Utah is still unbeaten and six Big 12 teams are sitting in the College Football Playoff rankings top 25.
The broader league race has only added to the intrigue, especially with Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker putting together a historic performance that has NFL scouts paying close attention even as his future in Stillwater remains uncertain. For TCU, fresh off a loss to Arizona and bracing for possible changes in the coaching staff or roster, Baylors surge is another reminder of how quickly the balance can shift in the Big 12, and how much can still change before the season is over. [Read more 🡒]