Kansas is 3-4, but that number doesn’t capture how tricky this trip to Fort Worth could be for TCU. The Jayhawks are bringing a quarterback who can hurt defenses with his arm and his legs, a running back who just gashed Baylor, and enough momentum to make Saturday’s Big 12 matchup a real test for the Horned Frogs.
The centerpiece is Isaiah Marshall. He has passed for 1,506 yards and 11 touchdowns - the same touchdown total as TCU’s Jaden Craig - while also throwing seven interceptions.
On top of that, Marshall has been a factor on the ground, piling up 403 rushing yards at 4.5 yards per carry and topping 100 rushing yards twice this season. That dual-threat profile is exactly the kind of challenge TCU just dealt with against West Virginia, when the Frogs gave up 87 rushing yards to quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr.
Kansas’ ground game gets even more dangerous with Dylan Edwards. The junior and Kansas State transfer exploded against Baylor with 156 yards on 30 carries, and his pairing with Marshall gives the Jayhawks a backfield that can stress a defense in multiple ways. If TCU doesn’t clean up what went wrong last week, that combination could create the same kind of problems the Mountaineers did.
The Jayhawks also have a key target outside. Nik McMillan leads the team with 25 catches for 466 yards and five receiving touchdowns, so even if TCU wants to sell out against the run, it can’t ignore the passing game completely.
Kansas comes in after squeezing out a 25-24 win over Baylor last weekend in Lawrence. The Jayhawks were down 11 entering the fourth quarter, then scored on two touchdown drives and added a field goal to finish the comeback. That was their first Big 12 win of the season, and it gave them a little room to build on.
But history has leaned hard TCU’s way. Kansas hasn’t beaten the Horned Frogs since 2018, TCU has won five straight meetings, and the Jayhawks haven’t won in Fort Worth since 1996.
Even so, TCU can’t treat this like a routine matchup. Kansas has been averaging 22.5 points per game in Big 12 play, and the Jayhawks have shown they can stay close and make things uncomfortable late.
They trailed Utah 27-24 heading into the fourth quarter before two touchdown drives put the game away. Against Kansas State, they were within one point at the start of the final period, forced a turnover on downs, then saw the defense give up a touchdown and a field goal after a Kansas interception.
That fourth-quarter pattern matters here. Kansas has kept itself in games, but the offense has gone quiet late and the defense hasn’t held up well enough to keep the margin manageable. For TCU, that means the game plan is pretty straightforward: get out in front, or at least keep it tight long enough to make Kansas play under pressure in the final 15 minutes.
The Frogs also have to keep an eye on Leroy Harris III. The defensive end was disruptive against Baylor, finishing with 1.5 tackles for loss and bringing his season total to 11. Protection remains a concern for TCU, and Harris is the kind of player who can wreck a drive if he gets loose.
Turnovers could swing the whole thing, too. Kansas has only two interceptions this season, but it has recovered five opponent fumbles.
TCU already knows that controlling the ball doesn’t guarantee anything after holding it for more than 37 minutes against West Virginia and still losing. If the Frogs give Kansas extra chances, that backfield can make them pay.
The safest path for TCU is simple: contain Marshall and Edwards, protect the football and finish drives. Do that, and the Frogs give themselves a chance to extend their winning streak against Kansas. Let the Jayhawks control the run game and carry a lead into the fourth quarter, and this turns into a much tougher night in Fort Worth.
In Other News...
Jacobe Hayes Just Gave TCU A Needed Boost On Offense
Jacobe Hayes has started to look like more than just a promising young piece in TCUs offense. The sophomore receiver showed real progress against West Virginia, continuing a stretch in which he has become a more reliable option and a welcome sign for a group that has needed steadier production from its pass catchers.
Hayes growth has stood out because it comes in the middle of an uneven season, when TCU has been searching for answers and consistency on offense. His development suggests the Horned Frogs may be finding another dependable target, and the next question is how much larger his role can become as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Suddenly Faces A Bigger Sonny Dykes Question After West Virginia
The fallout from TCUs disappointing loss to West Virginia reached the coaching staff almost immediately, with Sonny Dykes moving to make a change along the offensive line. The move came as the Horned Frogs tried to steady themselves after a rough showing, and it added another layer to a season already drawing attention in a Big 12 coaching landscape where pressure points seem to pop up fast.
The larger conversation around Dykes also widened beyond Fort Worth, with speculation swirling online about his job security before school administrators pushed back on the rumor mill. In a conference that has already seen coaching chatter touch names like Lincoln Riley and follow Baylors recent change, TCU is suddenly dealing with more than one question at once, and the next steps around the program are now under a brighter spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
TCUs Defense Faces Its Toughest Test Yet Against Kansas
TCUs defense has spent most of the fall looking like one of the Big 12s best, and the numbers back it up. Even after a loss to West Virginia, the Horned Frogs still held the Mountaineers to their lowest scoring output of the season, a sign the unit is carrying plenty of momentum into its next challenge. The assignment only gets trickier from here, with Kansas bringing a more athletic, more varied offense that will ask TCU to stay disciplined snap after snap.
Inside the building, the focus has been on the details that can decide a game like this before it ever becomes a track meet. The Horned Frogs know they need to cut down on penalties and keep their communication clean against an offense that can stress a defense in different ways, and they are preparing for a Kansas attack that is built to test eyes, spacing and discipline. For a TCU defense that has handled plenty already, this one looks like the kind of matchup that can reveal just how real those national rankings are. [Read more 🡒]