TCU gets one last dress rehearsal before the Big 12 lights come on, and Saturday’s visit from Arkansas State feels like a checkpoint the Horned Frogs can’t just breeze through. After the rough edges against North Carolina and the bounce-back win over Grambling State, this is the final chance to sort out the messes before conference play starts to punish every mistake.
There’s been real progress. Against Grambling State, TCU won 63-7 and looked far more settled than it did in Ireland.
Jaden Craig turned in his best game as a Horned Frog, and the passing game finally had some life to it. Ed Small and Jeremy Scott made big plays at receiver, while tight ends Kari Ashley and Ka’Morreun Pimpton kept building their connection with Craig.
Ashley piled up 119 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and Pimpton added another score.
Still, the Frogs haven’t put together the kind of clean game that would make anyone relax. Even in the blowout over Grambling State, TCU fumbled three times and lost one, then tacked on five penalties in the second half.
That followed a Week 0 performance against North Carolina filled with fumbles and dumb penalties. The problems have changed shape, but they haven’t disappeared.
The defense has been just as uneven. TCU has created turnovers in both games, forcing fumbles against North Carolina and picking off passes against Grambling State.
But there have also been stretches where the secondary looked vulnerable, with North Carolina throwing with ease and Grambling State finding room after the catch. The unit has shown a bend-don’t-break feel early on, especially on opening drives when opponents moved the ball before settling for field-goal tries.
The next step is obvious: turn that into a full 60-minute effort.
Up front, the offensive line has already shown some response. After allowing three sacks against North Carolina, TCU gave up only one against Grambling State.
That matters, because Arkansas State brings a defense that has already forced two fumbles and intercepted four passes through its first two games. If there’s a time to prove the protection issues were not just hidden by a weaker opponent, this is it.
That’s why Saturday carries more weight than a normal nonconference game. A dominant performance would let TCU head toward UCF with some confidence and a little momentum. A sloppy one, even in a win, would leave the Frogs walking into Big 12 play with the same questions still hanging over them.
For Sonny Dykes and his team, the assignment is simple: clean it up now, because the margin only gets thinner from here.
In Other News...
TCU Just Landed A Local Lineman At A Fascinating Time
Gabriel Brooks recruiting path took a notable turn this week, with the North Crowley senior offensive lineman flipping his commitment from Stephen F. Austin to TCU for the 2027 class. A local product with college-ready size and a tackle frame, Brooks said the move gives him better opportunities academically and athletically while also keeping him closer to home, a combination that naturally carries extra appeal for a player from one of Fort Worths most visible high school programs.
For TCU, landing a lineman from North Crowley is the kind of in-state development that can matter well beyond the headline. Brooks is expected to stay at offensive tackle, and the timing makes the commitment even more interesting as he gets ready for a key upcoming game against Duncanville. How he handles that stage this fall will only add to the attention around a pledge that gives the Horned Frogs a nearby prospect with plenty still ahead of him. [Read more 🡒]
Max Carroll Is Giving TCU A Defensive Lift With Big 12 Ahead
Max Carroll has already become one of the early defensive stories for TCU, and not just because of the numbers next to his name. The senior linebacker has been moved all over the formation, handling time at middle linebacker, outside linebacker, edge rusher and even nickel, giving the Horned Frogs a flexible piece at a moment when the defense is still sorting itself out. He responded by leading the team in tackles in the season opener and backing it up with steady play in the opening stretch.
That kind of versatility has value now, but it matters even more with Big 12 play approaching and the margins about to get tighter. Carroll has been open about needing to sharpen parts of his own game, which is the sort of self-assessment TCU will welcome as it looks for dependable production from a player it keeps finding new ways to use. For a defense trying to build some early momentum, his presence has given the Frogs a lift and a little more confidence in what they can do when the schedule stiffens. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Has One Thing To Clean Up Before Big 12 Play
TCU heads into Saturday night with the kind of confidence that comes after a comfortable win and a matchup that looks manageable on paper. The KillerFrogs staff is unanimously picking the Horned Frogs over Arkansas State, and the expectation is that TCUs offense should be able to keep rolling after last weeks dominant showing against Grambling State.
Still, this is the sort of early-season test that can expose a lingering issue before Big 12 play arrives. Arkansas State has shown it can throw the ball, but the Red Wolves have also had turnover problems, and the Horned Frogs biggest concern remains a secondary that still has some cleaning up to do. If TCU handles that end of the field cleanly, the rest of the evening should look routine. [Read more 🡒]