TCU came up just short again, and this one stung in a familiar way.
West Virginia walked out of Amon G Carter Stadium with a 24-20 win Saturday after TCU quarterback Jaden Craig was stripped in the final minute, killing what looked like a potential game-winning drive with 34 seconds left. The Horned Frogs dropped to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in Big 12 play, a loss that erased any realistic path to the conference title race and left them needing three wins over their final five games just to reach bowl eligibility.
The game never really settled into one side’s control. It was tied 10-10 at halftime, with two second-quarter TCU turnovers spoiling a stretch that could have tilted the night. Then the Horned Frogs put themselves in position again in the second half, only to give up leads of 13-10 and 20-17.
TCU now turns to Kansas, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. next Saturday, Oct. 31.
Craig’s night told the story of the offense: bright beginning, slow fade, too many empty possessions when TCU needed a knockout punch. He opened by completing his first 12 passes before finally missing on a dropped ball by receiver Ed Small.
After that, the rhythm slipped. He threw five incompletions and an interception late in the second quarter, and TCU also had a first-quarter fumble charged to Craig on a miscommunication with receiver Major Everhart, who was lined up at running back.
Even with the uneven finish, Craig still piled up numbers - 33 completions on 47 attempts for 372 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Kari Ashley and Jordan Dwyer were his top targets, with Ashley going for 118 yards and Dwyer adding 113.
The run game never gave TCU enough balance, especially with starting running back Jeremy Payne out injured. Jon Denman carried 15 times for 58 yards, including one 21-yard burst, while Craig added 26 rushing yards on 12 attempts and scored on a 2-yard run. But the ground attack couldn’t consistently hold up its end, and the Horned Frogs were forced to lean heavily on the pass against a West Virginia secondary that had been giving up big numbers.
And yet, West Virginia still found ways to make enough plays. Former TCU running back Cam Cook returned to Fort Worth and produced 90 yards on 18 carries, then delivered the go-ahead moment with a 13-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. Cook entered the game fifth nationally in rushing yards with 833, averaging 5 yards per carry and leading the Big 12 at 119 yards per game.
TCU’s defense, which entered the day ranked No. 3 nationally in scoring defense at 12.2 points allowed per game, did enough to keep the Horned Frogs in it - but not enough to finish the job. West Virginia came in averaging 497 yards and 37.6 points per game, yet managed only 265 yards and 24 points against TCU.
Still, the performance marked a step back from what the Frogs had shown against Baylor and BYU, the latter now ranked No. 2. West Virginia quarterback Michael Hawkins, a Frisco Emerson product, was held to 79 passing yards on 7-of-15 passing and was intercepted by Kylin Jackson in the second quarter.
The first-half touchdown TCU allowed came after an illegal batting penalty by Max Carroll extended a West Virginia drive. That kind of mistake proved costly in a game that was close all the way to the final snap.
In Other News...
TCU Faces One Question Against West Virginia After Baylor Win
TCU finally has some room to breathe after its win over Baylor, a result that nudged the Horned Frogs back to 3-3 and offered a small but meaningful reset after a rocky start. The defense has held up well enough to keep games within reach, which has given the team a chance to steady itself even as the offense has worked through obvious growing pains.
Still, the larger issue has not gone away, and it will be front and center again when West Virginia comes into view. Recent progress can only go so far if TCU cannot find more consistency on offense, and the next stretch of games looks like a chance not just to build on the Baylor win, but to show the attack is ready to match what the defense has already been doing. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Faces The Same Painful Offensive Question Again
Week 8 delivered another reminder that yardage alone does not guarantee a win, and TCU was a prime example. The Horned Frogs moved the ball well enough to control much of the afternoon against West Virginia, piling up production that looked like it should have been enough, yet the scoreboard never reflected that edge.
Instead, the kind of self-inflicted issues that can tilt a close conference game kept hanging around. Missed opportunities in the kicking game, giveaways, and a penalty count that added extra weight to the loss all chipped away at a performance that otherwise had the look of a team capable of finishing better. [Read more 🡒]
TCU Just Exposed The Baylor Problem That Still Hasn't Changed
Baylors season has been full of flashes that suggest real offensive upside, starting with quarterback DJ Lagway and wide receiver Gavin Freeman putting up numbers that could end up near the top of the programs record book. The problem is the same one that has followed the Bears through the early part of the year: the individual production has not consistently turned into wins, and a home loss to TCU only sharpened that contrast.
The defense has taken a step forward from last season, but Baylor still looks like a team trying to force a good offense to carry too much of the load. With three ranked opponents still left on the schedule, the margin for error is thin, and the Bears will need more than standout performances from a few key players if they want the rest of the season to mean anything in the standings. [Read more 🡒]