TCU enters 2026 looking like a team that could make real noise in the Big 12, but Sonny Dykes and the Horned Frogs still have to prove they can take that final step. Over the last two seasons, that leap has stayed just out of reach.
The program has already shown how high the ceiling can be. Not long ago, TCU and Max Duggan were sitting at No. 2 in the country after a 31-28 overtime loss to then-No.
13 Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship Game. Even with that setback, the Horned Frogs still made it to the National Championship Game, where Georgia rolled them 65-7 in the biggest game in school history.
Now the challenge is figuring out whether 2026 can be the year TCU gets back into that kind of conversation. With a new offensive coordinator in Gordon Sammis, who comes over from UConn, and quarterback Josh Hoover gone to Indiana, there’s a fresh look in Fort Worth.
Jaden Craig is the name to know under center. The Harvard transfer threw for just shy of 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns last season and earned First Team All-Ivy League honors, making him the favorite to replace Hoover.
He’ll have help up front, too. Cade Bennett is back at left guard, Ben Taylor-Whittfield returns at left tackle, and Oklahoma State transfer Noah McKinney started five games at right guard a year ago.
Sammis brings a strong reputation for building offensive lines, and his work at UConn with former NFL coach Jim Mora helped the Huskies produce 445.2 yards per game and 160.8 rushing yards per game last season. That offense ranked 35th nationally.
TCU’s own offense put up 421.5 yards per game last year, but the numbers showed a clear imbalance: nearly 300 through the air and only 131.4 on the ground. Jeremy Payne is the leading running back in a thin room, so a lot will fall on him, with second-year back Jon Denman also in the mix.
Through the passing game, the Horned Frogs should have more continuity. Jordan Dwyer is back after posting 730 yards, and sophomore Ed Small returns on the other side after finishing with 186.
The defense has plenty of names to work with in the secondary. Second Team All-Big 12 safety Jamel Johnson is back for his senior year, and Jacob Fields arrives from Louisiana Tech after earning First Team All-Conference USA honors. Vernon Glover started all 13 games at corner last season, Gil Jackson is back after appearing in 12 games, and Kalen Carrol comes in after making 13 starts at Central Michigan.
Up front, TCU has some size, with Ansel Din-Mbuh anchoring tackle at 305 pounds and Markis Deal at nose tackle weighing 325. Deal has posted 7.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons, but the bigger question is whether the Horned Frogs can generate more disruption. Max Carrol, who had 34 tackles, and Virginia Tech transfer Michael Short are among the leading candidates to help.
That issue matters because TCU got to the quarterback only 23 times last season, its lowest total since 2021, when it had just 15.
The schedule gives TCU some room early, with one notable test at home against BYU on Oct. 3.
The real stress comes late. November brings a road trip to Arizona, then home games against Kansas State and Utah before the regular-season finale at Texas Tech.
That closing stretch is the reason TCU doesn’t feel like a sure thing yet, even with all the talent on the roster. By the time the Horned Frogs reach Week 12, the shape of those opponents will be unclear, but the final game in Texas is the kind of finish that can decide everything.
In Other News...
TCU Suddenly Has A Serious Offseason Problem In The Secondary
TCUs secondary took another jolt in August 2026 when senior transfer safety Jacob Fields was officially dismissed from the program after a physical altercation inside the team facilities. The incident has added unwanted offseason baggage for a defense trying to sort out its back end, and it comes at a time when the Horned Frogs would much rather be building stability than dealing with another disruption.
The situation also drew police attention, with the case being reviewed as a reported aggravated assault involving teammate Dozie Ezukanma. Ezukanma needed medical attention and could be unavailable for upcoming games while authorities continue their review, leaving TCU with both a personnel issue and a deeper question about how quickly the unit can recover from the fallout. [Read more 🡒]
TCU May Have Found Its Next Offensive X Factor In Camp
TCU is still sorting out how to replace the production it lost from last season, and one of the more interesting camp experiments has involved senior wide receiver Major Everhart. The Horned Frogs are testing him in a hybrid running back role, a move designed to put another dynamic athlete in space and make sure the offense gets the ball to as many playmakers as possible.
Offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis has pointed to Everharts versatility and the fact that he played running back in high school as reasons the staff believes this can work. For a team trying to add depth and explosiveness while reshaping its attack, the idea gives TCU another possible weapon to lean on if the transition keeps progressing the way the staff hopes. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Doctson Still Represents The Standard TCU Wants Back
Josh Doctson remains one of the clearest reminders of what TCUs receiver room can look like at its best. The former Horned Frogs star set school records for receiving yards and touchdowns before becoming a first-round NFL draft pick by Washington, and his path through the pros gave him the kind of profile that still resonates around Fort Worth.
His career also stretched beyond those early years in Washington, with stops in Minnesota, New York and Arizona after four NFL seasons. For TCU, though, Doctson is still more than a name in the record book. He is part of the standard the program has been chasing, the kind of playmaker the Horned Frogs want to keep producing. [Read more 🡒]