Summer Schedule Preview: TCU Looks to Bounce Back from 2023’s Fall from Grace

The Cowboys will head to Fort Worth for their penultimate road game of the season against a TCU team that’s set on rebounding from a huge letdown. But even though the Horned Frogs followed up their best season in 2022 with one of their worst in 2023, they were still hard to beat at home.

After you check out what TCU has in store, be sure you’re caught up on our entire Summer Schedule Preview Series: Noncon | Utah | K-State | West Virginia | BYU | Baylor

Week 11: TCU | Nov. 9 | Fort Worth, Texas

Series History: 17-14-2

Though the Pokes have the slight advantage overall, the two teams have been dead even of late, splitting the last 10 meetings, 5-5. OSU holds a 6-5 edge since the Horned Frogs joined the Big 12 in 2012.

Last Meeting: OSU 40, TCU 43 (2022)

The last time the Pokes and Frogs squared off, TCU took advantage of a banged-up Spencer Sanders and overcame a 24-7 first-half deficit to win in double overtime. The loss looked a lot better after TCU went on to a Final Four win over Michigan and a national championship game appearance.

TCU in 2023: Following that huge 2022 season, TCU lost Big 12 Athlete of the Year Max Duggan, along with a slew of its playmakers on both sides of the ball. In 2023, the Horned Frogs finished just 5-7. So, from a national championship game to no bowl game in just one season, that’s a steep fall, but they could be set up for a rebound.

TCU in 2024: TCU looks to have figured out its QB position under now second-year OC Kendal Briles. Josh Hoover is back after splitting reps with now-departed Chandler Morris and enters 2024 as the guy. Also back are two of the Frogs’ top two receivers in Savion Woods and former Cowboy John Paul Richardson.

Of Note: Offensive line had a lot of turnover.

It’s a big storyline across the league, but TCU is another one of those teams with big question marks along its offensive line. TCU returns only two linemen from last year that played over 600 snaps but gains a lot of possible replacements via the transfer portal, including Alabama center James Brockermeyer, Florida State tackle Bless Harris and others, like former Cowboy Cade Bennet, who transferred in from San Diego State.

Turnovers Will Be Key

The Horned Frogs were T-1oth in the Big 12 in turnovers committed last season and dead last in turnovers forced, landing them with a league-worst -7 TO margin. It’s hard to win games when you average losing the turnover battle every game. For what it’s worth, OSU stayed in the top half of the league thanks to its defense that had 23 takeaways, while the Pokes coughed up 21 TOs.

If TCU can gain that consistency on offense under Briles in his second year, and see the growth from Hoover in his, that could go a long way in remedying that deficit.

Sonny Dykes is one heck of a coach, and TCU is known for bouncing back.  The Horned Frogs will have some firepower and they’ll be at Amon G. Carter Stadium, where they haven’t posted a losing record since 2016. If the Cowboys’ season has gone somewhat to plan, they’ll still have a lot to play for when they head to Fort Worth, and TCU could be a tough out.