The TCU Horned Frogs forced four turnovers and quarterback Josh Hoover threw four touchdown passes as the team defeated Colorado 35-21 on Saturday evening. It was the first Big 12 victory of the season
for the Horned Frogs (4-1, 1-1 Big 12), who will travel to Manhattan and take on the Kansas State Wildcats this weekend. After TCU’s win over the Buffaloes, we polled our followers on X to get a sense of how fans are feeling as the team gears up for a pivotal road showdown against the Wildcats on Saturday. The responses, with analysis, are below.
Saturday’s win was the first time this season that TCU forced four turnovers in a game. The turnover margin was a major factor in the victory, as the Horned Frogs struggled getting off the field on third and fourth downs. Colorado went 9 for 14 on third downs and converted its lone fourth-down attempt of the evening, enabling the Buffaloes to tally 343 total yards and 5.3 yards per play.
While TCU recorded two sacks in the game, the Horned Frogs frequently allowed Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter to break contain and find open receivers outside of the pocket. I’m not overly concerned about the 126 rushing yards allowed, as it took Colorado 35 attempts (3.6 yards per carry) to reach that mark. But the third and fourth-down inefficiencies, combined with penalties (TCU had seven for 85 yards in the game), create cause for concern entering the Kansas State game.
The good news for TCU fans was that starting running back Kevorian Barnes returned in the Colorado game and led the team in carries. Unfortunately, neither Barnes nor anyone else who ran the football found much running room, as the Horned Frogs averaged just 2.7 yards per carry and Barnes ended with 48 yards on 16 carries. After early success on the ground against ACC opponents North Carolina and SMU, TCU’s run game has completely fallen apart in Big 12 play.
To make matters worse, starting left tackle Ryan Hughes suffered a season-ending leg injury, making an already weak position on the offensive line even weaker. The interior of the offensive line is supposed to be the strength, but veterans like Carson Bruno, Coltin Deery and Cade Bennett have been unable to create running lanes over the last two weeks, forcing TCU to rely on gimmicks to gain short yardage. Unless there’s a scheme change or a personnel change up front, it’s going to be tough sledding moving forward.
Eric McAlister returned from an injury and made two highlight-reel touchdown grabs on Saturday, but I was very pleased with the performance from Joseph Manjack IV, whose sure hands made a real difference in the victory. The Houston transfer led all TCU receivers with five catches and tied with McAlister for a team-best 65 receiving yards. Manjack IV is already at 301 yards for the season and he’s on pace to establish career-highs in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Filling the role of JP Richardson, Manjack IV has primarily played out of the slot, but his ability to make tough catches and play through contact have made him a solid security blanket for Hoover and the TCU passing attack. I expect Manjack IV to remain heavily involved this weekend.
Hoover accounted for five touchdowns on Saturday and through five games, the redshirt junior has 1,517 passing yards and 15 touchdowns with four interceptions. His 67.3 percent completion rate is also a career high and with two rushing scores through five games, Hoover is on pace to set a new career high in that category. In the Big 12 Conference, Hoover currently ranks second in passing yards to Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson, third in touchdown passes and completions (113) and he’s tied for fourth in completion rate with West Virginia’s Nicco Marchiol and Kansas’s Jalon Daniels.
All of those numbers suggest he’s a top-4 quarterback in the conference and with TCU at 4-1 on the season (1-1 in Big 12 play), Hoover could end the season as the Big 12’s best quarterback. The biggest key will be limiting turnovers, as three of his turnovers came during TCU’s road loss against Arizona State.
TCU has struggled to run the football in Big 12 play, but Kansas State could be the antidote, as the Wildcats field one of the worst run defenses in the conference, ranking 13th out of 16 teams with an average number of 167.7 rushing yards allowed per game. That said, Colorado (180.0) is the worst team in the conference at stopping the run, but the Horned Frogs were unable to take advantage. Playing on the road, TCU must place great emphasis on running the football effectively. Expect Kevorian Barnes to log between 15 and 20 carries and hopefully Jeremy Payne, who didn’t play against Colorado due to turf toe, will suit up against the Wildcats.
