The TCU Horned Frogs are officially less than one week from kicking off the 2025 season against North Carolina on Sept. 1. With the start of the season quickly approaching, our staff at Frogs O’ War took to Twitter (X) and polled our followers to see how Horned Frog fans are feeling about the 2025 season, returning players and total expectations for the season. Read below to find a series of polls and analysis from each poll!
The large majority of voters
who participated in the polls are optimistic about the Horned Frogs winning eight or more football games this season. Las Vegas may slightly disagree, as FanDuel lists TCU at -170 odds to win seven or more and +110 odds to win eight or more. The Horned Frogs should have a more difficult schedule than they did in 2024, as TCU will face two returning CFP qualifiers (SMU and Arizona State) as well as the top-5 finishers in the Big 12 last season, which include BYU, Iowa State, Colorado and Baylor. While the Buffaloes and Cougars could very well slide down the standings this year (BYU lost starter Jake Retzlaff and Colorado lost both Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter), Iowa State and Baylor are both popular picks to win the conference this season, as they welcome back quarterbacks Rocco Becht and Sawyer Robertson.
Nonconference success should play a big role in how the Horned Frogs finish in 2025. Abilene Christian should be an easy victory, but TCU would need to finish 7-2 in the Big 12 if the team doesn’t beat North Carolina or SMU. Should the Horned Frogs beat UNC and exact their revenge on the Mustangs, then a 5-4 record would be all TCU needs to achieve eight wins.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but nearly all of our voters believe Josh Hoover will be the MVP of the TCU offense this season. Hoover returns with heightened expectations after throwing for 27 touchdowns and setting the program’s single-season passing yards record in 2024. Now a redshirt junior, Hoover enters his third season as a starter and has shown improvements in completion percentage, passing yards and TD:INT ratio over each of the last few years. I have to agree with the fans here, as I believe a large chunk of TCU’s season will hinge on Hoover’s success (or lack thereof) and his ability to take another step forward without three NFL wide receivers (Jack Bech, Savion Williams and JP Richardson).
While the Defensive MVP poll revealed slightly more parity, fans still mostly agreed that Bud Clark will rise to the top and be the anchor of the Horned Frog defense in 2025. An All-Big 12 Second Team honoree last season, Clark is one of only a few remaining starters from the national finalist team and is one of the most experienced players on the entire roster, entering his sixth season with the program. With 11 interceptions over the last three years, Clark has become a ballhawk in the TCU secondary and I fully expect Clark to remain a high-level player for the Horned Frogs in 2025. Once again, I’ll side with the fans on this one.
A near tie! But it’s UTSA transfer running back Kevorian Barnes edging out Idaho transfer receiver Jordan Dwyer for the newcomer who fans believe will make the biggest impact this season. Barnes, who has been taking first-team reps in camp and appears primed to take over as the starting running back, had a very successful two-year run at UTSA, rushing for 1,566 yards and 12 touchdowns between 2022 and 2023. A (very) down 2024 brought Barnes to TCU, where the Horned Frogs will look to get their running game back on track after a disappointing 2024. Dwyer, who was one of the best players in the FCS last season, hauling in 1,192 receiving yards and 12 scores at Idaho, has likewise been taking first-team reps at receiver during fall camp.
Despite finishing fourth, I think fans will need to keep their eyes on LSU transfer safety Kylin Jackson, who may be replacing Abe Camara as the team’s starting nickel this season. The 6-foot-3 safety made a series of plays during camp and was highlighted by Steven Johnson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as a player who stood out in camp.
Ed Small and Jacobe Hayes, both wide receivers, are the true freshmen TCU fans appear most excited about this season. I wouldn’t be surprised if both Small and Hayes take snaps (or even make catches) during the opener against North Carolina, as camp reports indicate the two players have worked with the second team and even the first team on occasion. Small arrives with slightly more prestige as a four-star recruit, while Hayes, a three-star from Mansfield, has impressed with plays including a one-handed grab on a pass from quarterback Ken Seals. Hayes, nicknamed ‘Juice’, was also written about as a breakout star of camp. I’ll side with the fans here, as I think TCU will feature more of a rotation at wide receiver than last season, which will allow for players like Small and Hayes to make plays early in the season.
