Texas faces a common challenge in each of the final three games against TCU, Iowa State and Texas Tech: The games inherently mean more to its opponent.
Make no mistake, Texas has everything to play for in 2023. The team is 8-1 with a Big 12 title at stake. A place in the College Football Playoff also hangs in the balance. That said, against TCU the Longhorns face an opponent with little to lose and much to gain from the game.
The TCU Horned Frogs are 4-5 on the year following an embarrassing loss to Texas Tech last Thursday. You can expect more inspired football from TCU this week.
The last few matchups against the Horned Frogs haven’t gone much in Texas favor. The Longhorns lost last season in a low scoring battle. The year before, Texas limped past a bad TCU team on the road, 32-27.
Under former head coach Tom Herman’s leadership, the Longhorns went 1-3 against TCU. The records never mattered. Texas always got TCU’s best game.
Texas should demolish TCU this week. It should be a lot more like the first half of the Kansas State game than the second half. The potential return of starting quarterback Quinn Ewers would make that result more likely. Nevertheless, what should happen often doesn’t happen when the Longhorns travel to Fort Worth.
Winning for Texas will require a high level of mental toughness and attention to detail over the next three games. The Longhorns will look to prove their mettle against the Horned Frogs on Saturday. You can watch the game at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC.