Tag: Texas vs TCU preview

Texas Football: Five keys to defeating TCU on Saturday

The Longhorns should win if they execute in these areas.

The No. 7 Texas Longhorns (8-1) take on the TCU Horned Frogs (4-5) in what will be a significant game for both teams.

For TCU, the matchup stands as what could be the final meeting between the two teams. The game is a small consolation prize in what has been a forgettable season for the Horned Frogs.

At stake for the Longhorns is a place in the Big 12 title game and a shot at its first ever College Football Playoff berth. The Frogs have no such aspirations for the 2023 season and have far less to lose. That fact makes the Longhorns’ Week 11 opponent all the more dangerous.

TCU has three games to win twice and enter bowl eligibility. Let’s look at how Texas can prevent an upset in Fort Worth.

Embrace Chaos: Don’t expect Texas to run away with the TCU game

If season trends are any indication, Texas will build a huge lead and then make the game interesting.

The Texas Longhorns (8-1) are perhaps the most consistent team in college football. It’s both the reason we think so highly of the team and the source of frustration with the 2023 squad.

Texas averages 34.3 points per game. It has never scored less than 30 points in nine games this season. That’s remarkable consistency.

On the flip side, the Longhorns aren’t running away with many games either. Just once has the team scored 40 points in a game. That game happened several weeks ago against Kansas.

The Longhorns’ game trends are so strong it is as if we know how the TCU game is going to unfold.

If this week’s matchup goes like the Kansas State and Houston game went, Texas will build a three-score lead and let its opponent back in the game. If TCU is as incapable as BYU and Baylor were offensively, the Longhorns will score around 35 points and the Horned Frogs will beat themselves. We don’t expect that to happen.

TCU is one of the more productive passing offenses in the Big 12, even with Josh Hoover at starting quarterback. Hoover has thrown for over 350 yards twice in his last three starts. Albeit, it hasn’t been the most efficient attack as Hoover had 52 attempts and 58 attempts in each of those games.

The Horned Frogs shouldn’t go off against the Longhorns. We believe Texas will build a big lead and win, but you can expect the Frogs to pad the stat sheet and close the gap.

Texas may not run away with it like they should, but we expect the team to end the week with a 9-1 record. Embrace the chaos.

Discussing why playing Texas QB Quinn Ewers could be worth the risk

If Ewers can play, you have to play him against TCU.

Texas needs to play starting quarterback Quinn Ewers on Saturday if he is in reasonable health. We’ve seen enough.

Ahead of last week’s game against Kansas State you could have argued that the Longhorns should rest Ewers for the TCU game. You can no longer make that contention. If he’s ready to go, you have to play him.

Ewers’ backup Maalik Murphy had a strong start against the Kansas State Wildcats. The California product started the game a scorching 7-for-11 for 152 yards. Murphy’s downfield passing ability was perhaps the primary reason Texas built a 17-0 first half lead. His playmaking ability is unquestionable. His decision making simply put the game in jeopardy.

You know how the rest of the game went. Murphy gift wrapped two interceptions to Kansas State. Two other passes hit K-State defenders in the hands only to fall harmlessly to the ground. The same quarterback that was the reason Texas built the lead was the reason the team lost it. In half a quarter of play, the Longhorns went from leading 27-7 to a 27-27 tie.

Things don’t get all that much easier this week. The team faces one of the more talent laden pass defenses in the Big 12 in TCU. In conference play, the Horned Frogs are as stingy as it gets surrendering just 197.2 yards per game to Big 12 foes.

There is risk to rushing Ewers back. Certainly, if re-injury is of significant concern, you would have to hold him back. But more than anything, Texas needs its quarterback not to give the game away.

We will see if Ewers is ready to go when Texas faces TCU on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC.

Injury updates ahead of No. 18 Texas vs No. 4 TCU

Horned Frogs are healing and Longhorns are banged up heading into the game.

The Texas Longhorns look to be shorthanded heading into their huge matchup with the playoff hopeful TCU Horned Frogs.

Ahead of the game, we learned that starting cornerback D’Shawn Jamison would be sidelined for Saturday night’s game. Some believed Jahdae Barron could be out for the game as well. However, it appears Barron is participating in pregame warmups.

The above injuries add to an already banged up secondary. Ryan Watts looked back to form against the Kansas State Wildcats, but Anthony Cook hasn’t been himself since he suffered a broken arm.

The Horned Frogs look to have positive news ahead of their game with Texas. Game breaking wide receiver Quentin Johnston appears to be primed for a big game, uninhibited by his ankle injury in warmups.

Pete Kwiatkowski’s conservative style of defense might bode well given the injuries the Longhorns have sustained. Here’s a look at some of social media’s injury updates before the big game.

TCU head coach Sonny Dykes heaps praise on Texas RB Bijan Robinson

“He’s the best college running back I’ve seen since Adrian Peterson.”

TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes isn’t overlooking Texas running back Bijan Robinson. In fact, it appears Robinson has his full attention.

Dykes indicated he has the utmost respect for the clear Doak Walker Award favorite. The Horned Frogs’ head coach paid perhaps the best compliment he could have given to an opposing running back. He had the following to say about Robinson.

I think Bijan is probably the best college running back I’ve seen since Adrian Peterson, or certainly that I’ve played against.

Adrian Peterson is well-known in Texas and across the country after a strong career at Oklahoma carried him to the NFL. Peterson will be remembered as one of the best running backs at both the college and professional level. Clearly, Bijan has made quite the impression on his opponent this week.

The Longhorns know what they will get from their best offensive weapon. Robinson will need help to defeat TCU on Saturday. Even so, the running back wearing No. 5 will play a pivotal role in the game.

With a strong performance he could secure the Doak Walker Award and keep his team alive in the Big 12 championship race.

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FULL PREVIEW: No. 18 Texas vs No. 4 TCU

Crowd noise can change the result of the game.

The Texas Longhorns will play their biggest conference home game in years on Saturday. The game could be on par with the 2018 clash with Dana Holgerson, Will Grier and the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Steve Sarkisian’s team sits in poll position for the second spot in the conference title game. Should Baylor beat Kansas State, Texas could still control its destiny to make the conference championship. The simpler path involves Texas handling its business on Saturday.

The Longhorns will face a new challenge this season in conference play. They face a TCU team that is both well coached and presents matchup problems of their own for Texas.

Sonny Dykes’ coaching staff is seemingly doing everything right so far this season. Let’s examine what will decide this game.

Advanced analytics favor Texas over TCU on Saturday

A deeper dive into the advanced metrics gives Texas the edge. 

No. 18 Texas plays host to No. 4 TCU on Saturday night for an all-important Big 12 Conference slugfest.

Texas enters as the favorite in the ballgame despite the Longhorns being the lower-ranked team and TCU entering this matchup unbeaten on the year.

ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Texas 73% odds of beating TCU on Saturday. Vegas opened up the odds with a seven-point line in favor of Texas.

A deeper dive into the advanced metrics still gives the Longhorns the edge.

Football analyst Parker Fleming released his advanced stats preview earlier this week. His model projects Texas to take down the Horned Frogs about 33-30.

Not much separates Texas and TCU on paper.

Each team’s offense is in the upper echelon in success rate and net points per drive. Texas has the advantage of facing a TCU defense that struggles with the run game. TCU’s uptempo passing attack offers a mismatch vs. Texas’ secondary.

Expect a close game in Austin, Texas on Saturday night.

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Wednesday Recruiting: Recapping the huge week for Texas

Texas’ win over K-State has recruits wanting a closer look at Texas football.

The Texas Longhorns are on an late-season tear on the recruiting trail. Steve Sarkisian’s staff started off the week scorching hot with rumors that Colton Vasek and Anthony Hill Jr. might head to the Longhorns.

So far the claims have been valid. Vasek chose the Longhorns yesterday, while Anthony Hill decommitted from Texas A&M. Hill, the talented linebacker from Denton, appears to lean heavily toward the burnt orange according to multiple recruiting experts.

The above players are just the tip of the iceberg for Texas, who hosts the No. 4 TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday. On the strength of a road victory over a ranked Kansas State squad, fan enthusiasm is building to a fever pitch while recruits want a closer look at the program.

Let’s look at what’s going on with recruiting on the Forty Acres.

Looking at how No. 18 Texas can attack and defeat No. 4 TCU

Stop Quentin Johnston. Maximize Bijan Robinson.

The Texas Longhorns need a win to control its destiny heading into their Top 25 matchup with the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday. Put simply, it’s not going to be easy.

The No. 4 Frogs will make the trip from Fort Worth to Austin looking to wreck the Longhorns’ Big 12 championship hopes and improve to 10-0 on the season. Their best player could return to action for their biggest game of the season as well.

Quentin Johnston is expected to be back when his team faces the Longhorns on Saturday. Although he didn’t practice today, Texas would be wise to game plan for the Horned Frogs’ matchup problem.

Steve Sarkisian’s team will need to play its best game of the season to beat Sonny Dykes and TCU. Let’s look at how the Horns might attack the Frogs.

Taking an early look at Texas vs TCU

Texas will need all the noise it can get from the home crowd against TCU.

The Texas Longhorns and TCU Horned Frogs will meet in Week 11. The game will have huge conference title implications.

TCU can effectively secure the No. 1 seed in the Big 12 with a win. With only three games remaining, the Horned Frogs would have to lose to Baylor and Kansas to lose the top ranking in the league.

In addition, Baylor would have to defeat K-State, TCU and Texas to take the top spot. With two losses already and shaky defensive play, it’s difficult to see the Bears winning all three of their remaining games.

Texas has a chance to inch closer to a conference title spot. A home loss to the Horned Frogs would all but eliminate the Longhorns, while a win would preserve their tiebreaker over Kansas State.

Let’s take a look at what Texas can look forward to on Saturday.