By Tom C. "Midnite" Burke
TCU Athletics used new LED lighting to “light up” storied Amon G. Carter Stadium on the TCU Campus in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday, September 12.
The Horned Frogs reciprocated by lighting up the scoreboard during their 2026 home-opener and earning their first victory of the season, 63-7 over Grambling State University, which is a Historically Back College and University (HBCU) that is a member of the Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC).
TCU, of the Big 12 Conference, has had a lot of offensive success in home-openers, scoring at least 30 points in its last 19 openers in The Carter. In the 21st century, TCU is 24-3 in home-openers, with two of the three losses coming to power-conference opponents.
 |
| Tom C. "Midnite" Burke |
Midnite Madness predicted a 38-13 TCU victory. The Frogs were nearly a 45-point favorite over the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Tigers.
With the win, TCU improved to 1-1. The Horned Frogs’ next game is at home, against Arkansas State, on Saturday, September 19. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 pm. The game will be televised by ESPNU. It will be “Family Weekend” on the TCU Campus.
TCU begins Big 12 Conference play on Saturday, September 26, against UCF, in Orlando, Florida. Kickoff is set for 2:30 pm (Central). The game will be on FS1.
With the loss, Grambling State fell to 2-1. The Tigers have a bye on September 19. On September 26, Grambling will play its SWAC-opener against Prairie View A&M, in the Cotton Bowl, in the “State Fair Classic.” The Texas State Fair opens in Dallas on Friday, September 25.
The LED lights, as well as the enhancement of the south end zone scoreboard, were the latest updates to TCU’s historic football stadium, in which the first football game was played on October 11, 1930 (TCU defeated the University of Arkansas 40-0).
There also were the Big 12/Monster Energy logos and the Spectrum logos that were displayed on the field.
The Big 12 is making every team in the conference display a Monster Energy logo on their field and wear such a logo on their uniforms, in exchange for about a million bucks per conference member.
TCU Athletics and Spectrum recently announced a multiyear partnership naming Spectrum the Official Internet, Wireless and Television Service Provider of TCU Athletics. Spectrum also was named the Presenting Sponsor of the Frog Walk, which is a pregame tradition of every TCU home football game.
The much-ballyhooed new LED lights were underwhelming and the use of them during a period between the third and fourth quarters was bizarre and utterly bewildering to long-time football fans.
Thankfully, the Frogs and the Grambling band did not disappoint.
The "World Famed" Grambling State marching band, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, dazzled the game’s 37,600 broiled spectators with the type of jazzy and gyrating halftime show that seldom rocks a TCU football crowd. After the performance, much of the crowd exited the stadium, in search of cooler environments, despite an ensuing performance by the TCU Marching Band, which is the largest in the school’s history.
The temperature at kickoff was 100 degrees, the hottest recorded game in Amon G. Carter Stadium history, and many of the attendees had tailgated for several hours prior to the game, in temperatures that reached as high as 104 degrees.
TCU Aggressive vs. Grambling
The heat didn’t bother the Horned Frogs. TCU aggressively took control of the game by scoring a touchdown on its first drive and never letting up. The Frogs led 28-7 at halftime. TCU scored two touchdowns in the third period and three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to post its highest point total (63) since scoring 63 points against Jackson State in 2017.
The dominating college football week-2 victory over the Tigers was exactly what the Horned Frogs needed after opening their season on August 29 with a lethargic 15-10 upset loss to the University of North Carolina in the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland.
Despite its aggressive approach, particularly on offense, TCU only had five penalties for 60 yards against Grambling. This was a much-needed improvement from the 11 penalties that the Frogs accumulated in their embarrassing loss to the Tar Heels.
Prior to the game against Grambling, TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes said, “It has been a long two weeks after the loss (to North Carolina). We are ready to get the bad taste out of our mouths."
Against Grambling, the Frogs replaced the bad taste of defeat with the sweetness of victory by better showing off the play-calling abilities of their new offensive coordinator, Gordon Sammis, and the passing and running of new quarterback Jaden Craig, as well as the quickness and physicality of their continuously improving defense under defensive coordinator Andy Avalos.
"I was proud of our team,” said the 56-year-old Dykes, who is in his fifth year as TCU’s head football coach. “I was encouraged by our maturity and the way we continued to focus and pay attention to details and do things the right way as the game went on.”
Never Forget: 9/11
The mood Saturday night was, of course, more festive than the mood on the TCU campus and across the country on September 12, 2001, which was the day after terrorists attacked America on its soil.
Prior to the game, TCU fans, some of whom weren’t born 25 years ago, were casually reminded of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, when terrorists killed some 3,000 people through the hijacking of four airplanes, with two of them crashing into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, a third crashing into the Pentagon and the fourth crashing into a field in Pennsylvania instead of somewhere in Washington, D.C., thanks to the heroic efforts of the plane’s passengers.
On September 8, 2001, TCU was coming off a 38-10 victory over SMU in Dallas and headed to a September 15 home game against Marshall, which was canceled because of the 9/11 events, and not rescheduled. TCU only played 11 regular-season games that year, with a 6-5 regular-season followed by a loss to Texas A&M in the GalleryFurniture.com Bowl, which was played in Houston’s iconic, decaying Astrodome.
Big 12 Teams Have Big Week 2
Here are results of Week 2 games involving other Big 12 teams:
- Friday, September 11:
- Missouri 38 (2-0) at Kansas 21 (1-1)
- Saturday, September 12
- #6 Oregon 31 (1-1) at Oklahoma State 29 (1-1)
- Washington State 7 (0-2) at Kansas State 34 (2-0)
- Arizona State 20 (1-1) at #10 Texas A&M 48 (2-0)
- UT Martin 7 (1-2) at West Virginia (2-0)
- Weber State 21 (1-2) at Colorado 52 (2-0)
- Arizona 17 (1-1, 0-1) at #15 BYU 28 (2-0, 1-0)
- UCF 7 (1-1) at Pittsburgh 12 (2-0)
- Southern 6 (1-2) at #22 Houston 77 (2-0)
- Western Carolina 10 (1-2) at Cincinnati 62 (2-0)
- Iowa State 13 (1-1) at Iowa 16 (2-0)
- #13 Texas Tech 35 (2-0) at Oregon State 24 (0-2)
- Prairie View A&M 3 (1-2) at Baylor 44 (1-1)
- Arkansas 10 (1-0) at #20 Utah 43 (1-0)
New Polls After Week 2
TCU and Baylor are the only Power 4 Conference teams in Texas that are not ranked in this week’s Associated Press top 25 poll.
Big 12 teams included in the AP poll after week 2 action are: BYU, 11th; Texas Tech, 13th; Utah, 17th; Houston, 22nd; Oklahoma State 29th; Arizona, 37th; and Kansas State, 39th.
TCU and Baylor also are the only Power 4 Conference teams in Texas that are not ranked by the Coaches.
Big 12 teams included in the Coaches top 25 rankings after week 2 action are: Texas Tech, 12th; BYU, 13th; Utah, 17th; Houston, 23rd; Kansas State, 29th; Oklahoma State, 36th; and Arizona, 46th.
TCU is ranked 57th and 58th, respectively, in the Week Two re-rank of all 138 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams by USA TODAY Sports, and The Athletic.
TCU, Dykes Undefeated Against Grambling
TCU is 2-0 overall against Grambling.
In their first meeting with the Tigers, the No. 20 Horned Frogs won, 56-0, on September 8, 2012. The victory was then-TCU head football coach Gary Patterson's 110th win at TCU, as he passed Dutch Meyer as the winningest head coach in TCU football history. The matchup also was the first game in the renovated Amon G. Carter Stadium, as well as the Frogs' first as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The Frogs finished the season 7-6 overall, 4-5 in the Big 12.
TCU’s game against Grambling this past Saturday was the Frogs’ first game against an HBCU since 2019, when the Horned Frogs defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 39-7 in the season- and home-opener on August 31, 2019.
In other games against HBCU opponents, TCU defeated Jackson State 63-0 on September 2, 2017, and the Frogs defeated Southern 55-7 on September 1, 2018.
TCU is 22-2 overall against FCS teams. TCU’s first loss to an FCS team came on October 18, 1986, when the Frogs lost to North Texas State 24-20 in Fort Worth. The Frogs’ second loss to an FCS team came in 2001. TCU lost in Fort Worth to Northwestern State 27-24, in overtime.
Dykes is 3-0 against Grambling. In his first game as head coach of Louisiana Tech, Dykes defeated Grambling 20-6 in Shreveport, Louisiana, on September 4, 2010.
Dykes became head football coach at Cal after the 2012 season. Cal opened its 2015 season with a 73-14 home-game win over Grambling on September 5.
Tigers Have Successful FCS History
The Tigers have been one of the most prominent programs at the FCS level. Grambling State has won eight SWAC conference championships and six Black College National Championships since 2000.
Grambling has one win against a 1-A/FBS team. That victory came on September 28, 1985, when the Tigers defeated Oregon State 23-6, in Independence Stadium, in Shreveport, Louisiana.
TCU’s Offensive Against Grambling
The Horned Frogs’ offense was without starting wide receivers Jordan Dwyer, who is a fifth-year senior transfer from the University of Idaho, and Dozie Ezukanma, who is a junior, for the second straight game. The absences of Dwyer and Ezukanma didn’t deter senior quarterback Jaden Craig, who is a transfer from Harvard. Craig’s passing and running sparked the Horned Frogs’ win.
Craig accounted for 291 total yards and a touchdown in the game’s first half. For the game, Craig completed 24-of-31 passes for 391 yards, a career high. He threw four touchdown passes, which tied a career high, and had a long completion of 57 yards. His average completion went for 16.3 yards. Craig threw no interceptions. He was sacked once.
Craig became the fifth TCU quarterback to throw for 350 yards and four touchdowns on fewer than 35 attempts. He joined Max Duggan, Kenny Hill, Trevone Boykin and Brandon Hassell.
Craig led the Big12 Conference and was second in the nation in passing yards in week 2 action.
TCU fans were shocked at Craig’s lack of running in the season-opener against North Carolina. He finished with minus-22 yards on four carries in the loss. Three of the carries were sacks by the Tar Heels' defense.
Against Grambling, Craig ran eight times for a career-high 53 yards. He averaged 6.6 yards per rush. Three of his runs resulted in first downs. Craig had a career-long run of 31 yards. The run set up a nine-yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Ka’Morreun Pimpton, who is a transfer from LSU.
Craig completed passes to seven different receivers. Ten of his pass completions resulted in gains of 15 yards or more, and those 10 plays accounted for 298 yards of the total passing yards.
Craig looked much more comfortable running the TCU offense than he did in his first game as a Horned Frog and he seemed to thrive in the aggressive nature of the play-calling. Multiple times in the game, Craig showed flashes of why TCU coveted him in the offseason transfer portal and why NFL teams eagerly await his entry into the NFL Draft.
"There was improvement that we needed to see,” said Dykes. “He (Craig) took a step in the right direction. Seemed like he was pretty settled in from the get-go, I was glad to see it. That's what we needed. I thought he ran well when he needed to. We encouraged him to do that, and I think it helps settle him in when he runs."
TCU had 679 total yards against Grambling. The Frogs averaged 9.8 yards per play.
TCU scored in its 422nd consecutive game, the second-longest streak in NCAA history, behind Florida’s 474 consecutive games.
The Horned Frogs recorded 33 first downs, the 10th most in program history.
In addition to the 391 yards gained through the air, the Frogs rushed 37 times for 285 yards and four touchdowns. TCU averaged 7.7 yards per carry.
Twelve of the 27 rushing attempts resulted in gains of 10-plus yards or more, accounting for 197 of the 285 total rushing yards.
Senior tight end Kari Ashley, who is a transfer from Navarro Junior College, led TCU’s receivers. He had seven receptions for career highs of 119 yards and two touchdowns, of 29 yards and 15 yards. The 29-yarder came in the third quarter and was the first of his career. Ashley is the first TCU tight end to have over 100-receiving yards in a game since Jared Wiley did so against Baylor on November 18, 2023.
Sophomore wide receiver Ed Small caught five passes for 101 yards. At the end of the second quarter, he had a reception of 57 yards, which is the longest of his career.
Junior wide receiver Jeremy Scott, who is a transfer from South Alabama, had five receptions for 87 yards and one touchdown, his first as a Horned Frog.
Pimpton caught two passes for 37 yards and one touchdown.
Seven Frogs other than Craig had rushing yards against Grambling.
Junior running back Jeremy Payne led all ball carriers with 79 yards on nine rushes. He averaged 8.8 yards per carry and had a long run of 32 yards. Payne had TCU’s lost fumble. He was running for a touchdown when he was caught from behind. The Grambling defender dislodged the ball from Payne and the football rolled through the end zone for a Grambling touchback.
Sophomore running back Jon Denman had six rushes for 41 yards and a touchdown. It was his second touchdown in as many games this season.
Freshman running back Amante Martin had 38 yards on four carries, and he scored the first touchdown of his career.
Junior running back Joe Pitchford had four carries for 25 yards and one touchdown.
Fifth-year senior wide receiver Major Everhart carried the football one time for eight yards and the second touchdown of his career.
TCU by far wasn’t perfect on offense. There were several drops by receivers, and the Frogs fumbled three times, losing one. TCU converted only two-of-seven third downs, but two-of-two fourth-down conversions.
TCU Defensive Against Grambling
Grambling came into the game averaging 48.5 points a game. The TCU defense held the Tigers to nearly 42 points below their average, even though the Frogs were playing without injured preseason All-Big 12 senior safety Jamel Johnson.
The Horned Frogs held the Tigers' offense to 210 total yards; 190 passing yards and 20 rushing yards. This was the first time TCU had held an opponent to under 25 rushing yards since Purdue had only 23 rushing yards in a 34-13 loss to the Horned Frogs in West Lafayette, Indiana, in 2019.
TCU defenders allowed only seven first downs by Grambling, recorded two sacks and multiple tackles for loss, and intercepted two passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
Thirteen Frogs recorded multiple tackles.
Junior safety Kaden McFadden, who got the start with Johnson out, led TCU defenders with six tackles, a career high.
Senior linebacker Ma Carroll had four tackles, one pass breakup and one quarterback-hurry.
Senior linebacker Hudson Hooper had four tackles, including a tackle for loss.
Senior linebacker Michael Short, who is a transfer from North Carolina, had three tackles and a forced fumble. Sophomore defensive end John Schobel also had three tackles and a tackle for loss.
Senior cornerback Vernon Glover had a tackle for loss and the third interception of his career.
Senior defensive tackle Kelten Mickel, who is a transfer from Jones College, had two tackles for loss.
Senior defensive tackle Ansel Din-Mbuh, who is a transfer from Washington State, had a tackle for loss and a sack. He also a blocked field goal attempt of 20 yards by Grambling’s Diego Alfaro in the first quarter. It was TCU’s first blocked field goal since Caleb Fox and LaMareon James blocked field goals in a 35-34 loss to UCF in Fort Worth on September 14, 2024.
Senior cornerback Teon Parks, who is a transfer from Illinois State, had a pass breakup and an interception, which he returned 67 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was TCU’s first pick-six pick since Bud Clark returned an interception for a touchdown in TCU’s 48-14 win over North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 2025.
Sophomore linebacker Dillon Arkansas blocked a punt. It was TCU’s first blocked punt since Shad Banks, Jr., blocked a punt in a 13-7 win over Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2024.
Grambling redshirt sophomore quarterback Reginald Johnson, who is a transfer from the University of Massachusetts, was limited to completing 14-of-20 passes for 190 yards. He threw one touchdown pass and was sacked twice.
Freshman running back Jamarion Parker was the Tigers leading rusher, with nine yards on five carries.
TCU wasn’t perfect defensively. The Horned Frogs allowed redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jordan Bride and redshirt sophomore running back Byron Eaton, Jr., to catch passes of 62 and 52 yards, respectively. Bride caught four passes for 79 yards. Eaton caught a seven-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter for the Tigers’ lone touchdown.
Much-Needed Victory
The domination of Grambling was a much-needed victory by the Horned Frogs in the young 2026 season. The win also was an obvious step in the right direction for the Frogs, as it was another milestone on TCU’s journey from a good football team to a great football team. Plus, it was the first of three consecutive wins necessary for the Frogs to stoke the fans’ belief in the team.
After the victory, the Frogs “lit up” their locker room with youthful boisterousness, or perhaps more correctly, showered it with water from numerous exploding water bottles.
Hopefully, the last one to leave The Carter remembered to turn off the new LED lights!
