TCU Football Not Prime in 2023 Season-Opening 45-42 Loss to Colorado (Overview and Photos)

Highlights of TCU-Colorado Game: here

TCU Coach Sonny Dykes Talks about TCU’s Loss: here

TCU Cornerback Josh Newton Talks about TCU’s Loss: here

TCU Quarterback Chandler Morris Talks about TCU’s Loss: here

Colorado Coach Deion Sanders Talk’s About Colorado’s Win: here

Colorado Quarterback Shedeur Sanders Talk's about Colorado's Win: here

Colorado Receiver/Cornerback Travis Hunter and Running Back Dylan Edwards Talk about Colorado's Win: here

By Tom C. (Midnite) Burke

The then 17th-ranked TCU football team ran its streak of embarrassing losses to two on Saturday, September 2, with a 45-42 loss to the then unranked University of Colorado, before a record crowd of 53,294 in Amon G. Carter Stadium, in Fort Worth, Texas, and 7.3 million TV viewers on Fox.

The stunning loss to Colorado dropped TCU out of the Associated Press and AFCA Coaches top 25 polls. 

Tom C. "Midnite" Burke

At the end of the 2022 season, TCU was the second-ranked team in the nation, behind Georgia. The Frogs have experienced a dramatic fall from grace in the rankings, having been unable to sustain their place among the nation's elite, powerful football programs.

Colorado's win over the Frogs earned the Buffaloes a 22nd ranking in the Associated Press top 25 poll and a 25th ranking in the AFCA Coaches poll.

The Horned Frogs' upset by the Buffaloes was part of a 2023 season-opening Saturday of collegiate football that saw the Big 12 Conference's image take a hit, as Baylor and Texas Tech also suffered stunning losses.

Baylor, which was a 26.5-point favorite, was manhandled, 42-31, in Waco, by Texas State of the Sun Belt Conference. 

Texas Tech, which was a 13.5-point favorite, was stunned, 35-33, in double overtime, in Laramie, by Wyoming of the Mountain West Conference.

West Virginia, as a 21 -point underdog, lost, 38-15, in State College, Pennsylvania, to seventh-ranked Penn State.

The other 10 Big 12 teams won their season-openers, including conference newcomers BYU, Cincinnati, UCF and Houston.

Meanwhile, the 12 teams of the imploding Pac-12 Conference went undefeated over the weekend. 

The University of Colorado is part of the Pac-12 Conference's implosion. Colorado is joining the Big 12 in 2024. Arizona, Arizona State and Utah also are joining the Big 12 Conference in 2024.

TCU's loss to the Buffaloes followed a 65-7 loss in January by the Horned Frogs to Georgia in the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship Game in Sofi Stadium, in Inglewood, California. It was the largest margin of defeat by any team in a national championship game.

No. 1-ranked Georgia won its season-opener on Saturday. The Bulldogs defeated Tennessee-Martin 48-7.

Going back to the Big 12 Conference Championship Game on December 3, which TCU lost, 31-28, in overtime, to Kansas State, the Horned Frogs have lost three of their last four games, after going 12-0 during the 2022 regular season. 

The lone win during the four-game span was the 51-45 Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff Semifinal victory over Michigan. 

Over the last four games, TCU's defense has surrendered 186 points, an average of 46.5 points per game.

Accumulating more losses than wins during multi-game stretches during a season are nothing new for teams coached by Sonny Dykes, who took over TCU's football program prior to the 2022 season.

Dykes was at SMU prior to TCU, for the 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons.

During the 2018 season, SMU went 2-3 over its last five games, to cap a 5-7 season.  

SMU started its 2019 season 8-0, before dropping three of its final five games to end the season at 10-3.

The Mustangs in 2020 started 5-0, but lost two of their final three games of a 7-3 season.

In 2021, SMU won its first seven games, but lost four of its last five games to finish 8-4.

Colorado won one game last year and has two winning seasons since 2005. The win over TCU was the Buffaloes first win over a ranked team since 2019 and their first win over a ranked team on the road since 2002.

TCU's eight-game home winning streak was snapped by the loss to Colorado. The Frogs' winning streak had been the sixth longest among Power 5 programs. 

The Horned Frogs had won their previous nine games against Pac-12 Conference opponents, including last season's opening game, when TCU beat Colorado 38-13, in Boulder.

The Horned Frogs dropped a season opener for only the second time in the last 10 seasons and third time in the past 21 years. TCU is 77-41-9 all-time in season debuts. TCU has won 20 of its last 22 home openers.

On Saturday, TCU was at least a 20-point favorite against Colorado, which was led by its new head coach, Deion "Prime Time" Sanders, who had interviewed with TCU officials during the Horned Frogs' national search for a new head football coach after the 2021 season, during which long-time head football coach Gary Patterson had resigned after a TCU loss to Kansas State in Manhattan, Kansas. TCU's search for a new leader of its football program resulted in luring Dykes from SMU to Fort Worth.

The Buffaloes on Saturday debuted a new coaching staff that had been recruited over a few months by Sanders and at least 80 new players, who were not part of last year's 1-11 Colorado team. The new players include starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who is Deion's son.

Deion Sanders, who was the head coach the past three seasons at Jackson State, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) located in Jackson, Mississippi, made his debut as the head coach of a FBS team against the Frogs.

Because of Deion's dynamic personality and how he had chosen to completely rebuild the Colorado coaching staff and football team's roster, and because of TCU's improbable run to the 2023 national championship game, the TCU-Colorado match-up garnered national attention and was the Fox Big Noon Kickoff Game.

Against TCU, Shedeur, who played quarterback under his father's leadership at Jackson State, made his first start as a quarterback of a FBS team. It was a memorable beginning for him and Buffaloes fans. 

Shedeur and Colorado's dynamic skill-position players constantly bedazzled a basically non-existent TCU defense, which returned nine starters from 2022, including the entire secondary, which was supposed to feature All-American cornerback Josh Newton.

Shedeur passed for a Colorado record 510 yards and four touchdowns, completing 38-of-47 passes (22-of-28 in the first half; 16-of-19 in second half). 

Four Colorado players had more than 100 receiving yards. 

Running back Dylan Edwards led the way with 135 receiving yards. 

Wide receivers Jimmy Horn, Xavier Weaver and Travis Hunter had 117, 118 and 119 receiving yards, respectively. Weaver averaged 19.6 yards per catch on six receptions. Horn and Hunter each hauled in a team high 11 receptions.

In addition to starring as a wide receiver, Hunter also starred as a cornerback on defense. He intercepted a pass from TCU quarterback Chandler Morris at the Colorado four-yard-line to thwart a TCU drive in the third quarter. Hunter reportedly was on the field for 137 plays (70 offensive, 67 defensive).

TCU countered Colorado's multitude of star offensive players with Emani Bailey. The junior running back carried the football 14 times for a career-high 164 yards, including a career-long run of 74 yards.

Bailey had TCU’s most rushing yards since Kendre Miller’s 185 yards at Texas Tech in 2021. Bailey’s 74-yard run was TCU’s longest since Miller had a 75-yard rushing touchdown in last year’s 17-10 win at Texas.

In his TCU debut, running back Trey Sanders (no relation to the Sanders on Colorado's roster), who is a transfer from the University of Alabama, had three rushing touchdowns, of one, seven and four yards. He totaled 46 yards on 15 carries and became the first Horned Frog to rush for three touchdowns since Miller at Texas Tech in 2021.

Overall, the Horned Frogs rushed for 262 yards and four touchdowns on 37 carries.

Morris, who somehow last season had beaten out Max Duggan for TCU's starting quarterback role until he was hurt in the season-opener against Colorado, mostly was ineffective in running the Horned Frogs' offense. He struggled hitting his receivers and threw two back-breaking interceptions, one at the Colorado four-yard line and one in the Colorado end zone. 

Morris completed only 57 percent of his passes (24-of-42), for 279 yards, with a long completion of 23 yards. He threw two touchdown passes. He was not sacked. 

Morris rushed for 30 yards on five carries. He had a 19-yard touchdown run.

In his TCU debut, wide receiver JP Richardson, a transfer from Oklahoma State, had a team-best six catches, for 63 yards.

Horned Frogs tight end Jared Wiley, who transferred to TCU from the University of Texas prior to last season,  had five receptions for 69 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown.

Wide receiver Dylan Wright, a transfer from the University of Minnesota, had two receptions for 44 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown, in his first game as a Horned Frog. 

TCU's 541 yards versus Colorado were the Horned Frogs' most yards in a game since totaling 668 in last year's 55-24 win over Oklahoma.

TCU's 42 points were its most in a loss since a 52-46 defeat to Oklahoma in 2016.

Prior to the game against Colorado, Dykes had boasted of TCU's 2023 football season slogan: "All steak, no sizzle."

Against the Buffaloes, the Horned Frogs showed some sizzle offensively, but overall the steak was lean, and definitely not prime.

Photos by Tom C. (Midnite) Burke

The TCU-Colorado football game on Saturday, September 2, was Fox Sports' "Big Noon Kickoff" game, which in the Central Time Zone was broadcast at 11 am. The broadcast attracted 7.3 million viewers and was the most-watched telecast of a collegiate football game on Saturday. It was the third time the Horned Frogs had been featured in a Fox Big Noon Kickoff game. Prior to the head-shaking 45-42 loss to Colorado, TCU had been 2-0 in Fox Big Noon Kickoff games. The game's attendance of 53,294 set a new TCU home game record, shattering the previous mark of 50,307 for a 2009 contest against Utah in Amon G. Carter Stadium. Another record was set for student attendance at a home football game, with 6,663, which was 54.3 percent of TCU’s enrollment. It’s the sixth time in the last seven home games for a new attendance mark for TCU students.

(photos above and below) Wes Smith, a 21-year-old TCU student and former TCU football player from Germantown, Tennessee, was shot and killed on Friday, September 1, in Fort Worth’s West 7th district by a man who didn’t know him and who couldn’t give detectives a clear reason why he did it. His life  was honored by a moment of silence before the kickoff of the TCU-Colorado game. A candlelight vigil for Smith was held on  Wednesday night, September 6, on the TCU campus.

(photos above and below) The missing-man formation of the flyover prior to kickoff of the TCU-Colorado game honored the life of 21-year-old TCU student and former TCU football player Wes Smith, who was shot and killed on Friday, September 1, in Fort Worth’s West 7th district. Piloting one of the planes was a TCU Executive MBA student -- Major Tom “Puppy” Frey - United States Marine Corps Director of Operations, Marine Aircraft Group 41, F/A-18 Hornet Pilot, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112.

(photos above and below) Here come Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes!

(photos above and below) Here come Sonny Dykes and the Horned Frogs!

(photos above and below) TCU's captains for the game against Colorado were (from left to right): Jamoi Hodge (#6); Brandon Coleman (#77); Andrew Coker (#74); and Josh Newton (#2). Honorary captains were: former TCU quarterback Bram Kohlhausen (in wheelchair); former TCU offensive guard Joe Briggs (behind wheelchair); and former TCU quarterback P.D. Shabay (right).  

 

 

(photos above and below) Deion "Prime Time" Sanders was the center of attention before, during and after Colorado's stunning 4542 victory over TCU on Saturday, September 2, in Fort Worth. Sanders was named Colorado's head coach in December of 2022. In just nine months, he rebuilt the team's administrative and coaching staffs and replaced 80 players from the 2021 team through recruiting and the transfer portal. Sanders and many of his players made their FBS and/or Power 5 Conference debut in the win over the Frogs.

(photos above and below) Against the University of Colorado, TCU head coach Sonny Dykes and his Horned Frogs were making their first appearance since losing in January to Georgia 65-57 in the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship Game in Sofi Stadium, in Inglewood, California. Dykes and the Frogs have now lost three of their last four games, including the 2022 Big 12 Conference Championship Game last December.

Deion Sanders' son, Shedeur, who played quarterback under his father's leadership at Jackson State, made his first start as a quarterback of a FBS team against the Frogs. Shedeur (#2, photos above and below), a junior,  passed for a Colorado record 510 yards and four touchdowns, completing 38-of-47 passes (22-of-28 in the first half; 16-of-19 in second half).

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders' (#2) stunning performance against the Horned Frogs in Colorado's 45-42 victory earned him media attention and accolades across the collegiate football world.

Against TCU, Travis Hunter (#12), as a wide receiver, caught 11 passes for 119 yards. He had a long catch of 43 yards. Hunter is a sophomore who transferred to Colorado from Jackson State.

Against TCU, Travis Hunter (#12), as a cornerback, had three tackles, one pass break up and an interception (photo above) of a pass from TCU quarterback Chandler Morris to wide receiver Major Everhart (#22). Hunter's interception thwarted a TCU drive at the Colorado four-yard line. Hunter reportedly played 137 snaps in the game (70 on offense, 67 n defense), which was played in triple-digit heat.

 

(photos above and below) Colorado wide receiver Jimmy Horn, Jr. (#5) found the going was easy against TCU's defensive secondary. He caught 11 passes for 117 yards and one touchdown. His score came on a 26-yard reception in the fourth quarter that gave Colorado a 38-35 lead. Horn is a junior who transferred to Colorado from the University of South Florida.

(photos above and below) Colorado wide receiver Xavier Weaver burned the TCU defense, including safety Bud Clark (#21)  and linebacker Namdi Obiazor (#4), for 188 yards on six receptions, including a long catch of 44 yards. Weaver is a graduate student who transferred to Colorado from the University of South Florida.

(photos above and below) Against TCU, Colorado running back Dylan Edwards (#3) ran for 24 yards and one touchdown and caught five passes for 135 yards and three touchdowns. The freshman from Derby, Kansas, had a long reception of 75 yards. His 46-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter gave Colorado its winning margin of 45-42.

(photos above and below) Sophomore Buffaloes running back Anthony Hankerson (#9) is upended by TCU safety Abe Camara (#1) and cornerback Vernon Glover (#26). Hankerson had 21 rushing yards on nine carries.

Colorado running back Anthony Hankerson (#9) is stopped by TCU defensive lineman Soni Misi (#99),  linebacker Johnny Hodges (#57), safety Josh Foster (#15) and defensive lineman Tymon Mitchell (#91).

TCU linebacker Johnny Hodges (#57, top photo), cornerback Avery Helm (#24, top photo) and linebacker Namdi Obiazor (#4, bottom photo) couldn't stop Colorado sophomore running back Sy'veon Wilkerson, a transfer from Jackson State. Wilkerson was Colorado's leading rusher. He carried the football 13 times for 45 yards. He had a two-yard touchdown run (photo below) in the second quarter.

Colorado safety Trevor Woods (#43), a junior from Katy, Texas, intercepts in the Colorado end zone a pass from TCU quarterback Chandler Morris that was intended for TCU tight end Jared Wiley (#19).

Against Colorado, new TCU starting quarterback Chandler Morris (#4) and new offensive coordinator Kendall Briles were a team for the first time. Morris replaced Max Duggan, who was drafted into the NFL, and Briles replaced Garret Riley, who after the 2022 season left the Horned Frogs to be Clemson's offensive coordinator. The Frogs totaled 541 yards of offense against Colorado; 279 yards passing, 262 yards rushing. The 541 total yards were the Horned Frogs' most yards in a game since totaling 668 in last year's 55-24 win over Oklahoma. TCU's 42 points were its most in a loss since a 52-46 defeat to Oklahoma in 2016.

(photos above and below) TCU starting quarterback Chandler Morris (#4) had a shaky outing against Colorado. He completed only 57 percent of his passes (24-of-42), for 279 yards, with a long completion of 23 yards. He threw two touchdown passes. He was not sacked. Morris rushed for 30 yards on five carries. He had a 19-yard touchdown run.

(photos above and below) TCU junior running back Emani Bailey (#9) gained 164 yards on 14 carries against Colorado. He had a long run of 74 yards. he averaged 11.7 yards per carry.

(photos above and below) In his first game as a Horned Frog, junior running back Trey Sanders (#2), a transfer from Alabama and no relation to the Sanders associated with the Colorado team, rushed for 46 yards on 15 attempts. He rushed for three touchdowns. His one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter gave the Frogs a short-lived 42-38 lead. Les than three minutes later, the Buffaloes scored the game-winning touchdown. Sanders is the first Horned Frog to rush for three touchdowns since Kendre Miller scored three rushing touchdowns against Texas Tech in 2021.

(photos above and below) TCU running back Trey Sanders had fun celebrating his touchdown runs against the University of Colorado.

(photos above and below) TCU wide receiver/returner Major Everhart (#22) caught one pass for 11 yards, had one run for seven yards and returned four kickoffs for 140 yards. He had a long return of 86 yards, which set up a TCU touchdown.

In his first game with the Horned Frogs, junior wide receiver Dylan Wright (#16), a transfer from the University of Minnesota, caught two passes for 44 yards against Colorado, including a 23-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter that led to a 28-24 TCU lead over the Buffaloes.

TCU senior offensive lineman Brandon Coleman (#77) helps wide receiver Dylan Wright celebrate his third-quarter, 23-yard touchdown reception against Colorado.

(photos above and below) In his TCU debut, wide receiver JP Richardson (#7), a transfer from Oklahoma State, had a team-best six catches, totaling 63 yards.

TCU junior wide receiver Savion Williams (#3) is defended by Colorado safety Shilo Sanders (#21), a graduate student transfer from Jackson State and the son of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, and Colorado junior cornerback Omarion Cooper (#3), a transfer from Florida State.

(photos above and below) Horned Frogs senior tight end Jared Wiley (#19), who transferred to TCU from Texas prior to last season, had five catches in the Colorado game, totaling 69 yards. He had a 21-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.

In his TCU debut, junior wide receiver Jo Jo Earle (#11), who is from Aledo, Texas, and who prior to the season transferred to TCU from Alabama, caught one pass for 16 yards against Colorado.

TCU's usually reliable field-goal kicker, Griffin Kell (#39), missed a 43-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter against Colorado. It was Kell's first field goal attempt of the game and season.

TCU's defense, under the direction of second-year defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie (in red shirt), gave up 565 total yards of offense to Colorado; 510 yards passing and 55 yards rushing. TCU's 42 points were its most in a loss since a 52-46 defeat to Oklahoma in 2016. Over the last four games, TCU's defense has surrendered 186 points, an average of 46.5 points per game. The Horned Frogs have lost three of those four games.

(photos above and below) TCU senior cornerback Josh Newton (#2) and the rest of TCU's secondary had their hands trying to keep Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter (#12) from catching passes. Newton was credited with four tackles, but had no pass breakups or interceptions.

TCU linebacker Namdi Obiazor (#4) blocks a 49-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter by Jace Feely (#17). It was TCU’s first blocked field goal since Ochaun Mathis blocked a field goal attempt in TCU's game against West Virginia in 2021. Obiazor recovered the football after his block. Feely redeemed himself later in the game, kicking a 49-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to give Colorado a 17-14 lead.

TCU senior safety Millard Bradford (#28) recoverd a fumble by Colorado running back Dylan Edwards. It was Bradford's second career fumble recovery.

TCU senior safety Mark Perry defends a pass intended for Colorado Wide receiver Jimmy Horn, Jr.

TCU sophomore cornerback Jaionte McMillan (#16) defends a pass intended for Colorado wide receiver Xavier Weaver (#10).

(photos above and below) TCU redshirt freshman defensive lineman Paul Oyewale (#97) sacks Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (#2). It was the first career sack for Oyewale, who also had three tackles in his first career start.

TCU senior defensive lineman Rick D'Abreu (#44), a transfer from the University of East Carolina, and junior linebacker Johnny Hodges (#57), who transferred from Navy to TCU prior to last season, combine to tackle Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (#2) for a loss in yards.

Former TCU quarterback Bram Kholhausen, whose severe injuries from a recent fall from a helicopter during a hunting event have relegated him to a wheelchair, was the featured person in the Riff-Ram video played during the TCU-Colorado football game.

At the end of the first quarter of the TCU-Colorado game, representatives of the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship Semifinal Vrbo Fiesta Bowl presented TCU Athletics Director Jeremiah Donati (third from right, top photo) with the Fiesta Bowl trophy, recognizing TCU's 51-45 victory over Michigan. Last year's Horned Frogs became the first program from the state of Texas to reach the College Football Playoff and first from the Big 12 Conference to play in the CFP National Championship. With its victory over Michigan, TCU is one of just seven programs nationally to have won a CFP game. TCU's participation in the 2023 College Football Playoff and appearance in the National Championship Game is showcased on the outside of the upper north end of the Legends Club on the East side of Amon G. Carter Stadium (bottom photo).