West Virginia Upsets TCU, 24-21, in Fort Worth (Overview and Photos)

 

Highlights of the game: here

Final Stats: here

TCU head coach Sonny Dykes talks about the loss: here 

TCU quarterback Chandler Morris talks about the loss: here

TCU offensive lineman Andrew Coker talks about the loss: here

West Virginia head coach Neal Brown talks about the win: here

West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene talks about the win: here

West Virginia linebacker Lee Kpogba talks about the win: here 

West Virginia defensive lineman Sean Martin talks about the win: here 

West Virginia defensive lineman Mike Lockhart talks about the win: here 


Article and photos by Tom C. “Midnite” Burke

TCU promoted among its fans a “blackout” for its Big 12 Conference home football game against West Virginia at 7 pm (Central) on Saturday, September 30.

Unfortunately for Horned Frogs fans, it was the Mountaineers who delivered a blackout blow -- a 24-21 victory over TCU, before an announced crowd of 43,736.

It was the second surprising, disheartening, upset loss at home of the 2023 season for the Frogs, who lost their season-opening home game to Colorado, 45-42.

TCU falls to 3-2, 1-1 in the Big 12. The Frogs’ wins have come over Nicholls, Houston (Big 12) and SMU.

TCU, just five games removed from playing in the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and being ranked second in the country, no longer is receiving votes in either the Associated Press (AP) poll or the Coaches Poll. 

Over their last eight games, the Horned Frogs are 4-4.

Whatever minimal luster was left on the TCU football program and head coach Sonny Dykes after the blowout loss to Georgia in the national championship game, has been wiped away by the two bad losses this season to underdogs.

Has a team that played for a national championship the previous season ever fallen so far, so quickly, during the next season?

Meanwhile, West Virginia, which was picked last in the preseason Big 12 Conference football poll and began the season with their head coach, Neal Brown, on the hot seat, improved to 4-1. This is the Mountaineers’ best start since 2018.

West Virginia is “among others receiving votes” in the AP poll and the Coaches poll.

This was the Mountaineers’ second consecutive win over the Frogs in Fort Worth. West Virginia has won five of the past six games against TCU.

Texas and Oklahoma are the only Big 12 teams listed among the top 25 in the two polls, much to the chagrin of the other Big 12 teams, because the Longhorns and Sooners have snubbed their noses at their colleagues and are jumping from the Big 12 to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) after this season. TCU and the other conference teams were hoping to make UT’s and OU’s last Big 12 season a miserable experience for the two despised programs. 

At 5-0 (2-0 Big 12), Texas is ranked third in the AP poll and fourth in the Coaches poll.

Oklahoma, also 5-0 (2-0 Big 12), is ranked 12th in both polls.

This past Saturday, in Austin, the ‘Horns racked up 661 total offensive yards in a 40-14 win over then-24th ranked Kansas (4-1, 1-1 Big 12).

Meanwhile, in Norman, the Sooners had 523 total offensive yards in a 50-20 dismantling of Iowa State (2-3, 1-1).

Something will have to give this Saturday, October 7, when Texas and Oklahoma meet in the annual Red River Shootout in Dallas’ Cotton Bowl, during the State Fair of Texas.

Despite the Longhorns and Sooners keeping their undefeated streaks alive, and despite West Virginia upsetting TCU, the biggest noise in the conference this past Saturday was made by the Baylor Bears.

Baylor was in Orlando, Florida, facing UCF. Both teams were looking for their first Big 12 win of the season.

That team appeared to be Central Florida. The dominating Knights led the hapless Bears 35-7 late in the third quarter.

But UCF (3-2, 0-2) couldn’t get its fat lady to sing.

Baylor (2-3, 1-1) scored 29 unanswered points to pull off a shocking 36-35 win. It was the Bears’ largest comeback victory in school history.

Texas Tech (2-3, 1-1), got its first conference win, 49-28, over Houston (2-3, 0-2) in Lubbock.

On Friday, September 29, BYU (4-1, 1-1) got its first Big 12 win, 35-27 over Cincinnati (2-3, 0-2) in Provo, Utah.

Oklahoma State (2-2, 0-1) and Kansas State (3-1, 1-0) had byes this past weekend.

As disappointing as TCU’s loss was to a two-touchdown underdog with a terrible offense, there were other more sobering happenings connected to the football game.

On Thursday, September 28, Dykes’ brother-in law, Larry Petree, passed away unexpectedly in Lubbock. He was 71 years old and had been married to Dykes’ sister Elizabeth “Bebe” Petree for 38 years. Obituary: here 

During the TCU-West Virginia game, two Mountaineers sustained significant injuries. Both players were carted off the field and were hospitalized Saturday night in Fort Worth.

West Virginia linebacker Aubrey Burks was injured making a tackle on a punt. Tests were negative at the hospital and he was able to walk out of the hospital on his own.

Mountaineers’ linebacker Trey Lathan suffered a lower leg injury that required surgery. He will miss the remainder of the season.

Several other West Virginia players were shaken up during the physical game, including defensive linemen Sean Martin and Mike Lockhart. Both were able to return to the game, which proved beneficial for the Mountaineers.

TCU is one of six Big 12 teams that have a 1-1 conference record.

With the loss to West Virginia, the Frogs had a three-game winning streak snapped, as well as a 10-game winning streak in Big 12 regular-season play end. The streak coincided with the arrival of Dykes as head coach last season and tied for 11th-longest in conference history.

The loss to the Mountaineers was because of implosions by the Horned Frogs’ offense and special teams, specifically the field goal unit, in the second half.

TCU’s offense had a strong first half, accumulating 312 yards of total offense and building a 21-14 lead at halftime.

Then came the third quarter for the team that came into the game ranked No. 11 nationally in total offense and No. 23 in scoring offense.

The Frogs netted one yard of offense in the third quarter, running the ball only twice, completing only two-of-five passes, allowing two sacks and punting to end all three of their possessions in the quarter.

For the second half, the TCU offense did not score and only totaled 121 yards of offense.

“I don’t have any explanation for that. How you have 318 yards at halftime and have 100 in the second half, I have no explanation for that,” Dykes said. “It shouldn’t happen. The third quarter was as bad an offense as I’ve ever seen since I’ve been coaching. I don’t know if we made a first down, maybe one.”

One first down for the Horned Frogs in the third quarter is correct, Sonny.

West Virginia tied the game at 21-21 with less than five minutes left in the third quarter.

The Mountaineers’ winning points came on a 49-yard field goal by Michael Hayes with 9:31 left in the game.

In the fourth quarter, TCU had its opportunities to win or at least tie the game.

With just under five minutes left in the game, TCU senior kicker Griffin Kell had a 46-yard field goal attempt blocked by the previously injured Lockhart.

With 32 seconds left in the game, Kell had a 55-yard field goal attempt blocked by the previously injured Martin.

“I think both of the kicks were low,” Dykes said. “I think we just kicked it into the back of our guys. Just really disappointed, we shouldn’t lose a game like that.”

In the first quarter, Kell missed a 53-yard field goal attempt.

Kell is now seven-of-13 on field goal attempts for the season. His misses include a 43-yarder in TCU’s three-point loss to Colorado.

Unfortunately, because of Kell’s poor performance this season, his dramatic, last-second 40-yard game-winning field goal at Baylor in last season’s 11th game has become a distant memory.

Against West Virginia, TCU quarterback Chandler Morris completed 23 of 41 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns.

Morris has passed for at least two touchdowns in each game this season.

Morris ran 11 times for a net 51 yards against West Virginia. Early in the second quarter, he had a 31-yard rushing touchdown, which was one-yard short of a career-long 32-yard touchdown against Nicholls this season.  

Morris had his third game with a rushing and passing touchdown.

Morris did not throw an interception, but West Virginia defenders dropped at least five errant throws by Morris that could have been interceptions.

Morris was sacked five times and hurried five times. In addition to the sacks, West Virginia had nine tackles for loss in the game.

Morris ranks second in the Big 12 and 10th in the country in total offense at 330.8 yards per game. He is the first TCU quarterback since at least 1996 to pass for at least two touchdowns in the opening five games of a season.

Wide receiver JP Richardson caught three passes for 87 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown during TCU’s first possession of the game. It was Richardson’s first touchdown as a Horned Frog.

Richardson's 87 yards receiving were his most as a Frog. His career high is 90 yards, for Oklahoma State against Iowa State last year.

Richardson became the second player in TCU history to score a touchdown for and against the Horned Frogs, joining Josh Doctson (Wyoming, 2011; TCU, 2013). Richardson scored a touchdown for Oklahoma State versus TCU last season.

Wide receiver Dylan Wright had three catches for 60 yards, including TCU’s other receiving touchdown, a 36-yarder in the second quarter. It was his second touchdown reception of the season.

Wide receiver Savion Williams had four receptions for 59 yards, one shy of a career high.

Senior tight end Chase Curtis had a career-high three receptions for 16 yards.

Running back Emani Bailey was held to a season-low 55 yards on 19 carries. He had a long run of 13 yards. He also had four receptions for 25 yards.

Bailey is second in the Big 12 and eighth nationally in rushing yards with 538. He has topped 100 yards in three games this season.

Left guard Ben Taylor-Whitfield made his first career start. He is the first true freshman offensive lineman to start at TCU since Aviante Collins in 2012. Collins has been in the NFL since 2017.

TCU’s defense limited West Virginia’s two-player, rushing offense to 343 total yards; 201 rushing yards, 142 passing yards.

The Frogs’ defense limited the Mountaineers to four-of-13 third-down conversions and stopped them two-of-the-three times they went for a first down on fourth down.

West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene completed only 10 of 21 passes. He threw no interceptions. He was not sacked.

Greene, however, did his damage on the ground. He ran 12 times for 80 yards and two touchdowns. He had a 35-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a one-yard scoring run in the third quarter.

Mountaineers’ running back CJ Donaldson carried the football 22 times for 61 yards. He scored West Virginia’s other touchdown, on a one-yard run in the second quarter.

West Virginia’s leading receiver was Hudson Clement. He caught three passes for 43 yards.

Linebacker Jamoi Hodge led TCU’s defense. He had a team-best 10 tackles, the second-best game of his career, surpassed only by his 13 tackles in last year's game versus West Virginia.

Linebacker Shad Banks Jr. recorded nine tackles, one shy of equaling his career best versus Kansas State in last year's Big 12 Championship game.

Safety Josh Foster had a season-high six tackles, all solo.

TCU’s defense has allowed just five touchdowns over the last four games.

The Horned Frogs top the Big 12 with 16 sacks and have held opponents to a 47.2 completion percentage the last four contests.

In a brutally physical game between the two teams, the difference between a loss and a win was an inept TCU offense in the second half and, of course, the three failed field goal attempts.

No doubt the Frogs are kicking themselves for letting this game get away from them.

After playing four of its first five games at home and all five within Texas, Texas will play its first game outside of Texas this Saturday, October 7, against Big 12 foe Iowa State in Ames, Iowa. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 pm (Central). FS1 will televise the game.

TCU is 7-0 in road games under Dykes. Its winning streak ties Michigan and North Carolina for second nationally and trails only Georgia’s 12. The Horned Frogs’ last road loss was its last trip to Ames, a 48-14 defeat in the 2021regular-season finale.

After defeating Iowa State 62-14 in Fort Worth in last year’s final regular season contest, the Horned Frogs are facing the Cyclones for the second time in their last four conference games.

TCU and Iowa State will be meeting for the15th time in their history. The series began with a 27-10 TCU win in Fort Worth in 1995.

TCU holds a 9-5 series lead, including a 6-5 advantage since the Horned Frogs began Big 12 play in 2012.

Dykes is 1-0 as a head coach against Iowa State. Prior to last season’s win, TCU had dropped its previous three games against the Cyclones and four of the past five.

TCU has lost its last three games in Ames with the last win at Jack Trice Stadium being 45-21 in 2015.

TCU is 3-3 versus Iowa State in Ames, 5-2 in Fort Worth and 1-0 at neutral sites (2005 Houston Bowl).

Iowa State’s head coach is Matt Campbell. He is in his eighth season with the Cyclones. He has a 48-45 record with Iowa State.

Iowa State is 2-3, 1-1 Big 12.

The Cyclones opened their season with a 30-9 victory over Northern Iowa, in Ames. They also have beaten Oklahoma State, 34-21, in Ames.

Iowa State’s three losses have been to Ohio University, 10-7, in Athens, Ohio; the University of Iowa, 20-13, in Ames; and Oklahoma, 50-20, in Norman.

During the off-season, Iowa State and the University of Iowa were two programs rocked by a gambling scandal. Players were investigated and punished for underage betting, betting on team games and more.

Six players expected to contribute for the Cyclones were involved and eventually charged in a gambling probe. They were: starting quarterback Hunter Dekkers (#12), a junior; starting running back Jirehl Brock; senior tight end DeShawn Hanika (#83); and multiple offensive and defensive linemen.

Dekkers and Hanika remain listed on the Iowa State roster, but they haven’t played in a game this season.

Offensively, Iowa State is scoring 20.8 points a game and averaging 317 total offensive yards per game (96.6 yards per game rushing and 220.4 yards per game passing).

In place of Dekkers, leading Iowa State’s offense is redshirt freshman quarterback Rocco Becht (#3).

For the season, Becht is completing roughly 60 percent of his passes for 1,085 yards. He has thrown nine touchdown passes and five interceptions. He has run for 58 yards and one touchdown. He has been sacked twice.

The Cyclones had one of the best receivers in the country with Xavier Hutchinson last season, but the 1,000-yard receiver is in the NFL this season. But Iowa State has two receivers that have more than 200 yards receiving.

Junior wide receiver Jaylin Noel (#13) has 250 receiving yards on 24 receptions. He has two touchdown receptions and a long reception of 51 yards.

Junior wide receiver Jayden Higgins (#9) has caught 16 passes for 244 yards. He has three touchdown receptions and a long catch of 67 yards.

Junior wide receiver Daniel Jackson (#16) has two touchdown receptions. He has 10 catches for 168 yards and a long reception of 39 yards.

Iowa State’s leading rusher is sophomore running back Cartevious Norton (#5). He has carried the football 45 times for 143 yards, an average of 3.2 yards per carry. He has a long run of 20 yards and no rushing touchdowns.

Freshman running back Abu Sama III (#24) is averaging 4.2 yards per rush. He has rushed with the football 32 times for 133 yards. He has no rushing touchdowns and a long run of 39 yards.

Sophomore running back Eli Sanders (#6) has one rushing touchdown among his 27 carries for 112 yards. He has a long run of 15 yards.

Iowa State’s defense is allowing opponents to score 23.2 points per game and average 338.6 total offensive yards per game (215 passing yards per game and 123.6 rushing yards per game).

The Cyclones’ defense, led by their secondary, has recorded eight sacks and intercepted six passes.

Junior defensive back Beau Freyler (#17) leads Iowa State with 35 tackles, one sack. one tackle for loss, one interception and two pass breakups.

Ball-hawking sophomore defensive back Jeremiah Cooper (#4) has four interceptions, which leads the Big 12 Conference. He also has three pass break-ups, 24 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one quarterback-hurry.

Junior defensive back Myles Purchase (#5) has four pass break-ups, 24 tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack.

Everything is better with bacon, and that includes Iowa State’s defense. Redshirt sophomore linebacker Caleb Bacon (#50) has 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and four quarterback-hurries, all of which are best among Iowa State defenders.

Preseason all-conference selection T.J. Tampa (#2), a senior, has a pass interception, four pass break-ups and one quarterback-hurry.

TCU is a 6.5-point favorite. The over/under for total points scored in the game is 52.5.

Dykes discusses Iowa State: here  

Campbell discusses TCU: here 

 

Flags at the TCU-West Virginia football game at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday, September 30, were at half-staff, in honor of United State Senator Diane Feinstein, who died on Friday, September 29, at the age of 90.

Fans blacked-out The Carter for TCU's game against West Virginia. The black-out promotion was appropriate, as fans were adequately dressed to mourn the Horned Frogs' 24-21 upset loss, which dropped TCU's 2023 record to 3-2 (1-1 Big 12).

TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes (right) and West Virginia head football coach Neal Brown visit before kickoff of the TCU-West Virginia football game. West Virginia was picked last in the preseason Big 12 Conference poll and Brown was on the hot seat, but West Virginia, at 4-1 (2-0 Big 12), is one of this season's surprise teams. In this photo, Dykes apparently is pointing to where he keeps all of his 2022 Coach of the Year trophies.

(photos above and below) TCU's SuperFrog was pumped up by the blackout!

(photos above and below) Here come the Frogs!

(photos above and below) Here come the Mountaineers!

The Horned Frogs' captains for their game against West Virginia were (from left to right) Jamoi Hodge (#6), Jared Wiley (#19) and Andrew Coker (#74). Honorary captain was R.E. Dodson (in blue shirt), who played football at TCU in the late 1950s.

TCU Special Teams Coordinator Mark Tommerdahl (in white shirt) had to watch his units implode during the 24-21 loss to West Virginia. TCU had a missed field goal, two field goal attempts blocked and a muffed catch of a punt against the Mountaineers. The poor performance by the Horned Frogs' special teams, combined with a meltdown by the TCU offense in the second half, were significant factors in the Frogs' three-point loss to the underdog Mountaineers.

TCU kicker Griffin Kell (#39) missed a 53-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter.

(photos above and below) With 4:47 remaining in the game and TCU trailing 24-21, TCU kicker Griffin Kell had a 46-yard field goal attempt blocked by West Virginia defensive lineman Mike Lockhart (#93).

(photos above and below) With 32 seconds remaining in the game and TCU trailing 24-21, TCU kicker Griffin Kell had a 55-yard field goal attempt blocked by Sean Martin (#91).

(photos above and below) TCU Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Joe Gillespie (in red shirt) designed another good defensive game plan and the TCU defense executed well throughout the game, giving the Frogs a chance at victory, but neither the offense or special teams could capitalize. TCU held West Virginia to three touchdowns. The defense has allowed just five touchdowns over the last four games. West Virginia had 343 total yards; 201 rushing yards and 142 passing yards.

Against TCU's defense, West Virginia's offense only was able to convert one-of-three fourth-down attempts and four-of-13 third-down attempts.

TCU defensive lineman Damonic Williams (#52) celebrates TCU's defense stopping West Virginia on a fourth-and-goal play from the two-yard line in the third quarter.

(photos above and below) TCU safety Bud Clark (#21) celebrates what he thought was an interception. Upon review by game officials, it was ruled Clark did not fully maintain control of the football while attempting the interception.

TCU defenders, including safety Millard Bradford (#28), held West Virginia running back C.J. Donaldson (#4) to 61 rushing yards on 22 carries. Donaldson scored one rushing touchdown.

TCU cornerback Josh Newton (#2) prevents West Virginia tight end Kole Taylor (#87) from scoring a touchdown on a Mountaineers' pass play. Taylor was held to two catches for 20 yards.

TCU's defense held West Virginia wide receiver Devin Carter to one reception for 30 yards. The Frogs' defense only allowed 10 pass completions for the game.

(photos above and below) West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene (#6) accounted for 222 of West Virginia's 343 total yards. He completed 10-of-21 passes for 142 yards. He did not throw a touchdown pass or an interception, and he was not sacked. Greene ran 12 times for 80 yards. He scored two rushing touchdowns.

(photos above and below) C.J. Donaldson (#4) rushed 22 times for 61 yards against the Horned Frogs. He scored a touchdown on a one-yard run in the second quarter.

(photos above and below) Against the Horned Frogs, West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene (#6) ran with the football 12 times for 80 yards.

West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene (#6) scored two rushing touchdowns against the Horned Frogs. He scored a touchdown on a 35-yard run (top photo) in the first quarter and a touchdown on a one-yard run in the third quarter (bottom photo).

(top and bottom photos) West Virginia running back C.J. Donaldson (#4) scored one touchdown against the Horned Frogs, on a one-yard run in the second quarter (bottom photo).

West Virginia kicker Michael Hayes (#22) kicked a 49-yard field goal with 9:31 remaining in the game against TCU. The three points proved to be the margin of victory for the Mountaineers in their 24-21 victory over the Horned Frogs.

TCU Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Kendal Briles (left) talks with starting quarterback Chandler Morris (#4) and backup quarterback Josh Hoover (#10) during the game with West Virginia.

TCU Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Kendal Briles (black shirt) called plays for an offense that gained 433 total yards against the Mountaineers. But only 121 yards came in the second half, when TCU gained one yard and had one first down in the third quarter.

(photos above and below) TCU starting quarterback Chandler Morris (#4) completed 23-of-41 passes for 298 yards against West Virginia. He threw two touchdown passes. He did not throw an interception. He was sacked five times. Morris ranks second in the Big 12 and 10th in the country in total offense at 330.8 yards per game. He is the first TCU quarterback since at least 1996 to pass for at least two touchdowns in the opening five games of a season.

Against the Mountaineers, TCU quarterback Chandler Morris (#4) ran 11 times for a net 51 yards.

(photos above and below) TCU quarterback Chandler Morris (#4) scored a touchdown on a 31-yard run in the second quarter.

TCU running back Trey Sanders (#2) congratulates quarterback Chandler Morris (#4) after Morris scored on a 31-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

TCU quarterback Chandler Morris (#4) encourages TCU offensive line players after Morris earlier had scored on a 31-yard touchdown run.

(photos above and below) TCU running back Emani Bailey gained a season-low 55 yards on 19 carries against West Virginia. Bailey is second in the Big 12 and eighth nationally in rushing yards with 538. He has topped 100 yards in three games this season.

(photos above and below) TCU wide receiver J.P. Richardson (#7) scored a touchdown on a 59-yard pass play in the first quarter against West Virginia. It was his first touchdown as a Horned Frog. He caught three passes for 87 yards, his most as a Frog. His career high is 90 yards, for Oklahoma State against Iowa State last year. Richardson became the second player in TCU history to score a touchdown for and against the Horned Frogs, joining Josh Doctson (Wyoming, 2011; TCU, 2013). Richardson scored a touchdown for Oklahoma State versus TCU last season.

TCU wide receiver Dylan Wright (#16) scored a touchdown on a 36-yard pass play in the second quarter. It was Wright's second touchdown reception of the season. Against the Mountaineers, Wright had three catches for 60 yards.

After his 36-yard touchdown reception, TCU wide receiver Dylan Wright (#16) was the center of attention on the TCU bench.

(top and bottom photos) West Virginia defenders sacked TCU quarterback Chandler Morris five times. They also had nine tackles for loss. Defensive linemen Edward Vesterinen (#96, on ground) and Mike Lockhart (#93) each were credited with a half sack on this take-down of Morris. Linebacker Jared Bartlett (#10) was credited with one sack and one tackle for loss in the game.

West Virginia cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. (#11) breaks up a pass intended for TCU wide receiver Dylan Wright (#16).

West Virginia defensive lineman Tomiwa Durojaiye (#3) buries TCU quarterback Chandler Morris (#4) for lost yardage. Durojaiye was credited with a half sack and 1.5 tackles for loss against TCU.

West Virginia defensive lineman Asani Redwood (#92) knocks down a pass thrown by TCU quarterback Chandler Morris (#4).

(top and bottom photos) West Virginia's defense, including safety Anthony Wilson (#11) and linebacker Ben Cutter (#15), held TCU running back Emani Bailey (#9) to a season-low 55 yards on 19 carries. The Frogs only had 135 total net yards rushing against the Mountaineers.

West Virginia defensive back Tyrin Bradley (#8) helped the West Virginia defense limit TCU wide receiver Savion Williams (#3) to four receptions for 59 yards.

West Virginia's defense, including defensive back Hershey McLaurin (#13) and cornerback Malachi Ruffin (#14), held TCU tight end Jared Wiley to to one reception for nine yards.

TCU tight end Chase Curtis (#81) was shaken up during the battle with West Virginia, but he was able to return to game action. Curtis had three receptions for 16 yards against the Mountaineers. During the week of the game, the The National Football Foundation announced that Curtis is a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, college football's premier scholar-athlete award. Curtis is a graduate student at TCU, having earned his degree in economics. He was First-Team Academic All-Big 12 in 2022.

(photos above and below) West Virginia junior safety Aubrey Burks (#2) was injured during the Mountaineers' game with TCU and had to be transported to a local hospital. He was held overnight for observation. He was able to walk out of the hospital under his own power and return to West Virginia on Sunday.

(photos above and below) In the game against TCU, West Virginia redshirt freshman linebacker Trey Lathan (#19) suffered an injury to his right leg that required surgery at a local hospital. Lathan most likely will miss the remainder of the season.

(photos above and below) TCU and West Virginia players showed their respect and concern for injured West Virginia players Aubrey Banks and Trey Lathan.

Los Angeles Chargers and former TCU football stars Max Duggan (left), Quentin Johnston (center) and Derius Davis were featured in the Riff-Ram video shown during the first half of the TCU-West Virginia football game.

(photos above and below) The Horned Frogs are failing to fully protect The Carter (Amon G. Carter Stadium) this football season. With the 24-21 loss to West Virginia on Saturday September 30, and the season-opening loss to Colorado on September 2, TCU now has suffered two losses in The Carter this season. The Horned Frogs were undefeated at home during the 2022 season.

The Hypnotoad has lost some of its magical powers this season. After helping the Horned Frogs reach last season's college football national championship game and an eventual No. 2 national ranking, the Hypnotoad in 2023 only has been able to will the Frogs to three wins in their first five games.

TCU's next game is on Saturday, October 7, against Big 12 Conference foe Iowa State (2-3, 1-1 Big 12). The game, which will be played in Ames, Iowa, is scheduled to kick off at 7 pm (Central). FS1 will broadcast the game. This will be the Horned Frogs' first game outside of Texas this season. TCU closed the 2022 regular season with a 62-14 win over the Cyclones in Fort Worth. The Frogs' next home game is against Big 12 Conference newcomer BYU. The homecoming game on Saturday, October 14, is scheduled for a 2:30 pm kickoff. ESPN will televise the game.