TCU-Abilene Christian University 2025 Game Photos

Photos by Tom C. "Midnite" Burke

(photos above and below) TCU's 2025 football season home-opener was on Saturday, September 13, against Abilene Christian University (ACU), in Amon G. Carter Stadium, on the TCU campus. The Horned Frogs improved to 2-0 with a 42-21 victory over the Wildcats, before an announced sellout crowd of 48,094, which is the second-largest home-opener crowd in TCU football history.  TCU has won 22 of its last 24 home-openers.

TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes (left) visits with Abilene Christian University head football coach Keith Patterson prior to kickoff of the football game between the two schools on September 13. Dykes' Horned Frogs defeated ACU 42-21. The victory was the 100th in Dykes' head coaching career.

TCU's captains for the Horned Frogs' game against Abilene Christian were (from left to right) Devean Deal (#11), Coltin Deery (#51), Chase Curtis (#81) and Josh Hoover (#10). TCU's honorary captain was Ted Harris (right), who played in TCU's defensive secondary from 1965-67.

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

(photos above and below) Here come the Wildcats!

(photos above and below) Against Abilene Christian University, TCU's offense enjoyed another big game, accumulating 42 points and 489 total yards: 361 passing yards and 128 rushing yards. TCU has scored in 409 consecutive games, the second-longest streak in NCAA history, trailing only Florida (464 consecutive games).

(photos above and below) TCU junior quarterback Josh Hoover (#10) again led the TCU offense with a superb performance. Hoover completed 21-of-27 passes for 337 yards, with a long completion of 51 yards. He threw four touchdown passes. Hoover was not intercepted and was not sacked.

(photos above and below) TCU senior running back Kevorian Barnes (#3) ran 10 times for 43 yards against ACU. He had a long run of 12 yards.

(photos above and below) TCU senior running back Kevorian Barnes (#3) was injured in the first half of the Horned Frogs' game against Abilene Christian University. He went off the field and into the locker room. He did not return to the game. 

Against the Wildcats, TCU senior running back Trent Battle (#6) ran four times for 20 yards.

(photos above and below) TCU senior running back Trent Battle (#6) scored a touchdown on a one-yard run in the second quarter of TCU's 42-21 win over Abilene Christian University. He has scored a rushing touchdown in both games of the season.

(photos above and below) TCU senior tight end Chase Curtis (#81) began TCU's scoring against Abilene Christian when he caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Josh Hoover less than four minutes into the game. The touchdown reception was Curtis' only catch against the Wildcats.

(photos above and below) Against Abilene Christian University, TCU freshman running back Jon Denman (#13) ran three times for 10 yards. He concluded TCU's scoring on a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. 

(photos above and below) TCU junior wide receiver Jordan Dwyer (#7) caught five passes for 89 yards against ACU, including a 21-yard touchdown reception, which he celebrated with tight end Chase Curtis (#81).

Against Abilene Christian University, TCU freshman wide receiver Ed Small (#18) recorded his first catch of his career. For the game, he had six receptions for 45 yards. 

(photos above and below) Against the Wildcats, TCU wide receiver Ed Small (#18) caught the first two touchdown receptions of his career. He caught an eight-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and a 15-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. For his accomplishments in the Abilene Christian game, Small was honored by the Big 12 Conference with its Big 12's Freshman of the Week honor. He is the first Horned Frog to be named the conference's Freshman of the Week as the award this year replaced the Newcomer of the Week award. Among that group, Small is the first to be recognized since linebacker Johnny Hodges earned the Newcomer of the Week distinction on November 7, 2022. Prior to that, you have to go back to the 2019 season, when quarterback Max Duggan was recognized with the conference's Newcomer of the Week honor. 

(photos above and below) TCU senior wide receiver Joseph Manjack IV (#14) led the Frogs in receiving against Abilene Christian University and safety Dorian Plumley (#3). Manjack caught four passes for 114 yards, including a long reception of 51 yards. It was his first career 100-yard receiving game. 

(photos above and below) Against the Wildcats and linebacker Will Shaffer (#1), TCU senior wide receiver Eric McAlister (#1) caught two passes for 46 yards, including a long reception of 33 yards. 

(photos above and below) Redshirt freshman running back Nate Palmer (#21) rushed six times for 27 yards against Abilene Christian University. 

Sophomore running back Jeremy Payne (#26) ran four times for 29 yards against the Wildcats, thanks to some effective blocking by wide receiver Eric McAlister (#1).

Senior backup quarterback Ken Seals (#9) played in the second half of the Frogs' game with Abilene Christian University. He completed four of five passes for 24 yards. He threw one interception. He was not sacked.

(photos above and below) Defensively, TCU did not play as well against Abilene Christian University as it did in the season-opener against the University of North Carolina. The Warriors accumulated 453 yards on 75 plays, for an average of six yards per play. TCU's defensive secondary had several lapses, allowing ACU to gain 276 yards through the air on 22-of-29 pass completions. On the ground, the Warriors gained 177 yards on 46 rushing attempts.

TCU junior safety Jamel Johnson (#2) and TCU senior linebacker Namdi Obiazor (#4) defend a pass intended for Abilene Christian wide receiver J.B. Mitchell III (#5). Obiazor led TCU's defense with nine tackles, including one tackle for loss and one sack. Johnson was second among Horned Frogs with seven tackles.

TCU senior linebacker Namdi Obiazor (#4) celebrates sacking Abilene Christian quarterback Stone Earle (#4).

TCU senior defensive end Devean Deal (#11) and junior defensive end Paul Oyewale (#97) pressure Abilene Christian University quarterback Stone Earle (#4). Deal had seven tackles in the game, including a half of a tackle for loss. Oyewale had one tackle in the game. 

TCU senior cornerback Jevon McIver, Jr., (#20), junior safety Jamel Johnson (#2) and junior defensive end Paul Oyewale (#97) defended a pass intended for ACU wide receiver J.B. Mitchell III (#5).

TCU senior cornerback Avery Helm (#24) breaks up a pass intended for Abilene Christian University wide receiver Dallas Dudley (#13).

TCU junior defensive end Ansel Din-Mbuh (#92), sophomore defensive tackle Markis Deal (#95) and junior defensive end Paul Oyewale (#97) pressure ACU quarterback Stone Earle (#4) (top photo). Deal and Din-Mbuh eventually sacked Earle and celebrated with each other on the sideline (bottom photo). Din-Mbuh led TCU defenders with 1.5 sacks in the game.

TCU's defense hurt itself against Abilene Christian by committing three pass interference fouls as the corners and safeties struggled to win battles with ACU receivers.

(photos above and below) Against the Horned Frogs, Abilene Christian University redshirt senior quarterback Stone Earle (#4), who graduated from Birdville High School, which is just outside of Fort Worth, Texas, completed 22-of-29 passes (76 percent), including two to running back E.J. Wilson (#22). Earle threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked four times. 

(photos above and below) Abilene Christian University running back Jordon Vaughn (#26) ran 11 times for 52 yards against the Horned Frogs.

(photos above and below) Abilene Christian University running back Rovaughn Banks, Jr., (#3) was the Wildcats leading rusher against the Frogs. He rushed 19 times for 115 net yards and one touchdown. He averaged 5.5 yards per rush.

(photos above and below) ACU tight end Bryan "Itty" Henry (#87) caught fours passes for 50 yards and a touchdown against the Horned Frogs, including senior cornerback Jevon McIver, Jr. (#20) and senior linebacker Namdi Obiazor (#4).

(photos above and below) Despite defensive coverage by TCU's Kaleb Elarms-Orr (#3), Jamel Johnson (#2), Max Carroll (#33) and safety Bud Clark (#21), ACU wide receiver J.B. Mitchell III (#5) led the Wildcats in receiving. He caught five passes for 88 yards and one touchdown.

(photos above and below) Despite defensive coverage by TCU, Abilene Christian University wide receiver J.B. Mitchell III (#5) caught a nine-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter for the game's final score.

Abilene Christian University kicker Kyler Meschi (#39) missed a 49-yard field goal attempt against the Horned Frogs. ACU kickers were one-of-two on field goal attempts in the game. Brandon Perez made a 33-yarder. He missed a 42-yarder.

Abilene Christian University defensive back Noah Mangham (#20) intercepted a pass thrown by TCU backup quarterback Ken Seals that was intended for TCU wide receiver Terry Shelton (#15).

ACU linebacker Rashon Myles, Jr. (#14) prepares to tackled TCU running back Jon Denman (#13). Myles had seven tackles for the Wildcats, including one tackle for loss.

Abilene Christian University linebacker Will Shaffer (#1) tackles TCU wide receiver Ed Small (#18), while ACU safety Dorian Plumley (#3) prepares to assist. Shaffer had eight tackles, including .5 tackles for loss for the Wildcats' defense. Plumley had five tackles. 

The Abilene Christian University defense limited TCU wide receiver Erick McAlister (#1) to two receptions for 46 yards. 

Abilene Christian University defensive back Tyson Williams (#4) and defensive back Harold West (#27) join forces to tackle TCU running back Nate Palmer (#21). Williams led the Wildcats defense with 10 tackles. West had four tackles.

TCU (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) will host the SMU Mustangs (2-1) on Saturday, September 20, in Amon G. Carter Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 am (Central). The game will be televised by ESPN2. This last-scheduled "Battle for the Iron Skillet" between TCU and SMU is being billed as a white-out, with TCU fans encouraged to wear white TCU-branded clothing.Halftime will feature the TCU Block T Hall of Fame recognition.  The nine Hall of Fame inductees are: Julien Brun '15 (men's golf), Matt Carpenter '09 (baseball), Whitney Gipson '12 (track & field), Preston Morrison '15 (baseball), Glen Norris '78 (track & field), head coach Gary Patterson (football), Charles Silmon '14 (track & field), head coach Richard Sybesma (swimming & diving), and Jason Verrett '13 (football).