By Tom C. "Midnite Burke
Turn out the lights, the party’s over.
Thanks to an apparently dazed and confused head coach Sonny Dykes, a questionable game plan and head-scratching play calling by offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, and a horrendous performance by quarterback Josh Hoover, TCU’s 2025 football season essentially has ended after six games.
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| Tom C. "Midnite" Burke |
But don’t despair. The 2025-26 season begins in about three weeks for the TCU men’s and women’s basketball teams.
And the 2025 fall season for your national champion TCU women’s beach volleyball team already has started.
In their most important game to-date of the 2025 football season, the 34th-ranked Horned Frogs croaked and suffered a disastrous 41-28 upset loss to un-ranked Kansas State, on Saturday, October 11, in front of 51,316 fans in Bill Snyder Family Stadium, in Manhattan, Kansas.
It was the Frogs’ second straight road loss and second Big 12 Conference loss of the season.
Unless hell quickly freezes over:
- There will be no regular-season Big 12 Conference Championship for the Frogs.
- There will be no Big 12 Conference Championship Game for the Horned Frogs.
- TCU will not be one of the 12 teams that at the end of the regular season will vie for a national championship.
The devastating loss also reduces momentum and lessens enthusiasm for Horned Frogs football during TCU's Homecoming week and for the Homecoming football game with arch-rival Baylor. The game is scheduled for an 11 am (Central) kickoff on Saturday, October 18, in Amon G. Carter Stadium, on the TCU campus.
There’s still the titillating possibility of TCU qualifying for one of the menial bowl games that are offered for the lower-tier Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams. But such a consolation prize is tenuous, considering TCU will have to find two wins from among its remaining schedule of Baylor, West Virginia, Iowa State, BYU, Houston and Cincinnati.
At least Texas Tech is not on the schedule, eliminating one future embarrassment for the Frogs.
If the Horned Frogs, and especially Hoover, continue to play inconsistently and uninspired, not qualifying for a bowl game for the second time in three years under head coach Sonny Dykes is a possibility for TCU.
“We obviously didn’t do a very good job of going out and playing well enough for us to win, and that begins with us (coaching staff),” said Dykes after the Kansas State loss. “What we did from a coaching standpoint and game plan, we’ve got to do better. All of us have to take responsibility for this.
“It was just kind of a disaster in so many different ways. We self-destructed over and over and over again, and just could not get out of our own way. Really, just an embarrassing performance, and I’m really disappointed. I hate it for our fans.”
Prior to the start of this season, Dykes said the standard for this "Year Four" of his TCU tenure was competing for a Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff berth. He continued, saying winning nine games was nice last year, but a similar year in 2025 would be disappointing if the Frogs aren't contending for a spot in Arlington, which is the site of AT&T Stadium, where the Big 12 Conference Championship Game is played.
TCU was 1.5-point favorite coming into the game with Kansas State. But three turnovers by Hoover that led to 17 points for the Wildcats was too much for the Horned Frogs to overcome.
With the loss to K-State, the Horned Frogs fell to 4-2 overall, 1-2 in the Big 12 Conference. The Frogs now are 3-3 against the spread this season.
TCU is one of three teams with a single conference win. Ten teams have a better conference record than the Frogs. Three teams have no conference wins.
Big 12 Game Results
Here are results of other recent games involving Big 12 teams:
- Saturday, October 11:
- UCF 11 (3-3, 0-3) at Cincinnati 20 (5-1, 3-0)
- Houston 39 (5-1, 2-1) at Oklahoma State 17 (1-5, 0-3)
- Iowa State 17 (5-2, 2-2) at Colorado 24 (3-4, 1-3)
- Kansas 17 (4-3, 2-2) at Texas Tech 42 (6-0, 3-0)
- BYU 33 (6-0, 3-0) at 27 Arizona (4-2, 1-2)
- Arizona State 10 (4-2, 2-1) at Utah 42 (5-1, 2-1)
- Baylor (4-2, 2-1) (bye)
- West Virginia (2-4, 0-3) (bye)
The Frogs are not included in the week 8 Associated Press Top 25. Last week, they were 34th.
TCU fell to 39th in the Coaches week 8 Top 25, barely remaining in the poll with one vote. The Frogs were 36th in last week’s Coaches poll.
The Horned Frogs fell to 38th in the The Athletic’s ranking of all FBS teams. Last week, the Frogs were 30th.
Even more worrisome than the Frogs' rankings in the polls is that this season TCU is no better than the sixth-best FBS team in Texas.
Kansas State a Menace for TCU
With the win over TCU, Kansas State, which had been struggling up until this game, improved to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the Big 12 Conference.
K-State leads the series with the Frogs, 11-8.
Dykes falls to 1-3 against Kansas State.
“I am really proud of the guys,” said Kansas State head coach Chris Kleiman. “I have great respect for Sonny (Dykes) and Josh (Hoover).
“I thought we played well in all three phases, at times. We came out with energy and urgency. We came out with physicality. So proud we are an ascending football team.
“We played hard on defense. Proud of those players. Wasn’t perfect. But we battled. We played really, really hard. Back was against the wall many times and the guys just kept hanging in there.”
The Wildcats have won four of the past five games against the Horned Frogs.
TCU is 3-7 all-time at Kansas State and has lost the past four road games against the Wildcats. The Horned Frogs’ last win in Manhattan came in 2017.
The last time the two teams met in Manhattan was on October 21, 2023. The Wildcats mauled the Frogs, 41-3.
In 2022, TCU won the regular-season match-up between the two teams, 38-28.
The 13th-ranked Wildcats got revenge in the 2022 Big 12 Conference Championship Game, defeating the third-ranked Horned Frogs 31-28 in overtime.
On October 30, 2021, in Manhattan, Kansas State defeated TCU, 31-12, in an historic game for the TCU football program. It was the final game of Gary Patterson's head coaching reign at TCU.
On October 31, Patterson essentially resigned after being informed by then-TCU Athletic Director Jeremiah Donati and then-TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini that he would not be retained as TCU’s head football coach after the 2021 season.
It remains to be seen what impact this latest loss to Kansas State has on the future of Dykes and his staff at TCU, as collegiate head football coaches rapidly fall by the wayside in this new era of high-stakes college athletics.
Penn State just fired head football coach James Franklin, despite a contract buyout of nearly $50 million and his record of 104-45 (.681 winning percentage), including a Rose Bowl win, over nearly 12 years at the school. He was the second-most accomplished head football coach in the school's history.
Franklin’s buyout is the second-highest ever in college athletics, behind only the nearly $77 million Texas A&M paid Jimbo Fisher when he was fired as the Aggies’ head football coach in 2023.
The monetary buyouts of Franklin and Fisher do not include costs Penn State and A&M had to absorb for contract buyouts of coordinators, assistants and other staff members, or costs associated with bringing in a new head coach and staff.
So, total costs for both of the schools exceeded $100 million.
Head football coaches also have been fired at UAB, Kent State, Stanford, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Arkansas, Virginia Tech and UCLA. Bill Belichick reportedly is on shaky grounds during his first season at the University of North Carolina.
Collegiate sports analysts say that head coaches at Auburn, Wisconsin, Florida State, Colorado State, Florida and Louisiana Tech could be the next to join the unemployment line.
Sonny Cumbie is Louisiana Tech’s current head coach. He is a former offensive coordinator for the Horned Frogs. If he is fired by La Tech, he could become a candidate to rejoin the TCU staff as the Horned Frogs' offensive coordinator, if Briles happens to not be retained or if he decides to pursue a new opportunity after this season.
Dykes was Louisiana Tech's head coach from 2010-12.
Dykes has not been listed as a possible candidate for any of the current or possible head coaching openings.
Matt Campbell, Iowa State’s head coach, and Matt Rhule, Nebraska’s head coach who formerly was Baylor’s head coach, have been mentioned as possible candidates for openings, as has SMU’s Rhett Lashlee, who replaced Dykes as the Mustangs’ head coach when Dykes was hired at TCU,
Hoover Fails TCU's Offense
The game against Kansas State was the Frogs’ most important game up to this point in the season. Sadly, Briles and Hoover were not up to the task. Hoover and TCU’s offense lacked energy, purpose and swagger throughout the game.
Briles’ play-calling didn’t allow the Horned Frogs to establish offensive rhythm or momentum and kept putting Hoover in harm’s way.
Briles had a game plan and called plays that enabled the Wildcats to play to their defensive strengths, and the Cats’ devoured Hoover and the Frogs.
Briles abandoned the run game, even though it was working with Kevorian Barnes in the backfield for the Frogs.
Instead, Briles put the workload on Hoover, who constantly struggle against a Widlcats defense that was designed to not let him beat them.
The two teams played to a 0-0 tie in the first quarter. It was just the third time this season there has been a scoreless first quarter in a Big 12 Conference game.
TCU took a 7-0 lead in the second quarter, but Kansas State scored the next 28 points to ignite the rout.
Of the Wildcats’ 41 points, Hoover gifted them 20 points:
- Recovery and return for a touchdown in the second quarter by safety Wesley Fair of a poorly thrown, and inexplicable, backwards pass by Hoover that was dropped by wide receiver Ed Small, giving K-State a 14-7 lead at halftime.
- Interception of a Hoover pass returned for a touchdown in the third quarter by Kansas State linebacker Des Purnell, giving Kansas State a 21-7 lead.
- Interception of a Hoover pass in the fourth quarter by Purnell, putting pressure on the TCU defense and leading to a field goal by the Wildcats and a 38-21 K-State lead.
- Turnover on downs in the fourth quarter at the TCU 25-yard line by Hoover’s offense, putting pressure on the TCU defense and leading to a field goal by Kansas State and a 41-21 lead.
For his defensive play against the Frogs, Purnell was named the Big 12 Conference’s Co-Defensive Player of the Week.
“We just did not play well on offense,” Dykes said in an understatement. “Self-destructed. Our offense gave them scoring touchdowns. Made too many critical mistakes. I think it’s pretty obvious he (Hoover) did not play like he’s accustomed to playing.”
TCU now is 6-11 when losing the turnover battle under Dykes.
TCU allowed a fumble return for a touchdown for the first time this season and for the first time since the Arizona game last season, on November 23, 2024.
TCU allowed a pick-six for the first time since the SMU game last season, on September 21, 2024.
After the game, Hoover took ownership of his poor play.
“I just gotta play better,” Hoover said. “Our team is only going to be as good as I play, and if I’m not going to consistently be a really good player, then we’re going to have a tough time winning games. That’s a part of playing quarterback. I have to show up every week and play really good. That’s my job.
“This is where you figure out what type of guy you are. I’m going to show up on Monday and go back to work. That’s who I am. I’m not a quitter. I’m made for these moments.”
Hoover completed 26-of-47 passes for 367 yards and three touchdowns. He was sacked once.
Hoover ranks No. 2 nationally in passing yards per game (315.5).
Hoover passed Max Knake for fourth on TCU's career pass-completion charts.
Hoover eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark for the third time this season.
Hoover threw a pair of interceptions for the second time this season.
Barnes led the Frogs in rushing, with 81 yards on 13 carries.
Overall, TCU netted only 72 rushing yards on 22 carries, for an average of 3.3 yards per rush.
TCU’s next-leading rusher was Trent Battle, who had five rushing yards on two carries.
Jeremy Payne had a one-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter. He scored a touchdown for the third consecutive game in which he has appeared.
Wide receiver Eric McAlister had four receptions for 156 yards. He had touchdown catches of 85 and 37 yards in the fourth quarter.
McAlister eclipsed 100 receiving yards in a game for the second time this season and seventh time in his career, including his time at Boise State (fourth at TCU).
McAlister is No. 2 nationally in receiving touchdowns at seven, despite averaging just 3.5 receptions per game (all others have at least 5.3 receptions per game).
Tight end Chase Curtis had a two-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.
Small had six catches for 101 yards. It was Small’s first career 100-yard receiving game.
TCU had two receivers eclipse the 100-yard receiving mark in a game for the first time this season and for the first time since the Kansas game last season, on September 28, 2024.
TCU had at least six receivers catch a pass for the 47th consecutive game, which is a streak that spans back to the Kansas game on November 20, 2021.
TCU has scored in 413 consecutive games, the second longest streak in NCAA history - trailing only Florida (466).
TCU Defense Hangs Tough
TCU’s defense played well enough for the Horned Frogs to get a win in Manhattan.
The defense held the Wildcats to just three touchdowns, not counting two field goals when the ‘Cats were gifted short fields from an interception returned to the TCU 21-yard line and when the TCU offense turned the ball over on downs at the TCU 25-yard line.
Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson was held to completing 16-of-26 passes for 198 yards. He threw three touchdown passes. He was sacked twice.
The Wildcats’ leading rusher was Joe Jackson. He netted 110 yards on 27 carries, for an average of 4.1 yards per rush.
Kansas State netted 145 rushing yards on 45 carries, for an average of 3.2 yards per rush.
Tight end Garrett Oakley was the Wildcats’ leading receiver. He had four receptions for 71 yards. He caught two touchdown passes.
Wide receiver Jerand Bradley also had a touchdown catch for K-State.
Linebacker Namdi Obiazor led the Frogs’ defense with 11 tackles.
Safety Jamel Johnson had 10 tackles and 0.5 tackles-for-loss.
Safety Austin Jordan had one sack and one tackle-for-loss.
Defensive end Devean Deal had one sack and one tackle-for loss.
Defensive end Paul Oyewale had one tackle-for-loss.
Additional TCU-Kansas State Game Insight
- TCU-Kansas State game box score: here
- TCU-Kansas State game highlights: here
- TCU post-game press conference: here
- Kansas State post-game press conference: here
TCU's Homecoming Game Against Baylor
It's Homecoming week and weekend at TCU, which will be highlighted by the Horned Frogs (4-2, 1-2 Big 12) playing arch-rival Baylor (4-2, 2-1) on Saturday, October 18, in Amon G. Carter Stadium, on the TCU Campus. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 am (Central). ESPN2 will broadcast the game nationally.
Besides the football game, Homecoming events include a parade on Stadium Drive, at 5:30 pm (Central), on Friday, October 17, followed by FrogFest, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm (Central), at TCU's Brown-Lupton University Union and Campus Commons. The evening will include music by Poo Live Crew, which is a band from Fort Worth that’s equal parts rock show and comedy act.
“Homecoming 2025: Decades of Winning” activities schedule: here
Baylor’s 2025 Season
Baylor’s 2025 season has gone as follows:
- August 29, in Waco: lost to Auburn, 38-24
- September 6, in Dallas: beat SMU, 48-45 (2OT)
- September 13, in Waco: beat Samford, 42-7
- September 20, in Waco: lost to Arzona State, 27-24
- September 27, in Stillwater: beat Oklahoma State, 45-27
- October 4, in Waco: beat Kansas State, 35-34
- October 11: bye
Against Kansas State on October 4, Baylor trailed 31-17 going into the fourth quarter.
Baylor took the lead on a Connor Hawkins 53-yard field goal with 31 seconds left in the game.
With five seconds left in the game, Baylor’s Caden Jenkins blocked a 56-yard field goal attempt by K-State’s Luis Rodriguez, to preserve the win for the Bears.
Baylor is not ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 or the Coaches Top 25. The Bears are ranked 37th in the The Athletic’s ranking of all FBS teams.
TCU-Baylor Rivalry History
TCU and Baylor have played each other 120 times.
TCU has played Baylor more than any other opponent. It is also in the Top 15 of most-played rivalry games in FBS and is the second-longest-running rivalry in the Big 12, only behind Kansas-Kansas State, which have played each other 122 times.
TCU holds a 59-54-7 advantage in the rivalry's history, which is now called “The Bluebonnet Battle” and features a trophy that goes to the game-winner.
Previously, the TCU-Baylor rivalry was referred to as "The Revivalry," in reference to the two schools' religious affiliations.
Since beginning Big 12 play in 2012, TCU is 9-4 versus Baylor, with a 5-2 mark in Waco and a 4-2 record in Fort Worth.
TCU and Baylor last played each other on Saturday, November 2, in McLane Stadium, in Waco, Texas.
Isaiah Hankins kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired to lift the Bears to a pulsating and nauseating 37-34 victory over TCU, before a mostly delirious crowd of 44,171.
The loss broke the Frogs’ four-game winning streak over Baylor.
TCU has won eight of its last 10 games against the Bears.
Baylor’s head coach is Dave Aranda, who was named the Bear’s the 28th head coach in Baylor Football history on January 16, 2020. He came to Waco after four seasons as associate head coach and defensive coordinator at LSU.
At Baylor, Aranda is 35-32. He has had two winning seasons with the Bears, going 12-2 in 2021 and 8-5 in 2024.
Several members of TCU's football coaching and support staff have Baylor backgrounds:
- Briles is a former offensive coordinator at Baylor
- Josh Bookbinder, who is an assistant coach-linebackers, is a 2009 graduate of Baylor and the grandson of legendary Bears head football coach Grant Teaff
- Corey Coleman, who is an assistant coach-wide receivers, was a two-time All-American wide receiver at Baylor
- Brian Norwood, who is an assistant coach-safeties, was associate head coach and safeties coach at Baylor from 2008-14
- Kaz Kazadi, who is assistant athletics director for football human performance, was a member of the strength and conditioning staff at Baylor from 2008-16, serving as the Associate Athletics Director for Athletic Performance during his last five seasons with the Bears
- David Case, who is director of football equipment, has served in an equipment role at Baylor
In addition, TCU recently named Cori Bolts as Deputy Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator. She previously was Baylor's Senior Woman Administrator.
Baylor’s Offense
Offensively, Baylor this season is averaging:
- 36.33 points per game
- 494 total yards per game
- 145.3 rushing yards per game
- 4.4 yards per rush
- 348.7 passing yards per game
The Bears have scored 27 touchdowns: 19 through the air and eight on the ground.
BU’s offense has had 21 attempts on fourth down, converting 11 times (52.4 percent).
The Bears’ offense is led by redshirt-senior quarterback Sawyer Robertson (#13), who is a transfer from Mississippi State.
Robertson has completed 158-of-248 passes for 2,058 yards. He is averaging 343 passing yards per game, which ranks first nationally).
Robertson has thrown 19 touchdown passes and four interceptions. He has a long completion of 73 yards. He has been sacked 10 times.
In Baylor’s win over Oklahoma State, Robertson reached five straight games with at least three passing touchdowns, the longest such streak by a Big 12 quarterback since Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray in 2018.
Robertson is not a running quarterback. He has one rushing touchdown and 11 net rushing yards (70 yards gained, 59 yards lost).
Baylor has a loaded stable of receivers.
TCU and Baylor are two of nine Power 4 schools that have at least three 300-yard receivers, joining, Kansas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Rutgers, Syracuse and Tennessee.
Redshirt-senior wide receiver Josh Cameron (#34) has 32 catches for 456 yards. He is averaging 76 receiving yards per game and 14.25 yards per catch. He has caught three touchdown passes. He has a long reception of 48 yards.
Redshirt-senior tight end Michael Trigg (#1), who is a six-foot-four transfer from Ole Miss and has also played at USC, is one of the best tight ends in the country. He has 29 catches for 439 yards. He is averaging 73.17 receiving yards per game and 15.14 yards per catch. He has caught four touchdown passes. He has a long reception of 42 yards.
Senior wide receiver Kole Wilson (#2), who is a transfer from Texas State and has also played at Incarnate Word, has 24 receptions for 324 yards, for an average of 13.50 yards per catch. He is averaging 54 receiving yards per game. He has caught two touchdown passes. He has a long reception of 57 yards.
Sixth-year senior wide receiver Ashtyn Hawkins (#6), who is a transfer from Texas State, has 24 catches for 304 yards. He is averaging 12.67 yards per catch and 50.67 receiving yards per game. He has not caught a touchdown pass. He has a long pass reception of 36 yards.
Senior wide receiver Kobe Prentice (#16), who is a transfer from Alabama, has caught 17 passes for 265 yards. He is averaging 44.17 receiving yards per game and 15.59 yards per catch. He has caught six touchdown passes. He has a long reception of 73 yards.
Freshman running back Caden Knighten (#22), senior wide receiver Louis Brown IV (#4), who is a transfer from San Diego State and has also played at Colorado State, redshirt-sophomore running back Bryson Washington (#7) and junior tight end Matthew Klopfenstein (#85) each has one receiving touchdown.
Baylor’s running game is led by redshirt-sophomore running back Bryson Washington (#7). He has rushed 102 times for 557 yards. He is averaging 92.83 rushing yards per game and 5.50 rushing yards per carry. He has five rushing touchdowns. He has a long run of 41 yards.
Knighten has carried the football 37 times for 169 yards. He is averaging 28.17 rushing yards per game. He has one rushing touchdown and a long run of 49 yards.
Freshman running back Michael Turner (#23) has rushed 26 times for 121 yards, for an average of 4.7 rushing yards per carry. He is averaging 30.25 rushing yards per game. He has one rushing touchdown. He has a long run of 17 yards.
Baylor’s Defense
Baylor’s Defense is allowing:
- 29.67 points per game; the Bears rank next-to-last in the Big 12 in scoring defense
- 403.7 total yards per game
- 177.2 rushing yards per game
- 4.3 yards per rush
- 226.5 passing yards per game
The Bears have given up 20 touchdowns: 12 on the ground and eight through the air.
BU’s defense has intercepted five passes and recorded eight sacks.
The Bears have allowed at least 34 points in three games this season. Baylor ranks last in the conference in sacks, 14th in third down defense and 14th in total yards allowed.
Baylor’s defense is led by redshirt-junior linebacker Keaton Thomas (#11), who is a transfer from West Virginia. He has 55 tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss and two pass breakups.
Senior safety Devyn Bobby (#3) has made 34 tackles and has one pass breakup.
Redshirt-sophomore safety Jacob Redding (#38) has two interceptions and two pass breakups.
Redshirt-junior linebacker Emarion Winston (#32), who is a transfer from Oregon, has two sacks, three tackles-for-loss and a quarterback-hurry.
Redshirt-senior defensive lineman Jackie Marshall (#0) has two sacks, 3.5 tackles-for-loss and a quarterback hurry.
Redshirt-sophomore cornerback Levar Thornton, Jr (#25), who is from Fort Worth (Timber Creek High School), junior safety Micah Gifford (#24) and freshman linebacker Kaleb Burns (#41) each has one interception.
Baylor’s punter is Palmer Williams (#94). He has punted 14 times. He is averaging 48.57 yards per punt. He has a long punt of 59 yards. He has not had a punt blocked.
The Bears’ field-goal kicker is redshirt-freshman Connor Hawkins (#96). He has made seven-of-eight field-goal attempts. He has a long field goal of 53 yards. He has not had a kick blocked.
Additional TCU-Baylor Insight
TCU is a 3.5-point favorite.
The over-under is 64 points.
Midnite Madness prediction: TCU loses, 42-38
Dykes talks about TCU-Baylor game: here
Aranda talks about TCU-Baylor game: here
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