By Tom C. "Midnite" Burke
Add another embarrassing loss to the TCU head coaching resume of Sonny Dykes.
Perhaps, in one way or another, it will be his last as a Horned Frog.
On Saturday, November 8, TCU suffered an inexplicable 20-17 upset loss to Iowa State (ISU) in TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium, before an announced crowd of 44,196 and a FOX TV national audience.
Ugly, Unfathomable Loss
The ugly and unfathomable loss by the Horned Frogs was the latest in a string of gut-wrenching losses during the nearly four-year purple reign of Dykes.
Iowa State came into the game having lost four consecutive games and reeling from injuries that had several of its starting offensive and defensive players on the sidelines.
 |
| Tom C. "Midnite" Burke |
TCU came into the home game off a bye week and consecutive wins over West Virginia and Baylor.
The Horned Frogs let an 11-point, fourth-quarter lead transform into the three-point loss.
The loss snapped a seven-game home winning streak and ruined an otherwise celebratory “TCU Values in Action” week on the university’s ever-changing campus in Fort Worth, Texas.
Festivities during the special week included the Thursday, November 6, inauguration of Daniel W. Pullin as the 11th chancellor in TCU’s 152-year history. This was the first such ceremony in 21 years. Victor Boschini had been TCU’s chancellor since June 1, 2003.
It also was announced that TCU’s second biggest college has a new name: the Louise Dilworth Davis College of Science & Engineering. A $40-million gift from the 1977 alumna will support the college’s strategic plan and operations in perpetuity and also endow the college’s deanship, the Louise Dilworth Davis Dean.
Furthermore, the Frogs’ loss to the Cyclones occurred with actress Michelle Randolph attending the game.
Randolph portrays Ainsley Norris in the Paramount+ show “Landman.” In the show’s upcoming second season, Norris, who is the daughter of Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris, will attend TCU.
Landman was one of the most-watched shows on television last year, with more than 35 million viewers tuning in for the season one premiere.
And, lest we forget, Sunday, November 9 was Dykes' birthday.
I bet the hangover of the Frogs’ loss on Saturday affected his birthday celebration. And I believe many TCU football fans could have offered Sonny some suggestions as to what to wish for before he attempted to blow out the 56 candles on his birthday cake.
Frogs Traveling to Provo
TCU’s next game is a Big 12 Conference game against 12th-ranked Brigham Young University (BYU), on Saturday, November 15, in LaVell Edwards Stadium, on the campus of BYU, in Provo, Utah. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:15 pm (Central). ESPN will broadcast the game.
BYU is favored by 4.5 to 5.5 points. The over-under is between 51.5 and 52.5 points.
Midnite Madness prediction: BYU 34, TCU 17
'Hail All Heroes'
TCU’s game against Iowa State was marketed as the football program’s “Hail All Heroes” game, honoring those who are serving and have served in our country’s Armed Services.
Unfortunately, no purple-and-white heroes emerged during the football game against the Cyclones.
The picture-perfect fall Saturday afternoon seemed destined to be ruined even before the game’s scheduled 2:30 pm (Central) kickoff.
An advertised flyover during pregame ceremonies never materialized.
The usually orchestrated entrance of the TCU football team onto the field was badly mistimed and players trickled out of the tunnel over a couple of minutes, instead of running enmasse out of the tunnel.
It got uglier.
Quickly.
On the Frogs’ fourth play, and the seventh play of the game, quarterback Josh Hoover threw his seventh interception of the year.
Nine plays and 65 yards later, Iowa State had a 6-0 lead.
The Cyclones led 6-3 at halftime, because Hoover threw his second interception of the game and eighth of the season during the Frogs’ fourth possession, TCU could not mount a touchdown drive and Nate McCashland could only convert one-of-two field goals from no further than 35 yards.
As the Frogs headed to their locker room to lick their wounds, boos rained down upon them, Dykes and his staff, particularly the offensive coaching staff, which is led by Kendal Briles, who is associate head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
TCU took a 10-6 lead when the Frogs scored a touchdown on a Hoover-to-Dwyer pass play that capped a 15-play, 78-yard drive on their first possession of the third quarter.
The Horned Frogs stretched their lead to 17-6 early in the fourth quarter when they went 92 yards in 11 plays. Running back Trent Battle scored the touchdown on a two-yard run.
Over the next 13:30, the bottom fell out.
Iowa State scored back-to-back touchdowns and a two-point conversion to take a 20-17 lead it did not relinquish.
It was the second time this season that TCU blew a double-digit lead in the second half and lost a conference game.
Cyclones running back Carson Hansen scored a touchdown on a one-yard plunge about midway through the fourth quarter.
After a three-play drive by TCU, Iowa State fifth-string, redshirt-freshman walk-on running back Aiden Flora scored the game-winning touchdown for the Cyclones when he returned the Horned Frogs’ punt 79 yards for a touchdown, with 6:32 remaining in the game.
It was the Cyclones’ first punt return for a touchdown since 2017.
For his heroics, Flora was named the Big 12 Conference's Co-Special Teams Player of the Week. Flora became the second Big 12 player this season to return a punt for a touchdown.
The Frogs took the ensuing kickoff and went 53 yards in four plays before running back Jeremy Payne fumbled. Iowa State recovered the football at the Cyclones’ 12-yard line, denying TCU a possible opportunity to tie the game or take the lead.
After the fumble recovery, Iowa State’s offense held the football for much of the remainder of the game.
The Horned Frogs had a chance to get the football back with a little less than two minutes remaining in the game, but Iowa State’s offense converted a fourth-and-1 on a perfectly executed naked bootleg by quarterback Rocco Becht, who went one way, while most of TCU’s defenders went the other way.
The Frogs did get the football back, but with only 27 seconds remaining in the game.
Five inconsequential plays by the Horned Frogs’ offense ended the game.
Again, the boos rained down upon the Horned Frogs, Dykes and his staff, particularly the offensive coaching staff.
‘Very Disappointed’
As TCU went into its November 1 bye, with four key games left on its schedule, Dykes exclaimed, “All the work we’ve done leads up to this next month (November). That’s where you want to be as a program.
“Our goal every single year is to be playing meaningful games in November. What I mean by that is games that affect the conference standings and games where we have an opportunity to reach the Big 12 championship.”
Although the Horned Frogs are bowl-eligible for the ninth time in 14 seasons as a Big 12 member, they will go a third straight season under Dykes without playing for a Big 12 championship, because of their flops against Arizona State, Kansas State and now, Iowa State.
The loss to Iowa State lowered TCU’s overall record to 6-3. The Frogs are 3-3 in the Big 12.
Perhaps more importantly, the excitement surrounding the program after the undefeated regular season in 2022, the appearance in the 2023 National Championship Game and the New Mexico Bowl victory of last season, has evaporated.
This was the 16th game between TCU and Iowa State. The Horned Frogs lead the series, 9-7. However, the Frogs have lost four of their last five games against the Cyclones.
“Very disappointed we lost this game,” said Dykes. “We feel like we let this one get away from us. It’s incredibly disappointing when you let a game get away from you. We didn’t do what we needed to do to win.
“We turned the ball over three times. Missed a short field goal. Give up a punt return for a touchdown … you’re not going to win too many football games. That’s 10 points on special teams.
“Obviously, the punt return for a touchdown killed us. We just didn’t make enough plays to win. That’s the bottom line.”
Iowa State Bowl-Eligible
With its improbable victory, Iowa State improved its overall record to 6-4, making the Cyclones bowl-eligible. ISU is 2-4 in the Big 12.
“This win sums up what this program has stood for, every step of the way,” said a gleaming Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell, who has been mentioned as a possible candidate for some of the many collegiate head football coaching positions that have opened up this season.
“I mean, this team has gone through … The character, the guts, the toughness of our kids to battle. They showed it today. Really proud of our kids.”
Big 12 Football Games
Here are results of other recent football games involving Big 12 teams:
- On Friday, November 7:
- Houston 30 (8-2, 5-2) at UCF 27 (4-5, 1-5)
- Saturday, November 8:
- Colorado 22 (1-8, 0-6) at West Virginia 29 (4-6, 2-5)
- BYU 7 (8-1, 5-1) at Texas Tech 29 (9-1, 6-1)
- Kansas 20 (5-5, 3-4) at 24 (6-3, 3-3) Arizona
- Kansas State (bye) (4-5, 3-3)
- Baylor (bye) (5-4, 3-3)
- Utah (bye) (7-2, 4-2)
- Oklahoma State (bye) (1-8, 0-6)
- Arizona State (bye) (6-3, 4-2)
- Cincinnati (bye) (7-2, 5-1)
Big-money Texas Tech leads the Big 12, with a conference record of 6-1. BYU (5-1) and Cincinnati (5-1) are tied for second. Houston (5-2) is third. Utah (4-2) and Arizona State (4-2) are tied for fourth. Tied for fifth with 3-3 conference records are Arizona, TCU, Baylor and Kansas State.
In the second College Football Playoff ranking that was released on Tuesday, November 11, Texas Tech is sixth, BYU 12th, Utah 13th and Cincinnati 25th.
In the new Coaches Football Bowl Subdivision top 25 poll, Texas Tech is eighth, BYU 12th, Utah 15th and Cincinnati 22nd. Houston is 29th, Arizona 34th and Arizona State 37th.
TCU is not included in the poll. In the previous week’s poll, TCU was 34th.
In the new Associated Press (AP) top 25 poll, Texas Tech is eighth, BYU 12th, Utah 15th and Cincinnati 22nd. Houston is 30th and Arizona State 32nd.
TCU is not included in the AP poll for the third straight week.
In a ranking of all 136 college football teams by The Athletic, the Frogs are 40th, down from 33rd in the previous week’s ranking.
In a ranking of all 136 college football teams by USA Today, TCU is 35th, down from 28th in the previous week’s ranking.
TCU's Offense Struggles
Against Iowa State, TCU scored in its 416th consecutive game, which is the second-longest streak in NCAA history, trailing Florida's 469 consecutive games.
TCU was held scoreless in the first quarter of the game, for the fourth time in six Big 12 games this season.
TCU failed to score a touchdown in the first half of a game for the first time since the Texas game on November 11, 2023.
TCU had more than enough offense to defeat Iowa State, but the Frogs only had two touchdown drives. Four offensive miscues -- two interceptions, a fumble and a missed field goal -- ended offensive possessions without points being scored.
The Horned Frogs amassed 432 total yards: 319 passing yards and 113 rushing yards.
The Frogs ended the first half with 181 passing yards, 26 rushing yards and three points.
“We had a hard time getting started offensively in the first half,” said Dykes in an understatement. “We have to execute better. I felt like we wasted a half of offense. Once we got going in the second half, we made a critical mistake (fumble) at a critical time (late in fourth quarter). It was costly.
“We got off to a slow start offensively. That’s something we’ve got to address moving forward. We’ve got to get it fixed.”
The Horned Frogs also need to further fix their rushing attack.
For most of the game against Iowa State, TCU’s offensive line was dominated by the Cyclones’ blue-collar, three-man defensive front.
The Frogs’ 113 rushing yards were achieved on 30 carries, an average of only 3.8 yards per carry.
TCU ranks 15th in the conference in rushing yards per game (122.8).
Payne was TCU’s leading ball carrier. He had 71 yards on eight carries.
Running back Kevorian Barnes rushed 15 times for a net 25 yards.
Barnes has dropped to 12th among Big 12 running backs, averaging 63.3 rushing yards per game.
Running back Trent Battle had only three net rushing yards, but he scored a touchdown on a two-yard run early in the fourth quarter, as TCU took a 17-6 lead over Iowa State.
Hoover completed 34-of-50 passes for 319 yards. He threw one touchdown pass, a 14-yarder to wide receiver Jordan Dwyer in the third quarter, as TCU took a 10-3 lead.
Hoover’s 34 completions were a season-high. It was the fifth time in his career he has eclipsed 30 completions. He passed for over 300 yards for the fourth time this season, and 15th time in his career.
Hoover is second in the Big 12, averaging 298.9 passing yards per game.
However, Hoover’s struggles with accuracy and his reluctance to scramble this season have left some TCU football fans wondering if he is the quarterback that can lead the Horned Frogs to where they want to go, and need to go.
This was the third time in the past six games that Hoover has thrown two interceptions. TCU has lost all three of the games.
Hoover's favorite receiving targets against Iowa State were Dwyer and wide receiver Eric McAlister, each of whom had 11 receptions. They are the first two TCU receivers to have 10 or more receptions in the same game since Adrian Madise and LaTarence Dunbar did it against East Carolina on October 30, 2001.
Dwyer had double-digit receptions for the first time in his TCU career. His 11 receptions tied a career high, which he set when he was playing at the University of Idaho.
McAlister had 107 receiving yards against Iowa State. He leads the Big 12 with 834 receiving yards.
Dwyer is ninth in the Big 12, with 602 receiving yards.
TCU's Defense Tames Cyclones
TCU’s defense played well against Iowa State.
The Cyclones only had 272 total yards: 161 rushing yards and 111 passing yards.
The Horned Frogs’ defense only gave up two drives, one of 65 yards, in the first quarter, and the other of 75 yards, in the fourth quarter.
Iowa State was 8-of-16 on third down and 2-of-3 on fourth down in the game.
TCU ranks 15th (next-to-last) in the Big 12 in third-down defense, allowing opponents to convert 41.4 percent of the time.
TCU’s defense neutralized Becht. He completed only 9-of-24 passes. He threw one touchdown pass and two interceptions. He was sacked once and ran for only 22 net yards.
The Horned Frogs’ defense held a starting quarterback under 10 completions for the second time this season and third time overall under defensive coordinator Andy Avalos.
TCU senior linebacker Kaled Elarms-Orr had 12 tackles, including one tackle-for-loss. He led the Frogs in tackles for the third consecutive game.
Elarms-Orr leads the Big 12 Conference with 92 tackles and four sacks. He is averaging 10.2 tackles per game and is on course for All-Big 12 honors.
Becht was intercepted twice by TCU senior safety Bud Clark. It was Clark’s first career two-interception game.
Clark’s interceptions were his 14th and 15th career interceptions, moving him into fourth place in TCU’s career record book.
Clark and TCU junior safety Jamel Johnson lead the Big 12 with four interceptions each this season.
Against the Cyclones, Johnson was TCU’s second-leading tackler, with seven tackles.
TCU senior defensive end Devean Deal had five tackles, including 1.5 tackles-for-loss. Deal also was credited with one quarterback-hurry and a pass breakup.
Sophomore defensive tackle Markis Deal, who is Devean’s brother, had five tackles in the game.
Sophomore safety Kylin Jackson had a sack.
Additional TCU-Iowa State Game Insight
- Game box score: here
- Game highlights: here
- TCU post-game press conference: here
- Iowa State post-game press conference: here
On the Road Against BYU
TCU’s next game is a Big 12 Conference game against 12th-ranked Brigham Young University, on Saturday, November 15, in LaVell Edwards Stadium, on the campus of BYU, in Provo, Utah. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:15 pm (Central). ESPN will broadcast the game.
This will be the 13th meeting between the two teams.
TCU has a 7-5 record against BYU and has won five consecutive games, dating back to 2008. The Frogs are 2-3 against the Cougars in Provo.
This will be TCU’s first game at BYU since 2009. TCU won, 38-7.
This will be the first game between the two teams since the 2023 season, when the Frogs dominated the Cougars in a 44-11 win in Fort Worth. It was the first game between the two schools with each being in the Big 12 Conference, as BYU began playing in the Big 12 in 2023.
TCU and BYU were at one time competitors within the Mountain West Conference (MWC).
TCU and BYU did not play each other during the 2024 season.
BYU’s Record
BYU is in second place in the Big 12 with a conference record of 5-1. The Cougars lost their first Big 12 game to league-leading Texas Tech, 29-7, on November 1, in Lubbock, Texas.
BYU is 8-1 overall. BYU’s eight wins:
- Beat Portland State, 69-0, in Provo
- Beat Stanford, 27-3, in Provo
- Beat East Carolina, 34-13, in Greenville, North Carolina
- Beat Colorado, 24-21, in Boulder, Colorado
- Beat West Virginia, 38-24, in Provo
- Beat Arizona, 33-27, in Provo
- Beat Utah, 24-21, in Provo
- Beat Iowa State, 41-27, in Ames, Iowa
BYU’s Edwards and Sitake
BYU’s football stadium is named after former BYU head football coach LaVell Edwards.
Edwards was BYU's head football coach from 1972 to 2000. He had previously served as an assistant coach at the university from 1962 to 1971.
In 1984, Edwards was named National Coach of the Year after BYU finished the season 13–0 and won the National Championship,
Edwards retired after the 2000 season with a 257–101–3 record.
Edwards suffered a broken hip on December 24, 2016. He died five days later at the age of 86.
BYU’s current head football coach, Kalani Sitake, is in his 10th season at BYU and 25th overall as a coach. Sitake played under Edwards at BYU.
Sitake is the 14th head coach in BYU’s history and the fourth since 1972. He is the first former player under Edwards to be named head coach at BYU.
In 2024, Sitake guided BYU to an overall 11-2 record. With a 7-2 conference record, the Cougars finished in a four-way tie for first place.
BYU’s Offense
BYU’s offense is averaging:
- 33 points per game; fifth in the Big 12
- 413.6 total yards per game; sixth in the Big 12
- 213.6 passing yards per game; 12th in the Big 12 (TCU is 14th in passing defense in the Big 12, allowing 241.6 passing yards per game)
- 200 rushing yards per game; second in the Big 12 (TCU is third in rushing defense in the Big 12, allowing 124.7 rushing yards per game)
BYU’s offense has scored 33 touchdowns: 12 passing and 21 rushing.
BYU has given up 10 sacks and lost 5-of-10 fumbles.
Freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier (#47), who is a transfer from Stanford, leads BYU’s offense. He is a dual-threat quarterback.
Bachmeier has completed 149-of-239 passes. He has thrown 12 touchdown passes and four interceptions. He has a long completion of 85 yards.
Bachmeier has run 105 times for 420 yards, an average of four yards per rush. He is averaging 46.7 rushing yards per game. He has scored nine rushing touchdowns. He has a long run of 22 yards.
Redshirt-senior wide receiver Chase Roberts (#2) has caught 38 passes for 652 yards (tied for fourth in the Big 12). He is averaging 17.2 yards per reception and 72.4 receiving yards per game. He has caught five touchdown passes. He has a long reception of 85 yards.
Redshirt-junior wide receiver Parker Kingston (#11) has caught 39 passes for 559 yards. He is averaging 62.1 receiving yards per game and 14.3 yards per catch. He has caught four touchdown passes. He has a long reception of 75 yards. Kingston also has two rushing touchdowns.
Redshirt-senior tight end Carsen Ryan (#20), who is a transfer from the University of Utah, has caught 24 passes for 292 yards. He is averaging 32.4 receiving yards per game and 12.2 yards per catch. He has caught two touchdown passes. He has a long reception of 28 yards.
Junior running back LJ Martin (#4) has rushed 142 times for 824 yards, which is the second most rushing yards in the country. He is averaging 91.6 rushing yards per game and 5.8 yards per rush. He has five rushing touchdowns. He has a long run of 49 yards.
Sophomore wide receiver Cody Hagen (#5) has two rushing touchdowns.
BYU’s defense is allowing:
- 18.3 points per game; third in the Big 12
- 323.8 total yards per game; fifth in the Big 12
- 192.2 passing yards per game; fourth in the Big 12 (TCU is second in the Big 12 in passing offense, averaging 303.4 passing yards per game)
- 131.6 rushing yards per game; fourth in the Big 12 (TCU is 15th in the Big 12 in rushing offense, averaging 122.8 rushing yards per game)
BYU’s defense has given up eight touchdowns through the air and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
BYU’s defense has recorded 21 sacks and 12 interceptions and recovered four fumbles.
The Cougars’ opponents have converted only 32.5 percent of their third-down opportunities.
Sophomore safety Faletau Satuala (#11), leads BYU’s defense with 59 tackles, including 6.5 tackles-for-loss and one sack. He has intercepted two passes, returning one of them for a touchdown. He has been credited with two pass breakups and two forced -fumbles.
Redshirt-senior safety Tanner Wall (#28) has 46 tackles, including one tackle-for-loss. He has intercepted two passes.
Redshirt-senior linebacker Jack Kelly (#17), who is a transfer from Weber State, has recorded 42 tackles, including 10 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks. He has been credited with one pass breakup, four quarterback-hurries and one forced-fumble.
Redshirt-senior defensive end Logan Lutui (#7), who is a transfer from Weber State, has made 40 tackles, including four tackles-for-loss. He has intercepted one pass and has been credited with three pass breakups and one quarterback-hurry.
Redshirt-junior linebacker Isaiah Glasker (#16) has made 44 tackles, including 8.5 tackles-for-loss and three sacks. He has intercepted two passes. He has been credited with one pass breakup, five quarterback-hurries and one forced fumble.
Redshirt-junior defensive end Bodie Schoonover (#48) has made 24 tackles, including 2.5 tackles-for-loss and two sacks. He has three pass breakups and two quarterback-hurries.
Redshirt-junior cornerback Evan Johnson (#0) has intercepted three passes.
Redshirt junior punter Sam Vander Haar (#35), who is a transfer from Pittsburgh, has punted 29 times. He is averaging 43.1 yards per punt. He has a long punt of 69 yards. He has not had a punt blocked.
Redshirt-senior kicker Will Ferrin (#44), who is a transfer from Boise State, has made 15-of-19 field goal attempts. He has made a long field goal of 56 yards. He has not had a field goal blocked.
Dykes discusses BYU: here
Sitake discusses TCU: here
No comments:
Post a Comment