TCU-Arkansas State 2026 Football Game Photos

Photos by Tom C. "Midnite" Burke

 

TCU defeated Arkansas State 31-7 on Saturday, September 19, in Amon G. Carter Stadium, in Fort Worth, Texas. It was the final non-conference game of the 2026 season for the Horned Frogs. TCU improved to 2-1, including a 63-7 week 2 win over Grambling State and a 15-10 loss in week 0 to North Carolina in the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic, in Dublin, Ireland.

TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes (left) and Arkansas State head football coach Butch Ford visit during activities prior to the TCU-Arkansas State football game.

TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes (right) and Mark Tommerdahl, who is a special assistant to Dykes, visit prior to kickoff of the TCU-Arkansas State football game.

God bless America!

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

It took TCU's athletic field crew about 30 hours to paint the new frog skin end ones. Before the painting took place, the eight crew members spent about three hours doing the stencil artwork, amounting to another 24 person-hours.

(photos above and below) Here come the Red Wolves!

TCU's captains (from left to right), Ben Taylor-Whitfield #(56), Hudson Hooper (#37), Jamel Johnson (#2) and Jaden Craig (#1), were joined by TCU's honorary captain for the game, legendary Horned Frog and College and NFL Hall of Famer LaDainian "LT" Tomlinson. In a 24-21 TCU win over Arkansas State in 1999, Tomlinson ran for 269 yards. A year later, in a 52-3 win over the Red Wolves by the Frogs, LT rushed for 140 yards.

TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes (left) and TCU legend and honorary game captain LaDainian Tomlinson greet each other after the Horned Frogs won the coin toss to start the Frogs' game against Arkansas State. Tomlinson is a member of TCU's Board of Trustees.

Under the direction of offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis (right, white shirt), TCU's offense against Arkansas State accumulated 468 total offensive yards: 337 passing yards and 131 rushing yards. TCU scored in in its 423rd consecutive game, the second-longest streak in NCAA history behind Florida’s 475 games.

(photos above and below) TCU fifth-year quarterback Jaden Craig (#1) completed 21-of-29 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns, behind the protection of offensive lineman such as sophomore Kilian Registe (#73), senior Ben Taylor-Whifield (#56) and senior Jaheim Buchanon, who is a transfer from FIU. Craig threw one interception and was sacked once. He ran for a net 20 yards on seven carries. This was the second consecutive 300-yard passing game for the Harvard transfer. It also was the second consecutive game Craig surpassed 300 yards on fewer than 35 pass attempts.

Against Arkansas State, seven different TCU receivers caught passes, led by sophomore wide receiver Ed Small (#18, photos above and below), who had a career-high 164 receiving yards on seven receptions. The receiving yards were the most for a TCU receiver since Eric McAlister had 254 receiving yards in a 35-24 win over SMU on September 20 of last year. As the team’s leading receiver through three games, Small has surpassed his season receiving-yards total (186 yards) from his freshman year last season with 330 yards through three games.

(photos above and below) TCU sophomore wide receiver Ed Small (#18) caught a 17-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter against Arkansas State, which he celebrated with senior offensive lineman Cooper Powers (#77). It was Small's first touchdown reception of the season.

(photos above and below) TCU senior tight end Kari Ashley (#81), who is a transfer from Navarro, caught five passes for 87 yards against the Red Wolves. 

(photos above and below) In the fourth quarter, TCU senior tight end Kari Ashley (#81), who is a transfer from Navarro, beat Arkansas State third-year cornerback Dontrae Henderson (#0) on a 29-yard touchdown reception. Ashley celebrated his third touchdown catch of the season and his TCU career with senior offensive lineman Cooper Powers (#77), senior tight end Ka'Morreun Pimpton (#88), junior wide receiver Jeremy Scott (#6) and sophomore offensive lineman Kilian Registe (#73).

TCU senior tight end Ka'Morreun Pimpton (#88), who is a transfer from LSU, only had one reception against Arkansas State and fifth-year safety AG McGhee (#6), who is a transfer from Marshall, but it was an important one. Pimpton's nine-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter climaxed a 99-yard touchdown drive by TCU and gave the Horned Frogs a 21-7 lead. The touchdown drive came after the Frogs' defense had stopped the Red Wolves on a fourth-and-goal play at the TCU one-yard line. The drive consisted of 14 plays over eight minutes. The drive was the first 99-yard touchdown drive for TCU since a 31-28 win over Kansas in Fort Worth on November 20, 2021. 

TCU senior tight end Ka'Morreun Pimpton (#88) celebrates his nine-yard touchdown reception with sophomore wide receiver Terry Shelton (#15). TCU tight ends have accounted for five-of-the-seven touchdown receptions through three games.

(photos above and below) TCU sophomore wide receiver Jacobe Hayes (#80) set a career-high with 52 receiving yards on three receptions against Arkansas State.

TCU wide receiver Jeremy Scott (#6) caught two passes against Arkansas State defenders, including senior safety Five Hamilton (#5) and senior cornerback Noah Flores (#3).

(photos above and below) TCU junior running back Jeremy Payne (#26) rushed for 86 yards on 24 carries against Arkansas State, with assistance from offensive linemen like Noah McKinney (#58), who is in his fifth year and is a transfer from Oklahoma State, senior Cooper Powers (#77) and senior Jaheim Buchanon (#59), who is a transfer from FIU.

(photos above and below) TCU junior running back Jeremy Payne (#26) scored his first touchdown of the season against Arkansas State, as indicated by senior offensive lineman Jaheim Buchanon (#59), who is a transfer from FIU. Payne's touchdown came on a three-yard run in the first quarter.

(photos above and below) TCU offensive linemen, such as sophomore Witten Van Hoy (#50), helped TCU junior running back Joe Pitchford (#24) rush for 26 yards on seven carries against Arkansas State's defenders, including freshman defensive end Mckinley McShan (#34).

Against Arkansas State, TCU placekicker Nate McCashland (#99) made his first field goal attempt of the season, a 29-yarder, in the fourth quarter.

TCU's defense, under the direction of defensive coordinator Andy Avalos (front, left), held Arkansas State to one touchdown and 261 total yards; 133 passing yards and 128 rushing yards. The Horned Frogs held Arkansas State scoreless on its first six drives, including three three-and-outs. For the game, the Wolves were five-of-14 on third-down conversions and unsuccessful on all three of their fourth-down attempts, including one at the TCU goal line in the third quarter. The Horned Frogs have allowed only 29 points through three games, the lowest opponent point total in the first three games of a season since the 2014 season (21 points).

Arkansas State was knocking at the door of the TCU end zone in the third quarter. A fourth-and-goal play from the one-yard line was unsuccessful when senior safety Jordan Lester (#22) broke up a pass intended for Red Wolves' senior tight end Tyler Little, much to the delight of TCU senior safety Jamel Johnson (#2) and senior cornerback Vernon Glover, Jr. (#1). The defensive stand preserved the Frogs' 14-7 lead.

(photos above and below) TCU senior safety Jamel Johnson (#2), who returned after missing the Frogs’ game against Grambling State because of injury, senior linebacker Hudson Hooper (#37) and senior defensive tackle Ansel Din-Mbuh (#92), who is a transfer from Washington State, led the TCU defense with seven tackles each. This was the first time Hooper had been a leading tackler in a game for the Frogs.

 

   

(photos above and below) TCU senior edge Koron Hayward (#16), who is a transfer from Western Kentucky, had s sack of Arkansas State third-year quarterback Trey Owens (#9),who is a transfer from the University of Texas, despite the efforts of fourth-year tight end Tyler Little (#11). It was the second consecutive game in which Hayward recorded a sack.

(photos above and below) TCU fifth-year edge Paul Oyewale (#97) had a sack of Arkansas State quarterback Tyler Owens (#9). 

Arkansas State wide receiver Chauncy Cobb (#2) was held to 16 total yards on three receptions and one run by TCU's defense, including sophomore cornerback Gil Jackson, Jr. (#4), senior safety Jamel Johnson (#2) and senior linebacker Max Carroll (#3).

TCU senior linebacker Hudson Hooper (#37) helped TCU's defense hold Arkansas running back Solomon Baggett (#23) to 37 total yards on nine runs and one reception.

TCU sophomore cornerback Gil Jackson, Jr. (#4) helped TCU's defense hold Arkansas State wide receiver Jaylen Bonelli (#10) to one reception, of 10 yards.

TCU Senior safety Jamel Johnson (#2) and senior linebacker Ma Carroll (#3) tackle Arkansas State running back Solomon Baggett (#23).

TCU junior defensive tackle Tristan Johnson (#35) pressures Arkansas State quarterback Trey Owens (#9).

(photos above and below) Arkansas State third-year quarterback Trey Owens, who is a transfer from the University of Texas, entered the game against TCU completing 72.3 percent of his passes. He completed 11-of-24 passes, for a 46 percent completion rate. He was sacked twice. He did not throw an interception. Owens was the Wolves leading rusher, with 58 net yards on seven carries.

(photos above and below) Arkansas State freshman running back Solomon Baggett (#23) carried the football nine times for 27 yards against the Horned Frogs.

(photos above and below) Arkansas State fourth-year running back Ezell Jolly (#22), who is a transfer from UTEP, scored Arkansas State's lone touchdown, on a one-yard run in the second quarter.

Arkansas State fourth-year wide receiver Hunter Summers (#4), who is a transfer from Tulane, was the Red Wolves' leading receiver against TCU's defense, including senior cornerback Vernon Glover, Jr. (#1). He had 47 receiving yards on three receptions.

In Arkansas State's 31-7 loss to the Horned Frogs, third-year tight end Jabari Bush (#17) caught one pass for 46 yards, against TCU senior safeties Jordan Lester (#22) and Ryan Yaites (#13), who is a transfer from Cal.   

Arkansas State fourth-year running back James Lee (#27), who is a transfer from Tyler Junior College, rushed six times for 28 yards against TCU.

(photos above and below) Against the Horned Frogs, Arkansas State's defense was anchored by fourth-year safety Five Hamilton (#5), who is a transfer from Kennesaw State, and sophomore linebacker Joe Drew (#16). Hamilton and Drew had 12 tackles each. Hamilton's total included a tackle for loss. Fourth-year linebacker Robert Stevens III (#23), who is a transfer from Lafayette College, had seven tackles, including a tackle for loss. Fifth-year defensive end Gavin Taylor (#30), who is a transfer from Connecticut State, had two tackles. 

Arkansas State third-year cornerback Kyle Williams (#13) intercepted TCU quarterback Jaden Craig once, to the delight of Arkansas State third-year cornerback Dontrae Henderson (#0), who is a transfer from Indiana. 

Former TCU pitcher and current Boston Red Sox hurler Payton Tolle was featured in the traditional Riff-Ram video played during the TCU-Arkansas State game. Tolle transferred from Wichita State to TCU prior to the 2024 season. In his lone season as a Horned Frog, he went 7-4 and was named Big 12 Pitcher of the Year. In the 2024 MLB Draft, Boston took Tolle in the second round, with the draft's 50th overall selection. Tolle made his major league debut with the Red Sox in Fenway Park on August 29, 2025. This season, he is 9-6 in 25 starts. He has 166 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched. On September 13, Tolle threw a rare major-league immaculate inning, striking out three batters on nine pitches to open Boston's game against the Kansas City Royals. 

The Horned Frogs begin Big 12 Conference play on Saturday, September 26, against UCF, which is 2-1, in Orlando, Florida. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 pm (Central). The game will be televised by FS1.

TCU's next home game in Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, will be on Saturday, October 3, against conference foe BYU, which is a Big 12 Conference champion favorite and currently ranked ninth in the country. This will mark the third night game of the 2026 season for TCU at Amon G. Carter Stadium. BYU has a bye on Saturday, September 26. The last time a top-10 team played at The Carter was No. 7 Texas in 2023. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 pm (Central). The game will be televised by either ESPN or ESPN2. The game time was set to avoid any overlap with either session for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' semiannual general conference that will be taking place on October 3. The Cougars have not played on the same day as general conference since 2005. In the two decades since last playing on the same day as general conference, BYU has played on the Thursday or Friday before conference 17 times (2006, 2008-18, 2020-23, 2025) and had a bye week before conference play began three times (2007, 2019, 2024).