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AIPROPX ReportYahoo Sports · 2h ago
Big 12 team preview: Can TCU get over the hump in 2026?
FILE - TCU head coach Sonny Dykes looks on before an NCAA football game against Colorado, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Mike Buscher, Associated Press
Editor’s note: Eleventh in a series previewing each team in the Big 12 in 2026.
TCU is just a few years removed from the most memorable run in modern program history — a 13-2 season that featured an appearance in the 2023 national championship game. Though the Horned Frogs were battered 65-7 by Georgia, it was still the furthest a Big 12 team has gone in the College Football Playoff era.
After a down year the following season, TCU posted back-to-back 9-4 seasons, including an Alamo Bowl victory against USC in 2025.
That’s two good years for the team from Fort Worth, but in 2026, does TCU have what it takes to jump into Big 12 contender status?
The Horned Frogs are going through something of a transition season, bringing in a new offensive coordinator and a new quarterback. Kendal Briles, TCU’s OC since 2023, took the same job in South Carolina, so Sonny Dykes turned to UConn’s Gordon Sammis to run the offense.
With the help of Sammis, who was also named the interim head coach ahead of the Fenway Bowl after Jim Mora took the Colorado State job, the Huskies posted their second 9-4 season in a row.
UConn averaged 445.2 yards per game, 21st in the nation, and 35.3 points per game, 15th in the nation.
“Once we knew we were going to have an opportunity to hire a new coordinator, Ryan Dorchester, our chief of staff, kind of did a deep statistical study to things that we felt like were important and would give us the best opportunity to win,” Dykes said.
“UConn kept showing up. At that point it’s like, OK, who is doing this? It’s Gordy Sammis. Interesting background. He’s an offensive line coach that’s a play caller. There are not too many of those in college football. … The thing I appreciated about him was, you know, there’s nothing that happens randomly. Everything has a reason. It’s just well thought out, it’s well conceived. I think he’s really bright. I just like what we’re doing offensively.”
With last year’s quarterback, Josh Hoover, transferring to Indiana, TCU brought in Harvard quarterback Jaden Craig, who threw for 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns on a 61.5% completion rate.
“I don’t know that we knew we were going to take a transfer quarterback, honestly. We had a quarterback that had been with us for a number of years and still had a year of eligibility. We kind of assumed he would be with us, and that ended up not being the case,” Dykes said.
“Once that happened, our personnel department came in and said, ‘OK, look, take a look at this guy, see what you think.’ You turn the tape on of him playing at Harvard, and you really like what you see. You see a big, strong guy that is making throws that you go, wow, that’s impressive. You see a guy that doesn’t turn the ball over. You see a guy that handles himself well.”
TCU's Ben Taylor-Whitfield (56), Carson Bruno (62), Coltin Deery (51), Cade Bennett (60) and Ryan Hughes (70) prepare to line up against SMU during a game, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Tony Gutierrez, Associated Press
Protecting Craig will be one of TCU’s best offensive lines in years, featuring returning starters Ben Taylor-Whitfield and Cade Bennett. While TCU has to replace two starters, they nabbed Oklahoma State’s Noah McKinney, who was a top target in the transfer portal.
At running back, starter Jeremy Payne (623 yards, five TDs) is back, alongside sophomore Jon Denman, who rushed for 178 yards and three TDs on 50 carries and will be elevated to a bigger role this year.
There are question marks at receiver as the Horned Frogs lose top wideout Eric McAlister (1,190 yards last year), but their second option, Jordan Dwyer (730 yards, seven TDs) returns as WR1. The Horned Frogs will be counting on Ed Small (186 yards) and Dozie Ezukanma (28 yards) to take that next step.
On defense, the Horned Frogs return a good chunk of starters, including the preseason All-Big 12 selection, safety Jamel Johnson, who had five interceptions last season.
Other returning starters include defensive end Paul Oyewale, defensive tackles Markis Deal and Ansel Din-Mbuh and cornerback Vernon Glover.
The defensive line should be good.
TCU will need to answer some questions at the cornerback position, where it struggled last year. Glover was solid, but the Horned Frogs will need sophomore Gil Jackson to take a leap.
After two straight 9-4 seasons, could this be the year that TCU makes the leap and gets into the conference championship game mix down the stretch? It could happen if everything clicks and Craig lights it up behind a good offensive line.
TCU opens the season in Dublin against North Carolina, and plays BYU, Arizona, Utah and Texas Tech. Several of those games could prove key in the Big 12 title race.
A panel of 16 Big 12 beat writers, who conducted their own preseason poll, had the Horned Frogs No. 6, and that’s about in line with Vegas.
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