TCU-KANSAS
Horned Frogs try to avoid letdown against lowly Jayhawks.
Records: No. 4 TCU 6-0, 3-0 Big 12; Kansas 1-5, 0-3. Series history: TCU leads 21-8-4. Key players: TCU — QB Kenny Hill, RB Kyle Hicks, LB Travin Howard; Kansas — QB Peyton Bender, RB Taylor Martin, LB Joe Dineen.
Who has the edge
Offense — TCU. The Horned Frogs produced a season-low 395 total yards and 26 points while leaning on their defense against K-State, but they’re still the 12th-ranked scoring offense (41.3). Kansas is 93rd. Hill is 127 of 182 passing for 1,450 yards, 10 TDs and three interceptions on the season, and he should be highly motivated going into this one after a less-than-stellar outing against the Jayhawks last season. RBs Sewo Olonilua (Kingwood) and Darius Anderson (George Ranch) lead the Frogs with six rushing TDs apiece. Olonilua scored twice on five carries last week.
Defense — TCU. The Horned Frogs are 11th against the run. They’re one of only 12 teams allowing fewer than 100 rushing yards per game. Opponents average a paltry 2.9 yards per rush. K-State managed only 2.4. The Frogs have forced seven fumbles, led by DEs Mat Boesen and Ben Banogu with two apiece. Kansas, on the other hand, is one of the worst passing defenses in college football, allowing 290 yards per game. Special teams — Even. Fieldgoal
WHEN: 7 P.M. SATURDAY. WHERE: AMON G. CARTER STADIUM, FORT WORTH. TV: FOX. RADIO: NONE.
kicking was a serious issue for TCU coach Gary Patterson last season. Not anymore. K Jonathan Song is 6-of-6 after 39- and 22yard makes against Kansas State. A field goal wouldn’t have helped Kansas last week, but K Gabriel Rui is 8-of-9. He hasn’t missed since Central Michigan, hitting two each against West Virginia and Texas Tech.
Notable: The Horned Frogs have five consecutive wins in the series, but they haven’t all been easy. They rallied from a 27-24 thirdquarter deficit to win 34-30 three years ago, hung on for a 23-17 win in 2015 and pulled out a 24-23 victory on a late field goal last season. Hill threw three INTs, lost a fumble and was sacked five times in that forgettable game.
About TCU: The Horned Frogs, who jumped from sixth to fourth in this week’s AP Top 25, are halfway to perfection and all alone atop the Big 12 standings after stifling Kansas State in a 26-6 win. They limited the Wildcats, playing without injured QB Jesse Ertz, to 216 total yards, 3.7 yards per play and 2-of-15 on third downs, and now they face a unit that’s thrown 10 interceptions and ranks 70th in total offense.
About Kansas: The Jayhawks have lost five consecutive games since a season-opening win over Southeast Missouri State — and it’s only growing worse. They stumbled 45-0 against Iowa State last week after averaging 29.6 points in their previous five games, and the sheer futility was amazing — 106 yards, five first downs, two turnovers and 1.8 yards per play.