3 Keys to a Baylor football victory over TCU
Coming off a bye week, the Baylor Bears are refreshed and ready to take the rest of their Big 12 schedule by storm. With that being said, they have quite the matchup ahead of them: a matchup in Fort Worth against the TCU Horned Frogs. The Horned Frogs are currently 4-2 overall and 1-2 in conference, with them suffering a tough loss to Kansas State last week in Manhattan. While the Bears have the same overall record, they do hold a slight advantage in conference, sitting at 2-1 overall. With both teams in the middle of the pack, both are in desperate need of another win to help propel themselves further up the Big 12 pecking order.
This game is a must-win for the Bears, but it will not be a simple walk in the park. With one Big 12 loss, if the Bears still have hope for making a postseason run, they will need to be nearly perfect the rest of the season, and that starts with a win this weekend. Below are three keys for the Bears to leave this game victorious.
1. Limit the Horned Frogs passing offense
While the Bears have one of the most talented quarterbacks on their roster in Sawyer Robertson, the Horned Frogs also have quite the talent in junior quarterback Josh Hoover. On the season, Hoover has thrown for just under 1,900 yards to go along with 18 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions, an impressive stat line indeed. When looking beyond Hoover himself, the TCU offense is currently ranked within the top-35 in the country, thanks in part to the play of Hoover and his talented receiving core. For Baylor to come away victorious from this game, the Bears will need to limit the Horned Frogs' passing attack and keep their receivers in front of them, a tall task for the Baylor secondary.
2. Win the Turnover Battle
The turnover margin is going to be key when it comes to the ultimate victor of this game. Neither the Horned Frogs nor the Bears are particularly strong when it comes to their turnover margin on the season, with the Horned Frogs ranking 56th nationally with a +1 margin, and the Bears ranked significantly lower at 111th with a -4 margin. If the Bears can play a clean version of football on offense and find a way to force a few turnovers on the defensive side of the ball, it will pay significant dividends when it comes to coming away from this game with a win.
3. Capitalize on Special Teams
When most people think of keys to the game, special teams would not be an area that is often highlighted. In most cases, I would agree with that assessment; however, given that this game is taking place in Fort Worth, any advantage that the Bears can get will matter when it comes to leaving with a win. Neither team jumps off the page when it comes to their special teams performance; however, if Baylor can capitalize on their punt returns and manage to consistently give the Horned Frogs long-field situations, it will bode well for them in the long run.
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Josh started covering Baylor athletics in July 2025. Prior to Baylor Bears on SI, he worked as an intern for TheMichiganInsider at 247Sports. Josh graduated from the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, with a bachelor’s degree in economics, where his passion for collegiate athletics continued to grow after attending his first game in The Big House. Combining his analytical background and his affinity for collegiate sports, Josh enjoys providing his unique perspective on the shifting dynamic equilibrium of the collegiate athletics landscape. When not watching sports, Josh enjoys cooking a nice meal, running, and traveling to new places with his friends and family.