These Are The Players to Watch When No. 25 Houston Battles TCU
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Houston football will take on the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 3 p.m., inside TDECU Stadium, in Houston, Texas.
This is a must-win game for the Cougars, with hopes of sneaking into the Big 12 Championship game.
Both teams have very talented rosters and there are several key players that will be vitally important in this matchup.
TCU Players To Watch
TCU’s clear strength is the passing game, and so far this season, they’ve passed for just under 3,000 yards.
Junior quarterback Josh Hoover is the leader of the team, and he ranks No. 2 in passing in the Big 12 Conference.
While he has 23 touchdowns on the year, he has also thrown 10 interceptions, which the Houston secondary can take advantage of.
He also is a primary pocket passer and isn’t known as a threat to run.
The next key player for TCU is senior wide receiver Eric McAlister. Hoover’s top target ranks No. 1 in the Big 12 in receiving.
This season, he has hauled in 52 catches for 941 yards and eight touchdowns, making him one of the best receivers in the entire country.
TCU’s final player that could make a huge impact in this game is senior linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr.
Facing a Houston squad that loves to run the ball with both running backs and junior quarterback Conner Weigman, the veteran linebacker will be much needed in this game to stop the run.
He leads his team with 99 total tackles and four sacks this season.
Houston’s Players To Watch
The Horned Frogs rank No. 3 in the conference in rushing defense and have several players upfront that can stop the run.
With that being said, the Cougars will have to find success in the passing game to win.
Conner Weigman is the first player Houston will need to step up big and limit the interceptions and fumbles he’s struggled with over the past two games.
TCU ranks No. 14 in the Big 12 in passing defense, which could be a major advantage for the Cougars.
Junior wide receiver Amare Thomas is the top target in Houston’s offense this season, and he has emerged as one of the better receivers in the conference.
He leads the team with 737 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, and he can really take advantage of the Horned Frogs' weak secondary.
The final player to watch for Houston is senior defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr.
He will be faced with a tall task guarding one of the best receivers in all of college football, so his play will be vital for the team’s success.
Ashton Grissom is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a senior at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Media Production with a minor in Marketing and Spanish. He also works for two student organizations: The Cougar and CoogTV. You can find Grissom on his Instagram (@ashtonagrissom8) or Twitter (@ashtongrissom8).