2026 K-State Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 10: TCU

TCU has been one of the more consistent teams in the Big 12 recently, including a berth in the national championship just four seasons ago. In the last two seasons, the Horned Frogs have won nine games each year. The only other team in the Big 12 that has accomplished that is BYU. Sonny Dykes has done a phenomenal job of building a winner in Fort Worth.

The Horned Frogs enter the 2026 season viewed as a fringe bowl team, with Vegas putting the over/under at 6.5 wins. However, if Dykes has shown during his time as the coach at TCU, the Horned Frogs are a team to never doubt.

Offense

The Horned Frogs lost one of the best quarterbacks in the country when Josh Hoover entered the portal and transferred to Indiana. However, Dykes and his staff were quick to bring in talent, securing a commitment from Harvard transfer Jaden Craig. In his last two seasons as the quarterback for the Crimson, he threw for 5,299 yards, 48 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions.

One weapon that Craig will have back is running back Jeremy Payne. He rushed for 623 yards and five touchdowns, despite having only 110 carries. He is expected to have a much bigger role next year, and he could be in store for a 1,000-yard type of season. Like Payne, wide receiver Jordan Dwyer was a big part of the offense last year, finishing with 54 catches for 723 yards and seven touchdowns.

The offensive line has an anchor back in Ben Taylor-Whitfield, who will be starting for the third consecutive season. The rest of the group is role players from last season, as well as guys from the transfer portal. If this unit can come together and give the offense time, there is enough talent on offense to put up big numbers.

Defense

The defense has many reasons to be optimistic, especially in the secondary. New defensive backs coach Benny Boyd is blessed with a ton of talent, and it starts with one of the best defensive players in the country, safety Jamel Johnson. Last season, he led the team with 96 tackles and five interceptions. He is as good of leader as there is in the conference, and his ability on the field allows everyone else to play aggressively.

Gil Jackson and Vernon Glover are two guys who can become one of the best cornerback duos in the country. During the off-season, Boyd had nothing but praise when talking to reporters.

"Gil's a unicorn," Boyd told reporters in April. "A 6'3 guy that can move like that, that is physical, and then the best part about Gittles how coachable that he is, he's a unicorn. You just don't find guys like that."

They are both elite athletes who are capable of making plays in both the run and the pass. Jackson is still learning how to truly play the position, but he has the type of potential to be the best player on this defense.

The linebackers lost key players last year in Kaleb Elarms-Orr and Namdi Obiazor, who finished first and third last year on the team in tackles. Both were drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, going to the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, respectively. Max Carroll is a guy who has been a backup during his time at TCU, but the Horned Frogs will be looking to him to take the next step.

If the defense can stand up to opponents running the ball and make opposing offenses one-dimensional, then the Horned Frogs have a chance to be in every game.

Schedule

The Horned Frogs gave Bill Belichick a rude introduction to college football last year, and welcome the North Carolina Tar Heels to Fort Worth to start the season. The potential is there for TCU to be 4-0 when it welcomes to BYU in a huge early season conference game.

The back end of the schedule is tough, especially the final three games of the year. Besides the matchup with K-State, the last two games of the year are against Utah and at Texas Tech. These are three of the better teams in the Big 12, and to get through that gauntlet would mean TCU is having a special season.

Outlook

The Big 12 is wide open once again this year, and TCU is definitely a team capable of going on a run. There are definitely question marks on both sides of the ball, but there is also a ton of star power. For the Horned Frogs, one of the biggest questions will be whether they win at the line of scrimmage. If they can do that, then the Horned Frogs could be a an interesting sleeper to win the Big 12.

Game Info

Date: Saturday, November 14
Time: TBD
TV: TBD
Location: Amon G. Carter Stadium
Series history: K-State leads the all-time series, 11-8. K-State has won the last three games, including last year's matchup in Manhattan, 41-28. Avery Johnson finished with 198 yards and three touchdowns, while tight end Garrett Oakley had four catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns.

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