6 Weeks Until Kick-off, How the 2026 Season Could Define Sonny Dikes' Legacy at TCU

Sonny Dykes delivered one of the greatest seasons in TCU football history, but the years since have produced mixed results. As the Horned Frogs enter 2026, this season could determine how his tenure in Fort Worth is ultimately decided.

TCU Coach Sonny Dykes leads his team on to the football field. | TB@KillerFrogs.com

Four seasons after leading TCU to the national championship game, Sonny Dykes enters perhaps the most important season of his tenure. Another run at the Big 12 title could cement his legacy. falling short could strengthen the belief that 2022 was an outlier.

A Historic Beginning for Sonny Dykes

Dykes has led the Frogs to a 36-17 record since taking over as head coach. Dykes' tenure began with 11 consecutive victories. The first loss came against Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship Game. After coming back from a 28-17 deficit, the Frogs couldn’t convert in the second overtime, losing the conference title game 31-28. Regardless, TCU earned a spot in the College Football Playoff and matched up with Michigan in the No. 2 versus No. 3 Fiesta Bowl semifinal. Dykes led the Frogs to their first and only College Football playoff win, earning the program's first appearance in the national championship game of the College Football Playoff era. The Frogs lost to the Bulldogs of Georgia, but the season had far exceeded expectations. 

The Difficult Follow-up to 2022

After shocking the world, TCU would head into 2023 with high expectations. However, the start to this season’s campaign would test Sonny Dykes and the coaching staff. Coach Prime's Colorado team came to Fort Worth and made a dazzling debut, upsetting TCU 45-42. A game that was supposed to be a celebration for the team making College Football turned into a nationwide embarrassment. The season continued, and TCU won its next three games before losing to West Virginia and Iowa State in back-to-back games. After a win against BYU, TCU would lose its final four out of five games, missing bowl eligibility with a 5-7 record. 

The drastic endings in 2022 and 2023 left fans unsure whether to trust the previous season as more to come or as a one-hit wonder. 

Signs of Progress in 2024

2024 would be the opportunity to prove the latter right. Dykes had his quarterback in Josh Hoover, a big-time wide receiver in Savon Williams, and a fairly easy schedule ahead of them. TCU would start the season with a win at Stanford, proving this team was different than 2023. However, reality would come crashing down as back-to-back losses against UCF and SMU would derail the season early. An October loss to Houston in Fort Worth would not help the temperature, but the Frogs finished the season with a win in four straight games, including the New Mexico Bowl against Louisiana. 

2025 Left More Questions Than Answers

Kevorian Barnes and the TCU Horned Frogs will take on ACU this weekend. | TBasdgadsg

After finishing 2024 with 9 wins, the momentum was back in action as 2025 was positioned to be the best one since 2022. After a thunderous 48-14 win against North Carolina, those preseason expectations seemed to be correct. Heading into a matchup at Arizona State, the Frogs looked to continue their undefeated start, but a late offensive collapse allowed the Sun Devils to steal the game 27-24. TCU would continue to show flaws, and turnovers ended the game against Kansas State before it even began. TCU then dropped back-to-back games against Iowa State and BYU before winning its final three games,including a victory in the Alamo Bowl over the University of Southern California, ending the season with a 9-4 record. 

Where Does Sonny Dykes' Legacy Stand Today?

Catching up to today, what is the legacy of Head Coach Sonny Dykes at TCU? He brought the team to a national championship. At the time, if you were to tell TCU’s athletic director, Jeremiah Donati, that Dykes would coach the team in the national championship game at any point in his tenure, he would be elated. Dykes accomplishing a feat such as that can set any coach and program up for unrealistic expectations. Furthermore, TCU struggled to achieve success, such as double-digit wins, since 2017. Dykes proved to be a breath of fresh air after long-tenured head coach Gary Patterson's time with TCU came to an end. While the national championship was a new high for the program, the Frogs have been close to reaching those levels of success since. 

TCU has found itself struggling to be in contention for the Big 12 Championship game. TCU was behind the 8-ball in 2024, and let any opportunity of sneaking into the game pass them by in 2025. Will that be the case this season? 

Why the 2026 Season Matters Most

Preseason analysts have placed the Frogs near the top of the middle of the pack in the conference. Dykes has struggled to prove he can coach this team to beat the best in the conference since 2023. His most notable wins include a 35-34 comeback win against Texas Tech in 2024 and a 17-14 ranked win over Houston in 2025. Dykes will have chances this season to add to that total with games against BYU, Arizona, Utah, and Texas Tech. 

If Dykes can make a berth into the Big 12 championship this season, his legacy will be highlighted with the 2026 and 2022 seasons, as proof that his success can be repeated. However, if he fails to reach or be in the discussion of that game, the narrative will insist that 2022 was a fluke and Dykes has failed to exceed expectations, and TCU could find themselves frozen and not making progress to a highly successful program.