How TCU’s Big 12 Hopes Shifted Without Playing a Snap

Even without playing, the Horned Frogs saw several results swing their way – and a few that didn’t – as the Big 12 race tightened up.

Oct 25, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Texas Christian University Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes leads his team onto the field prior to their game against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

With no game for the Frogs this week, they didn’t have a chance to move the needle themselves. Fortunately for them, though, several results from yesterday’s slate went their way and might just help propel TCU closer to its goals.

Conversely, there were some results that didn’t go the way of the Frogs, which, while unfortunate, isn’t something they can control. As is always the case, the only way for TCU to take advantage of the breaks awarded to it is to win itself, and that’ll be a daunting task in its own right. Before we look forward to what may be in the weeks ahead, let’s reflect on the Saturday that was in the Big 12.

Major Big 12 Clash Set Next Week in Lubbock

Nov 1, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Ben Roberts (13) celebrates with safety Brenden Jordan (7) and cornerback Maurion Horn (4) after intercepting a pass against the Kansas State Wildcats during the fourth quarter at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

Texas Tech was officially on upset alert against Kansas State headed into the day. With backup quarterback Will Hammond out with an ACL tear for the rest of the year, injury-riddled starter Behren Morton had no insurance behind him. While that may come back to bite the Red Raiders down the stretch, it didn’t on Saturday as the team steamrolled the Wildcats 43-20 in a game that was never all that competitive after the first quarter.

Morton wasn’t spectacular but was solid in a performance that saw him throw for 249 yards and two touchdowns. He kept the ball out of harm’s way, apart from an interception he threw on the opening drive of the game.

What was most impressive for the Red Raiders was the return of their dominant defense. After stinking it up in Tempe two weeks ago, Texas Tech shut down Oklahoma State (granted, that’s an easy thing to do nowadays) and forced five takeaways against Kansas State. It was the defense that was supposed to be the separator for Texas Tech coming into the season, and that’s definitely been the case over the last two weeks.

With the win, the Red Raiders entered the top 10 in the AP poll once again and are set to host the only undefeated team remaining in the Big 12 next: BYU. The winner will have an inside path to Arlington. It’s going to be a seismic matchup — one that will have the eyes of America focused on Lubbock.

Catching Texas Tech is probably an unattainable goal for the Horned Frogs with how it’s been playing all year. TCU did need Kansas State to slip up, however, and that’s exactly what transpired. Should the Frogs continue to win, that horrific loss in Manhattan might not matter as much down the stretch as it otherwise could’ve had Kansas State kept winning.

Iowa State Did TCU Zero Favors

Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Jeff Sims (2) breaks tackle from Iowa State Cyclones' defensive line Domonique Orange (95) and runs for a first down during the fourth quarter in the Big-12 showdown at jack Trice Stadium on Nov. 1, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cyclones will come to Fort Worth this upcoming Saturday, and the Frogs really would’ve liked to see them break their losing streak and beat Arizona State.

From an outsider’s perspective, it should’ve been easy. The Sun Devils lost starting quarterback Sam Leavitt for the season, and journeyman signal-caller Jeff Sims — who’s always a wild card — was under center in his stead. Alas, it just wasn’t meant to be, and Arizona State, led by Sims’ 228 rushing yards, took home a 24-19 win.

Arizona State is 4-2 in conference play, half a game ahead of TCU. Since the Sun Devils hold the head-to-head tiebreaker, the gap is effectively a full game — should the two teams end up tied, the edge would go to ASU. Iowa State is 2-4 and probably not a threat to any goals the Frogs wish to accomplish. Oh well. It appears that TCU will just need to get revenge on Iowa State itself this weekend at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

Salt Lake City Is a Scary Place for a Bearcat

Nov 1, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) throws the ball against the Cincinnati Bearcats during the second half at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

While everybody was watching Game 7 of the World Series between the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the forlorn Toronto Blue Jays, Utah was beating up on a Cincinnati team that apparently didn’t know what it had coming.

On paper, the box score doesn’t look all that bad for the Bearcats. They put up 427 total yards — 206 of which were on the ground. But that’s where the pleasantries end, as Utah controlled the ball for more than 40 minutes, forced three turnovers, and limited quarterback Brendan Sorsby to just 11-of-33 passing in a 45-14 victory.

Utah surged ahead of the Frogs with the win and, frankly, looks like a dominant force that few teams could stop right now. Meanwhile, Cincinnati suffered its first conference loss of the year and suddenly doesn’t look quite as invincible as once thought. TCU plays the Bearcats in the final game of the season, and that matchup could prove to be an incredibly consequential contest for both teams.

West Virginia Did What?

Nov 1, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Scotty Fox Jr. (15) rushes for a touchdown against the Houston Cougars in the second half at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Perhaps TCU’s stinker in Morgantown wasn’t so bad after all.

West Virginia won its first Big 12 game of the year against a Houston team that had been playing with fire all season, and it finally caught up to them. Fourth-string quarterback and true freshman Scotty Fox Jr. lit up the Cougars’ defense and propelled the Mountaineers to a 45-35 victory they’ll remember for a long time.

As a result, Houston’s hopes of winning the conference are pretty much dead and gone, and TCU now has an even easier path to catch up when the two teams play on Nov. 22.

Updated Conference Standings

Team	Conference Record	Overall Record	Streak
No. 8 BYU	5-0	8-0	W8
No. 9 Texas Tech	5-1	8-1	W2
No. 25 Cincinnati	5-1	7-2	L1
Houston	4-2	7-2	L1
No. 17 Utah	4-2	7-2	W2
Arizona State	4-2	6-3	W1
TCU	3-2	6-2	W2
Baylor	3-3	5-4	W1
Kansas State	3-3	4-5	L1
Kansas	3-3	5-4	W1
Arizona	2-3	5-3	W1
Iowa State	2-4	5-4	L4
UCF	1-4	4-4	L1
Colorado	1-5	3-6	L2
West Virginia	1-5	3-6	W1
Oklahoma State	0-6	1-8	L8

TCU has head-to-head wins — and subsequently the tiebreaker — over Baylor, Colorado and West Virginia. It does not against Arizona State and Kansas State. Of the four games remaining on the Frogs’ schedule — Iowa State, BYU, Houston and Cincinnati — three are against teams ahead of them in the standings.