Josh Hoover’s Heisman Hype Could Take Off This Weekend

TCU quarterback Josh Hoover is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about players in college football.

The redshirt junior lit up North Carolina in Week One, throwing for 284 yards and two touchdowns in a convincing road win. The performance didn’t just help the Frogs make a statement—it also pushed Hoover firmly into the national spotlight.

CBS Sports’ David Cobb went as far as ranking Hoover the No. 1 quarterback in the country this week. For a player who already entered the season with high expectations, that kind of recognition has sparked buzz in Fort Worth that the Horned Frogs may once again have a Heisman contender under center.

QB1 is the nation’s #1 QB.

🗞️: https://t.co/2qDX7Yuaf3 pic.twitter.com/5TTzKV2kDI
— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) September 3, 2025

After a Week 2 bye, TCU returns to action Saturday in its home opener against Abilene Christian. On paper, it is a game the Frogs should dominate. But for Hoover, the matchup represents an important opportunity.

History shows that games against non–Power 4 opponents often provide the stat-padding performances that help shape a Heisman campaign.

Colorado star Travis Hunter put up eye-popping numbers against lower-level opponents in 2024, performances that helped fuel his Heisman campaign. He opened the season with seven catches for 132 yards and three touchdowns against North Dakota State, then later torched Colorado State for 13 receptions, 100 yards, two touchdowns, and even added an interception on defense.

Jayden Daniels, the 2023 winner, racked up 298 total yards and five touchdowns against Grambling. Later in the season, he exploded for 509 yards and eight scores against Georgia State—two games that helped elevate his resume.

Even TCU fans have seen this play out before. In 2022, Max Duggan posted season highs with 390 passing yards and five touchdowns against Tarleton State, a performance that helped launch the Heisman campaign that carried him to New York.

The lesson is simple: voters notice stats. Big numbers, even against lesser competition, often provide a foundation that keeps a quarterback in the Heisman conversation well into November.

Hoover, by all accounts, does not focus on individual accolades. He has carried himself in interviews as a team-first leader who cares only about winning games. Still, his emergence as a Heisman candidate would be a major storyline for both TCU and the Big 12 this season.

Saturday’s matchup may not carry the national weight of a showdown with a ranked opponent. But in the bigger picture, it could be the kind of game that keeps Hoover’s name trending—and perhaps sets the stage for another Horned Frog to make the trip to New York.

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