Sonny Dykes Praises Team Grit, Eyes Another Mobile QB Test vs. Cincinnati

The Horned Frogs will face another mobile quarterback this weekend in Fort Worth.

Nov 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes walks on the field during the fourth quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

On Tuesday afternoon, TCU head coach Sonny Dykes met with the media to discuss both their recent win over the Houston Cougars and their upcoming matchup against the Cincinnati Bearcats.

The TCU Horned Frogs will look to end their season on a high note by toppling an extremely talented Bearcats team. With how strong Andy Avalos' defense looked against the Cougars on Saturday, there's reason to believe in the Frogs going 8-4 this season.

During his midweek presser, Dykes talked about the resilience of the program after two brutal losses to Iowa State and No. 11 BYU. The head coach then shared his thoughts on the Big 12's elite quarterback play, including Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby, who the Frogs will face on Saturday.

Dykes Highlights the Defensive Battle in Houston

Nov 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs defensive lineman Zachary Chapman (0) reacts after making a tackle on Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) during the fourth quarter at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

When asked about TCU's 17-14 win over the Cougars being a low-scoring affair, Dykes said that the Frogs have been playing games similar to it all year. The head coach also mentioned that TCU has had trouble pulling away from their opponents that they've beaten as well.

"That's kind of been our problem this year," Dykes said. "That's been the frustrating thing, I think it's been our inability to consistently execute at a high enough level to pull away from people.

"I'm so proud of our players for just their mentality," Dykes added. "When bad things happened, they just kept their heads down and kept grinding. They had an aura about them, I think, that was different — just a mentality that was incredibly important and something that we stressed on during the week. The guys really bought into it, and to me, that was the difference in the game."

The "bad things" that Dykes is referring to are likely the turnover issues on offense. While quarterback Josh Hoover totaled nearly 300 passing yards and two touchdowns against a good Cougars' secondary, he also made three costly mistakes that kept the game close.

The Frogs Will Once Again Face a Running Quarterback

Nov 22, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby (2) runs with the ball against the BYU Cougars in the first half at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

This season, the Horned Frogs have faced a plethora of mobile quarterbacks. Not only did the TCU defense face SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings before conference play began, the Frogs have also taken on other mobile quarterbacks like Sam Leavitt, Avery Johnson, Bear Bachmeier, and Conner Weigman.

While TCU came away with a win over the Cougars on Saturday, Houston's quarterback had a nice day on the ground. Weigman totaled over 100 rushing yards against the Frogs on 16 carries.

When talking about Brendan Sorsby's role in the Cincinnati offense, particularly when he uses his legs, Dykes noted that while the junior didn't run the ball too often, he was still effective when the Bearcats needed him to make a play. The head coach also added that he felt that the Big 12 is the most talented conference in the country when it comes to the quarterback position.

"It's a weird year in the Big 12 that way because they're all experienced quarterbacks and they're all mobile guys," Dykes said. "To me, it's the best quarterback league in college football. Just from an experience standpoint and a diverse skillset standpoint as well, I think all of these guys can make plays happen with their feet."

In the Bearcats' offense this season, Sorsby has totaled 521 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on only 90 rushing attempts. His best performance on the ground occurred during their season-opening 20-17 loss to Nebraska, where he totaled 96 yards and two touchdowns on only 13 rushing attempts.

If the Frogs are going to reach the 8-win mark, they'll need to make a significant effort to limit the explosive plays from the Bearcats both through the air and in the run game.