TCU Legends Make Their Week 4 Football Picks

Former Horned Frogs from different eras join Jason Phillips to pick three games with Big 12 and national implications.

Different eras. Same brotherhood. Seven former Horned Frogs make their Week 4 picks. | created by Jason Phillips for KillerFrogs.com

Everybody has picks.

This one is going to be a little different.

Each week, I’m bringing together former TCU players from different eras to make picks on some of the biggest games involving the Frogs, the Big 12 and the national college football picture.

The point isn’t for everybody to agree. Actually, I’m hoping they don’t.

These are guys who have played in these environments. They understand that sometimes the reason you pick a team has less to do with a stat sheet and more to do with what you know about the program, the matchup or the place they’re about to play.

And I’m not just keeping score. I’m making my picks, too.

For our first Big 12 Week 4 picks, Travin Howard, Stephen Hodge, Bart Johnson, Blake Schlueter, James Vess and Shannon Brazzell join me for TCU at UCF, Utah at Iowa State and Texas at Tennessee.

TCU opens conference play after its win over Arkansas State. As I wrote in my look at the Frogs’ upcoming Big 12 opponents, the early results have started to give these matchups some shape.

TCU edge rusher Paul Oyewale (97) brings down an Arkansas State ball carrier during the Horned Frogs’ 31-7 victory at Amon G. Carter Stadium. | Tony Beblowski for KillerFrogs.com

It didn’t take long to find our first guy willing to go against the room.

TCU at UCF

Six of the seven of us are taking TCU in our TCU vs. UCF predictions.

Stephen Hodge isn’t.

Jason Phillips: TCU 27, UCF 20

UCF has enough athletes to make me respect this game, especially on the road. But I want to see TCU make the Knights play left-handed. Take away what they want to do, get them behind the chains and make them consistently beat you another way. I think TCU does that and gets out of Orlando with a conference win.

Travin Howard: TCU 35, UCF 23

“Got to go with my guys, coming off two solid wins. I think TCU will continue to build and come out with a W.”

Stephen Hodge: UCF 35, TCU 30

Hodge is going against his former team right out of the gate. He believes the Frogs fall just short because the Knights have historically been tough to beat at home.

Bart Johnson: TCU 28, UCF 17

Johnson believes Dwyer’s expected return gives Jaden Craig another downfield threat and thinks the passing game gets the win.

Blake Schlueter: TCU 30, UCF 24

Schlueter believes TCU has the edge, stays in control on the road and finishes the win.

James Vess: TCU 35, UCF 24

Vess is looking at the guys up front.

“Would like to see the O-line dominate and establish a run game. I think Max Carroll and Hudson Hooper continue to play relentless at LB position.”

Vess also pointed to Carroll and Hooper’s senior leadership and the need for the defense to create big plays that get Craig and the offense back on the field.

Shannon Brazzell: TCU 37, UCF 17

“This will be a tough game for TCU but we find a way to pull it out.”

The consensus: TCU, 6-1

Different scores. Different reasons. Pretty clear result.

Six of us have TCU leaving Orlando with a win. Hodge is our first man on an island.

I respect it. If we’re going to do this every week, I don’t want seven former players looking over each other’s shoulders before making a pick.

Utah at Iowa State

Sep 19, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; A member of the Utah Utes cheer team performs during the second half of a game against the Utah State Aggies at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Our Utah vs. Iowa State predictions are where the idea behind this feature starts to get interesting.

Six of the seven of us picked Utah. There may be a little history behind that.

Several guys on this panel faced Utah when TCU and the Utes were conference opponents. We know what those games felt like. We know the kind of football that program demanded.

I don’t think you can completely separate that experience from the respect Utah is getting from this group.

Jason Phillips: Utah 34, Iowa State 20

I played Utah enough times to know what that program is built on. The Utes make you earn everything. Ames is a hard place to play, but I trust Utah to handle the environment and play the kind of physical football I’ve come to expect from them.

Travin Howard: Utah 31, Iowa State 21

Howard sees Iowa State as a solid team, especially at home, but believes Utah is the more complete team right now.

Stephen Hodge: Iowa State 27, Utah 21

Hodge believes Iowa State pulls the upset because playing in Ames gives the Cyclones what he called a little “mystique super power.”

Hard place to play.

Bart Johnson: Utah 31, Iowa State 21

Johnson respects Iowa State at home, too, but believes Utah quarterback Devon Dampier will be too much for the Cyclones to handle.

Blake Schlueter: Utah 38, Iowa State 23

Schlueter expects Utah to control the game, with Iowa State’s home field keeping it close early before the Utes pull away.

James Vess: Utah 42, Iowa State 24

Vess put it pretty simply:

“The Utes typically have a tough team with many athletes.”

If you’ve played them, you know exactly what he means.

Shannon Brazzell: Utah 42, Iowa State 24

Brazzell believes Utah has been battle-tested and expects the Utes to roll.

The consensus: Utah, 6-1

Another 6-1 vote.

But I think this one tells us a little more about the panel than simply who everybody thinks will win.

Sometimes respect for a program is earned by watching it. Sometimes it’s earned by lining up across from it.

Texas at Tennessee

Sep 19, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns spirit squad member during the first half against the UTSA Roadrunners at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now we’ve got ourselves a disagreement in our Texas vs. Tennessee predictions.

Tennessee: four votes. Texas: three.

This is easily the closest vote of the week, and the environment in Knoxville shows up all over the reasoning.

Jason Phillips: Texas 27, Tennessee 24

This is the hardest one for me to pick. Neyland is going to be a tough environment, and in a game this close, one bad series can change everything. I think Texas handles those swings well enough to find a way late.

Travin Howard: Texas 20, Tennessee 13

Howard believes Texas can carry confidence from its comeback win against Ohio State into another difficult road environment and find a way to win.

He also doesn’t believe one September loss would eliminate either team from the College Football Playoff picture. There is too much football left.

Bart Johnson: Texas 20, Tennessee 13

Johnson expects the environment to help produce a low-scoring game, but believes Texas overcomes what he called its “Ohio State hangover game” and pulls it out in Knoxville.

The other four are taking Tennessee.

Stephen Hodge: Tennessee 37, Texas 30

Hodge likes what Tennessee is doing defensively, particularly its physicality. He believes if the Vols can withstand the Texas passing attack, they’ll send the Longhorns home with their first loss.

Blake Schlueter: Tennessee 31, Texas 24

Schlueter believes a win would be a huge boost for Tennessee and put the Vols firmly into the playoff conversation, while Texas would still have plenty of season left to work its way back.

James Vess: Tennessee 27, Texas 20

Vess sees two teams with comparable talent and believes home field can be the difference in a game like this.

He also admitted something I can appreciate:

“I like a good underdog also!”

Shannon Brazzell: Tennessee 31, Texas 28

Brazzell didn’t dance around what he thinks will decide it.

“That stadium will be rocking with over 100,000 Vols, and I think it’s too much pressure for Texas QB in that environment.”

That’s our first real split. Four to three. And that’s exactly what I hoped we’d get from this feature.

Picks at a Glance

Seven former Horned Frogs make their Week 4 picks for TCU at UCF, Utah at Iowa State and Texas at Tennessee. | Ryann Zeller for KillerFrogs.com

The Legends’ Consensus

The numbers say TCU and Utah are our strongest consensus picks. But the reasons behind those numbers are more interesting.

TCU gets six votes because most of this group believes the Frogs are ready to win their conference opener on the road. Utah gets six votes with some history attached. Members of this panel know that program from lining up against it.

Texas-Tennessee gives us our first real divide.

And then there’s Stephen Hodge.

He’s the only one taking UCF. He’s the only one taking Iowa State.

If he’s right on both, we’re going to hear about it.

If he’s wrong? Well, that’s why we’re keeping standings.

Every correct straight-up pick earns a point beginning with this opening slate. The TCU score prediction serves as the tiebreaker.

Week 1 starts now.

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