TCU Looks to Upend Historic Trends In Morgantown

TCU has a losing record against West Virginia since joining the Big 12.

Cornerback Vernon Glover and TCU will face West Virginia this weekend. | Tony Beblowski - KillerFrogs.com for TCU On SI

On paper, TCU holds clear advantages over West Virginia.  

West Virginia (2-5 overall, 0-4 Big 12) ranks 14th or worse among 16 Big 12 teams in nearly every statistical category, including scoring offense (21 points per game), scoring defense (30.9), total offense (354 yards per game), total defense (416 yards), and sacks allowed (20). 

History between the Horned Frogs (5-2, 2-2) and Mountaineers, though, indicates this game rarely follows a predetermined script. Since joining the Big 12 in 2012, TCU is 5-7 against West Virginia, with a 3-3 record in Morgantown. 

“They're a different team at home than they are on the road,” TCU head coach Sonny Dykes said at his weekly press conference. “They play really, really hard. You have a great fan base, passionate fan base. I think it brings out the best in their players.”

Add in the fact that TCU has not scored in the first quarter since the Arizona State game on Sept. 26, and Saturday’s game at West Virginia carries a little more pressure. 

“We got to try to make sure that we address it and fix it and figure out what our issues are and get off to a faster start,” Dykes said. “It's going to be critical for us to get off to a good start this week on the road. It's always important to start good in a football game. It's particularly important to start well on the road.”

West Virginia has struggled in head coach Rich Rodriguez’s first year back in Morgantown. Rodriguez coached the Mountaineers from 2001-2007 and won the Big East Conference four times. During the last two seasons, the offenses ranked top-10 nationally in several categories. 

This year, West Virginia has cracked the 20-point barrier just two times against FCS opponents. A 31-24 overtime win against Pittsburgh and an opportunistic defense that has snagged eight interceptions are some season highlights. 

Rodriguez 'Makes Sense' at West Virginia

Still, Dykes said Rodriguez “makes sense” at West Virginia because of the storied history. 

“He understands the culture there,” Dykes said. “He understands the passionate fan base. There's nobody that understands West Virginia football probably better than Rich does. And his teams are going to be tough, and I think they fit the profile for what their fans like and appreciate.”

Oct 3, 2025; Provo, Utah, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez coaches during the fourth quarter against the Brigham Young Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Injuries, youth, and inconsistent quarterback play have slowed down the Mountaineers. West Virginia lost starting quarterback Nicco Marchiol to a foot injury in late September. Since then, freshmen Khalil Wilkins and Scotty Fox Jr. have split time at quarterback. 

In the last three games, Wilkins has completed 15-of-31 passes for 176 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. He also ran for 176 yards on 47 carries. Fox has taken 35 snaps in that same time frame, amassing 101 passing yards and 29 rushing yards. The Horned Frogs will formulate game plans for both quarterbacks, Dykes said.  

“I think we're trying to kind of figure out exactly who it's going to be,” Dykes said. “Maybe when injury reports come out, we'll get a little bit more clarity ... But, anytime that you're trying to get ready for multiple quarterbacks, it's always a little scary just because they're going to see things differently.”

TCU won its last trip to Morgantown during the 2022 season. This year, the stakes are a little different since an undefeated regular season is not on the line, but the Horned Frogs are technically in the hunt for a Big 12 title game appearance. 

BYU and Cincinnati are tied atop the Big 12 with a perfect 4-0 conference record. A trio of teams (Arizona State, Texas Tech, and Houston) has one conference loss, while TCU is one of five teams sitting at 2-2. 

If the Horned Frogs win out, they would need help - i.e., losses from other teams - to get a top-two spot. That’s not impossible given last weekend’s unexpected results in Salt Lake City and Provo, but step one is taking care of business in West Virginia. 

“It's always about us,” cornerback Vernon Glover said. “I really feel like we beat ourselves in both of those games that we lost. So, the message is always what it's been at the beginning of the season, [go] 1-0. Handle what we handle, handle your 1-11, and the rest is going to take care of itself.”

TCU and West Virginia will kick off at 5 p.m. CT on Saturday, October 25, at Milan Puskar Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.