Can TCU Finally Break the Appalachian Affliction?

TCU’s time in Morgantown started with two nail-biter wins in 2012 and 2014, the latter of which was a 31-30 victory via a 37-yard walk-off field goal by Jaden Oberkrom that kept the Frogs’ magical campaign, which ended in a dominating Peach Bowl win, alive. Since then, however, the roses and daisies have wilted, and TCU has struggled to find any consistent footing in the hills of West Virginia. 

The first real symptoms of Appalachian Affliction popped up in 2016. The Frogs, already with two losses, went into Morgantown and failed to upset the undefeated Mountaineers. That’s actually giving TCU a little too much credit—West Virginia thoroughly dominated that day to the tune of a 34-10 victory. The Frogs were held scoreless in the second half as West Virginia put on a masterclass in ball control. TCU’s season spiraled from there, and the team barely made a bowl game.

A brief reprieve from the sickness followed in 2017 with a win in Fort Worth, but what followed was one of the worst cases of Appalachian Affliction doctors had seen in years. The Frogs went on to lose the next four matchups between the two teams, all of which were debilitating defeats. In almost every instance, TCU was assumed to have the more talented roster, but there’s just something in the water in Morgantown, and the Mountaineers always seemed to have the edge.

It wasn’t until the best season in school history in 2022 that TCU finally got off the schneid and figured out a way to take down West Virginia, and even that wasn’t easy. Were it not for a last-second touchdown from Max Duggan to Savion Williams, the Frogs wouldn’t have even covered the spread. Alas, they still got it done, and we all know how that campaign ended up transpiring after the fact.

Not everything was fixed, though, as TCU’s ailment against West Virginia continued in 2023. The Frogs once again fell short of expectations, losing 24-21 at Amon G. Carter Stadium after blowing a 21-14 halftime lead. It was a disaster in every sense. TCU outgained West Virginia 433-343 and ran 15 more plays, yet missed three field goals and lost the time of possession battle by six minutes. Everyone knows TCU’s 2023 season was a disappointment, and that loss was a big reason why.

As the team turns the page to Saturday’s game, there’s hope that this trend of bad times in West Virginia will come to an end. The Mountaineers are one of the worst teams in the Power Four in almost every metric—122nd in points per game (17), 120th in opponent points per game (35.5), 123rd in yards per pass (5.9), and 104th in yards per rush (3.6). As such, the Frogs should roll, but if the team’s case of Appalachian Affliction has anything to say about it, Saturday night might be a doozy.