Oct 25, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Texas Christian University Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover (10) changes the play at the line of scrimmage during the third quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Dykes, TCU Look to Handle Houston

Originally posted on TCU Horned Frogs on SI
By Ian Napetian | Last updated Nov 20, 2025 6:15 PM ET

Sonny Dykes and the TCU Horned Frogs (6-4, 3-4 Big 12) will hit the road for Saturday’s matchup against the Houston Cougars (8-2, 5-2 Big 12) in what will be a bounce-back effort after suffering consecutive losses.

TCU needs to respond and find its way back into the winning column, and it all starts from the first snap.

Frogs Need A Fast Start:

TCU has failed to score in the first quarter in five of the last six games. Amid the program’s offensive struggles, a fast and efficient start is imperative if the Frogs want to answer for their road woes. TCU is 1-3 in road conference games this season with losses to Arizona State, Kansas State, and BYU. Their only Big 12 road win came against West Virginia, in which the Frogs scored 10 points in the first quarter.

Dykes said, “Houston is a good football team. They’re playing with a lot of confidence right now… and they’ve done a really good job of finding ways to win.”

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Cougars’ defense is ranked sixth in the conference, allowing just 22.1 points per game and just 333.1 total yards per game. That is 135.5 rushing yards and 197.1 passing yards allowed to opponents. Josh Hoover must link with his receivers early and often after being stymied against BYU last weekend, where he threw for his worst completion percentage (43.5%) as a Horned Frog.

Stymie The Cougars’ Rushing Game:

The Cougars have one of the most potent rushing attacks in the conference. Between quarterback Conner Weigman and running back Dean Connors, Houston poses a threat to a Frogs defense that has struggled in recent games.

Connors is the sixth-best rusher in the Big 12 with 725 yards and four touchdowns. The senior from Hawai’i is averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 72.5 yards per game. Alongside Connors, Weigman provides a dual threat. He has rushed for 409 yards and nine touchdowns–the second most rushing scores of any quarterback in the conference.

At his midweek press conference, Dykes said, “It’ll be a dogfight on Saturday, but we’re looking forward to it. We’re just ready to get back out on the grass and compete.”

What’s Next for the Horned Frogs?

Kickoff between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Houston Cougars is set for Saturday, Nov. 22, at 3:30 p.m. CT, from John O'Quinn Field at TDECU Stadium. The game will be televised on FOX.

This article first appeared on TCU Horned Frogs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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