Three reasons why TCU will avenge its Big 12 title loss to Kansas State or stumble once again`
With Josh Hoover’s spectacular debut last week keeping TCU in the Big 12 race, the Horned Frogs now find themselves in a pivotal matchup against Kansas State.
TCU (4-3, 2-2) must view this game as an elimination game in terms of reaching the Big 12 championship game. K-State (4-2, 2-1) has a little more room for a loss, but even two losses could be too much for a team to overcome with the way Oklahoma and Texas have been playing.
With both teams turning to backup quarterbacks, there’s a lot of unknowns for Saturday night’s game which will make this one of the more fun Three Reasons Why this season.
So, let’s get to it. Here are three reasons why TCU will upset Kansas State or suffer another heartbreak to the Wildcats:
Three reasons why TCU will beat Kansas State
1. The secondary: Remember at the start of the off-season when we all assumed that TCU’s secondary would be the strength of the team? Then the Colorado game happened and the Horned Frogs were lit up for more than 500 yards. However since that first game, did you know the secondary has only allowed one touchdown pass?
Josh Newton continues to play at an All-American level while Avery Helm has shown why he was a starter in the SEC. K-State doesn’t have a weapon the perimeter that should worry TCU, especially if the Wildcats roll with their freshman quarterback.
2. Josh Hoover: The Hoover we saw against BYU didn’t look like a freshman making his first collegiate start. He was poised, patient and never got rattled after a few turnovers. The Kansas State defense will be a much harder test than BYU’s, but there’s still limited tape on the freshman and there’s more that head coach Sonny Dykes and company can add to the offense. If Hoover plays like he did last week, TCU can win this game.
3. No Deuce Vaughn: The small, but mighty running back was a thorn in TCU’s side, especially in last season’s Big 12 championship, but thankfully for TCU’s sake he’s now making plays for the Dallas Cowboys. While K-State has found production from running backs DJ Giddens and Treshaun Ward, neither are the playmaker Vaughn is and should make things easier for the TCU defense.
Three reasons why K-State will defeat TCU
1. Freshman on the road: Manhattan can be a difficult place to play for any quarterback, let alone a freshman only making his second start of his career. It’ll be a night game with an intense crowd which will only make things more difficult for Hoover and the offense. He didn’t play like a freshman last week, but you can’t blame Hoover if the environment ends up being too much.
2. QB Unknown: TCU will have to prepare for two quarterbacks once again with K-State seemingly being open to rotating both Will Howard and Avery Johnson. Johnson was one of the biggest recruiting wins in program history and rushed for five touchdowns last week after coming in for Howard. Howard led the Wildcats to the Big 12 championship last season, but has struggled at times with ball security this year.
He’s still a very capable quarterback and the threat of adding Johnson will only make things tougher on the Horned Frogs.
3. TCU’s clutch problems continue: There’s a good chance that this game will be close in the fourth quarter and if it is, will the Horned Frogs be able to make the plays needed to win the game or continue to make the mistakes that plagued them in all three losses? It’s not like Kansas State has been great in those moments either, but based on what’s transpired so far it’s fair to believe the Wildcats will be more trust worthy in those pressure filled spots, especially at home.
