Game Prediction: #17 TCU Horned Frogs at #19 Kansas Jayhawks

IB makes predictions for the matchup between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Kansas Jayhawks

Raise your hand if you had TCU vs Kansas as the biggest game of the year in the Big 12? Put your hand down Coach Leipold and Coach Dykes ..... anyone else? No one? Yeah, me neither, but here we are. The undefeated and 17th ranked TCU Horned Frogs (4-0) and the 19th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks (5-0) square off this weekend in Lawrence for a huge Big 12 game.

Neither team's undefeated start is a fluke, with TCU coming off a blowout victory over Oklahoma (55-24), and Kansas has already defeated West Virginia (55-42), Houston (48-30), Duke (35-27) and Iowa State (14-11).

The winner remains undefeated in the conference and gets one step closer to playing for the Big 12 title.

BRYAN DRISKELL, PUBLISHER

Prediction: TCU 38, Kansas 33

I cannot wait for this game! This is two well coached football teams that have been a pleasure to watch this season. Kansas has won with offense and defense, while the Horned Frogs have been a breakout team in the first year under Dykes. TCU has been a lights out offense all season and comes into this matchup averaging 48.5 points per game, but the Horned Frog defense isn't getting enough credit for holding opponents to just 368.5 yards per game and 5.1 yards per play.

That, to me, will be the key in this game. Kansas has bee improved on defense but they haven't been as good as the Horned Frogs. As much as I love watching Jalon Daniels play, TCU quarterback Max Duggan has much better weapons around him, and the defense he will face won't be as good as the one Daniels will square off against.

I think this is going to be an entertaining back and forth game, but in the end the weapons for TCU win the day.

VINCE DEDARIO, FOOTBALL ANALYST

Prediction: TCU 21, Kansas 17

Kansas got their wish as College Gameday is on their way to Lawrence for their famous kickoff show. This Kansas team has been fun to watch and they have not been this good for as far back as I can remember. The Big 12 is trying to make some waves so they can attract some schools to their conference in what I am sure is going to be a poaching party between them and the Pac-12 sooner rather than later. 

A good Kansas team only strengthens that argument. Both of these teams are undefeated so one of them is going to take a loss for the first time. I love that Kansas has the home field advantage in this one but I do not think it will be quite enough to pull out the straight up victory. I would take the Jayhawks and the points. Kansas is 5-0 against the spread as well this season and I think that streak stays intact. 

RYAN ROBERTS, DIRECTOR OF RECRUITING

Prediction: TCU 27, Kansas 24

Who would have thought that TCU-Kansas would be a matchup that people would be talking about this season? Nonetheless, he we are.

This TCU team is not your daddy’s Horned Frog team. They are built off of offense, seeing a dynamic senior season from quarterback Max Duggan so far. He has talented playmakers all over the field.

Kansas counters with one of the cooler stories in college football this season. They are led by sophomore signal caller Jalon Daniels, who is having a dynamic campaign thus far. It promises to be an entertaining one but Duggan just makes a couple more plays than the Jayhawks in this one. 

SHAUN DAVIS, RECRUITING ANALYST

Prediction: Kansas 24, TCU 20

TCU was very impressive at home against the Oklahoma Sooners and they get the opportunity to travel to Lawrence for the upset double in the Big 12. Head coach Sonny Dykes has the Horned Frogs playing extremely well, and the Jayhawks have found a way to win some ugly games. GameDay will be there and the magnitude of the game will create a raucous crowd.

SEAN STIRES, STAFF WRITER

Prediction: Kansas 45, TCU 41

If you’re looking for offense, this is your game as ESPN’s College Game Day makes its first ever appearance at Kansas. TCU is No. 2 in the nation in scoring offense at 48.5 per game after putting up 55 on Oklahoma last week. Kansas scored just 14 points in its win over Iowa State to lower its average to 40.6 per game. Quarterbacks Jalon Daniels (KU) and Max Duggan (TCU) can both run and throw. They’ve accounted for 16 and 13 respective total touchdowns.

ANDREW MCDONOUGH, IB CONTRIBUTOR

Prediction: Kansas 41, TCU 40

College Gameday travels to Lawrence, Kansas for the first time ever for a game that no one expected to have national implications. Both Kansas and TCU enter the matchup with undefeated records and very much in play for the Big 12 title and New Year's Six bowl appearances. Quarterbacks and coaches have been the story - Lance Leipold and Jalon Daniels have engineered one of the best turnarounds in recent college football history, and in his first season Sonny Dykes has made the ever-talented Max Duggan much more consistent. Both teams are explosive, both teams take care of the ball, and both teams convert 50% or more third-downs (Kansas is converting 60%). In a game this evenly matched, I'll go with the home team to find a way - there's something magic in the air down in Lawrence. 

UPDATED IB STAFF STANDINGS

Bryan - 20-4
Vince - 18-6
Ryan - 18-6
Shaun - 17-7
Sean - 16-8
Andrew - 15-9

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