Texas Longhorns Week 5 Opponent Preview: TCU Horned Frogs

Texas heads to Fort Worth to take on a TCU team that has had their number over the last decade.

Tomer Barazani | Sep 27, 2021

The Texas Longhorns are heading into their matchup with the TCU Horned Frogs on Saturday with renewed momentum after their 70-35 dismantling of the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The Horned Frogs themselves are coming off of a disappointing loss to the SMU Mustangs, giving them their first loss of the 2021 season.

Texas and TCU have faced each other 91 times throughout their, with the Longhorns leading the way 63-27-1 in overall record. TCU has won the past two matchups, as well as seven of the last night games in the series.

Texas has not won in Fort Worth since 2013.

"We're not naive to the elephant in the room that we're 2-7 against TCU the last 9 years," Sarkisian said on Monday. "We're also not going to buy the lie that we're going to play the same TCU that just played SMU on Saturday. We're going to get a little different animal."

Quarterback Max Duggan has been the engine of the Horned Frogs offense, throwing for 778 yards on a 60.3 percent completion rate, to go along with seven touchdowns and just two interceptions.

Check out the first part of LonghornsCountry.com's way-too-early preview of Lousiana below:

TCU

2021 Record: 2-1

Head coach: Gary Patterson

Gary Patterson is 180-75 as the head coach

Offensive Set: Multiple

Defensive Set: 4-2-5

Returning starters on Offense: 8

The Horned Frogs offense has been solid so fair this season, ranking 28th in scoring offense averaging 37.7 points per game, and 29th in total offense, averaging 460.7 yards per game.

Projected starters on Offense:

QB Max Duggan*

RB Zach Evans

WR Quentin Johnston*

WR Taye Barber*

WR Blair Conwright*

TE Carter Ware*

LT Obinna Eze

LG John Lanz*

C Steve Avila*

RG Blake Hickey

RT Andrew Coker*

Returning starters on Defense: 8

Unlike the offense, the TCU defense has uncharacteristically struggled in 2021, giving up 25.7 points per game (79th nationally), and giving up 391.3 yards per contest (80th nationally). The Horned Frogs have given up over 1,000 yards of total offense in the last two games.

Projected starters on Defense:

DE Ochaun Mathis*

DE Khari Coleman*

DT Corey Bethley

DT Terrell Cooper*

LB Dee Winters*

LB Jamoi Hodge

CB Noah Daniels

CB Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson*

SS Nook Bradford Jr.

WS La'Kendrick Van Zandt

S T.J. Carter