TCU’s football team lost 35-28 to Texas Tech on Thursday night. It was the latest in what’s been a rough road for the Horned Frogs this season and in 2023, in general.
It’s not outrageous to say that 2022 was a dream year for TCU. The Horned Frogs went 12-0 in the regular season. And even after losing the Big 12 Championship Game to Kansas State, TCU earned a spot in the College Football Playoff. In the Fiesta Bowl, the Horned Frogs upset Michigan, earning a spot in the National Championship Game. That semifinal, played on Dec. 31, was TCU’s final game in 2022. Things haven’t gone nearly as well in 2023.
The year started with the Horned Frogs on the wrong end of a 65-7 final score in the National Championship Game against Georgia. Eight players from that team were selected in the NFL Draft and 19 others transferred. So, a very different TCU team took the field this season. The Horned Frogs dropped the season opener to Colorado. While TCU won its next three games, Thursday’s loss to Texas Tech was the fourth loss in five games, moving the Horned Frogs to 4-5 on the season.
Less than a year after playing for the National Championship, TCU now needs a 2-1 finish to even get into a bowl game. That’s a tall order, given that the Horned Frogs still have to play No. 7 Texas and No. 10 Oklahoma.
The defending national champion runners-up officially need to win two out of the next three to go to a bowl game… 😬 pic.twitter.com/UJpHFcoOpi
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 3, 2023
If there’s a saving grace for TCU and its fans, it’s that 2021 was also a bad season. The Horned Frogs went 5-7 that year and didn’t play in a bowl game. So, there’s recent evidence that a quick turnaround is possible. Still, barring an unforeseen finish to the season, TCU’s football team will head into 2024 with a tougher outlook than it had going into 2023.
