The Frogs will look to clinch bowl eligibility on Saturday against OSU.
TCU will play in a night game for the second straight week, with a matchup against Oklahoma State scheduled for Saturday at 6:00 p.m. in Fort Worth. The Cowboys are not having a good 2024, they have lost six straight games and sit at 0-6 in conference play and 3-6 overall. The 2023 Big 12 runner-ups have taken a large step back on both sides of the ball but still have some very talented players that TCU will need to key on.
Offense
For the second straight season, Alan Bowman is starting at quarterback for the Cowboys. Bowman has thrown for 2,272 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions at a 60% completion rate this season. Bowman’s decision-making is questionable at best and this should be a good opportunity for the TCU defense to force turnovers, an area in which they have struggled this season. Bowman is also not afraid to push the ball down the field meaning TCU safeties will need to be disciplined in their coverage on Saturday. One thing TCU does not have to be worried about is the quarterback run game as Bowman is a true pocket passer who is not a threat with his legs other than the rare scramble. Bowman has negative yards rushing on the season and in all likelihood will not have designed quarterback runs called for him on Saturday. The rushing threat the Frogs do have to worry about is 2023 Doak Walker Award winner Ollie Gordon at running back for the Cowboys. Gordon is a very talented running back with the strength and balance to run through arm tackles and pick up yards after contact. The Fort Worth native has had a slower 2024 season partially due to questionable offensive line play but has still totaled 593 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground and averaged over four yards per carry. Gordon is also a threat to catch passes out of the backfield with 23 receptions for 128 yards and one touchdown this season. While Gordon is not putting up the incredible numbers that he did in 2023, he is still a very talented player and should be a key focus for the TCU defense.
The Cowboys have three solid receivers that the Frog defense will need to pay attention to in De’Zhaun Stribling, Brennan Presley, and Rashod Owens. Stribling leads the team in receiving yards with 648 on 36 catches meaning he averages 18 yards per reception. The former Washington State Cougar has four touchdown catches this season and is a big play threat with excellent top-end speed. Expect a few deep shots to be thrown Stribling’s way on Saturday. Presley leads the team in receptions with 61 catches for 592 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024. The fifth-year senior is adept at creating separation against man coverage with good route running and short area quickness. Presley has reliable hands and is a common target on important third downs for the Cowboys. The Cowboys like to use Presley in a number of different ways including jet sweeps and wide receiver screens. Owens is third on the team in both catches and yardage with 26 receptions for 391 yards and three touchdowns this season. Standing at six foot two and weighing in at 230 pounds, Owens has the frame and catch radius to make contested catches over the middle and is a factor in the red zone.
Defense
After a solid start to the season on the defensive side of the ball, Oklahoma State has struggled in recent weeks to slow down opposing offenses. The Cowboy defense has surrendered at least 38 points to each of their last five opponents including giving up 42 points to Arizona State last Saturday. The Sun Devils had no trouble moving the ball through the air and on the ground racking up over 300 yards through the air and over 200 yards on the ground. Oklahoma State has been terrible against the run this season as they rank second to last in the FBS in rushing yards allowed per game at 248. The pass defense has not been stout either, ranking 109th in the nation in passing yards allowed per game with 255. The Cowboys have done a decent job forcing turnovers with 10 interceptions through nine games. One player Josh Hoover and the TCU offense will need to be aware of is cornerback Korie Black who leads the team with three interceptions this season. The senior has 20 tackles and five pass breakups this season and will most likely be matched up with Jack Bech for a large portion of the game on Saturday. Safety Trey Rucker leads the team in tackles with 77 and has two interceptions of his own this season. Linebacker Nick Martin was a preseason first-team All-Big 12 selection this season and has had a solid year with 47 total tackles, one sack, and two pass breakups. The Oklahoma State defense has struggled as a whole this season and the Frogs should be able to move the ball against them on Saturday.
Overall
This is a very bad Oklahoma State team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The Frogs will have an opportunity to jump-start their running game against a defense that has not been able to slow down opposing running backs this season. I expect Savion Williams and the running backs to have big games on the ground to help out Josh Hoover and the passing attack. If TCU can do a good job of protecting the football for the second straight week, there is no reason the Frogs can’t drop 35 points or more on Saturday. Facing Ollie Gordon scares me, especially with the injuries to the defensive line suffered against Baylor but the OSU offensive line has struggled this season. I think TCU wins this game and clinches bowl eligibility pretty comfortably.
Final prediction: TCU 38, OSU 24