Quick Thoughts: TCU 49, Arizona 28

Horned Frogs hammer Wildcats, scoring five straight TDs to run away in second half and improve to 7-4 on the season

Ground & Pound

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The Horned Frogs rushing attack has been a scoring machine lately, finding the end zone 10 times over the last two games after amassing six touchdowns on Saturday. While the bottom line stats still appear inefficient at 3.9 yards per carry, if you remove the QB runs/sacks that number becomes 5.3 yards per carry with four runners going for at least 20 yards. As the run game has become more diverse and less predictable, the blocking has improved as lineman are able to get off the first block to hit the second level and clear out LBs and DBs to help bust the big plays, as Savion Williams & Jeremy Payne each went on 30 yard TD strolls. Although still not truly the focal point of the offense, on a day where the passing game wasn’t perfect, the rushing attack picked up any slack to power the offense when it needed the boost. I discounted the QB run stats earlier, but Josh Hoover made a play with his legs that may have been the moment this game flipped on its head. Leading by just one point with two minutes to play in the half, TCU was having a third down and the prospect of punting back to the Wildcats for a go-ahead scoring opportunity going into the break, instead Hoover scrambled out of the pocket and extended his arms before being forced out of bounds, earning the first down. TCU would go on to score on that drive and its next four in the second half, turning a game that was very much hanging in the balance into a full-on blow-out.

House Defended

The defense set the tone of the game from the very first snaps as Bud Clark made an interception to open his final start in Amon G. Carter Stadium. And although the Frogs forced a pair of punts on the next two drives, the Wildcats offense found life in the second quarter. Another major contributor to the 2nd half effort that flipped the game from nail-biter to no-contest was all of a sudden the TCU Defense discovered how to get third down stops. In the first half Arizona was able to continuously keep drives alive with third down conversions, converting 7 of 11 opportunities, including two drives with 10+ plays. It was bend but don’t break on those long drives as each only resulted in field goals.

For a unit that has been much maligned throughout the 2024 season, this game was an opportunity to give major props to some top contributors who stepped up in a big way, especially in that second half, to allow this game to get well out of reach. There’s the senior trio of Clark, Namdi Obiazor, and Johnny Hodges, the top three leading tacklers for the day and each made a play to end a drive including Hodges’ tackle of QB Noah Fifita on a 4th down run midway through the 4th quarter that sealed the win. Additional props to two newcomers, DB Cam Smith and DL NaNa Osafo-Mensah, who had their best games as Horned Frogs, each tallying six tackles, locking up clean sure stops, never allowing that game-breaking play from the Arizona defense.

And while we’re tossing around flowers for the defenders here, how about the outside cornerbacks, tasked with perhaps the toughest matchup they’ll have over their entire careers with Tetairoa McMillan lined up across from them, while he did secure his numbers and show off why he’s a First Round talent, he never meaningfully impacted the result of the game, having zero touchdowns and a longest reception of just 32 yards. LaMareon James was on the field for 30 pass attempts and only allowed a single reception

JP Richardson Masterclass

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With receiving starpower all over the field for both teams, it was JPR that stood out above them all. A sure-handed Mr. Reliable, Richardson caught all six balls thrown his way on Saturday, good for 107 yards. While he only found the endzone once himself – stopping on a dime and turning on the jets to burst untouched 38 yards for the score – Richardson turned in the key play that directly led to two other touchdowns. With the first half clock ticking away and the Horned Frogs clinging to a one-point lead, Josh Hoover was called for an intentional grounding that set up a 3rd & 25 where he’d get hit as he throws a prayer in the direction of Richardson blanketed by white jerseys. Richardson adjusts, makes the grab for a 24-yard gain to set up a key 4th & 1; the next play Savion Williams runs for a 20 yard TD. In the drive to open the second half Richardson made an impressive diving grab just outside the goal line on a trick play as Hoover tool the reverse toss and found JPR; Trent Battle would gain that final yard to extend the TCU lead. Richardson even set up his own score, having returned the preceding punt 33 yards.