TCU is searching for its best effort when it hosts resurgent Kansas on Saturday afternoon in a Big 12 Conference game in Fort Worth, Texas.
Both teams have five games left to secure three more wins and gain bowl eligibility.
The Horned Frogs (3-4, 1-3 Big 12) come into the clash after a 24-20 loss at home to West Virginia last week. Led by Jaden Craig’s 372 yards passing, one passing touchdown and a 2-yard rushing score that gave them the lead late in the third quarter, TCU amassed 484 yards of total offense but also had three turnovers.
Kari Ashley had 118 receiving yards on six receptions for TCU while Jordan Dwyer had 10 catches for 113 yards.
Craig fumbled when sacked at the WVU 14-yard line with 34 seconds to play to end the Horned Frogs’ final chance. They also missed a field goal in the second quarter and turned the ball over on downs in the fourth.
“The biggest thing for us right now is just an inability to be able to finish on offense,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. “It’s just a matter of not being able to make plays in critical situations, and it’s happened over and over to us this year.”
All four of TCU’s losses this year have come by eight points or fewer. On Monday, the Frogs fired co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach A.J. Ricker.
The Jayhawks (3-4, 1-3) head to Fort Worth after a rousing 25-24 home win over Baylor last week, with Isaiah Marshall rushing for a 15-yard touchdown with 1:13 left to provide the winning points. The victory was assured when Kansas’ Blake Herold blocked a Baylor 45-yard field-goal attempt with 18 seconds remaining.
“Going out there, being able to get a win, it was really boosting us up to go get one on the road,” Kansas linebacker Trey Lathan said.
Marshall hit on 17 of his 29 passes for 212 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions as Kansas snapped a two-game losing streak and captured its biggest win of the season. The Jayhawks’ other two victories this year are against FCS-level Long Island and Middle Tennessee.
“The difference between winning and losing is a fine line,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “We’ve had a lot of those go the other direction in the last couple years. Is there a win that can propel you into some things? Hopefully, (beating Baylor) is one that can do that.”