2017
TCU
Horned Frogs
College Football
Betting Preview
Schedule
Without Trevone Boykin leading the way, TCU was a bit down last season, yet still made it to a bowl Game and beat Baylor by 40 points. To help surpass that 6-7 record this year, the Horned Frogs may end up having one of the better quarterbacks in the conference, if everything goes to plan.
Kenny Hill returns as the starter and better things are expected from him in his second season as TCU’s quarterback. He was fine last year, but ultimately didn’t do enough, throwing for 17 TDs and 13 INTs, while running for 609 yards and 10 more touchdowns. But improving this offense will be easier due to the pieces around Hill with three starters back on the offensive line, all of them seniors. It’s the same situation at skill positions with Kyle Hicks (1,042 rushing yards, 12 TDs, 47 receptions) expected to play a huge role again to go with a stacked receiving core. Shaun Nixon returns to the mix with Taj Williams, while KaVontae Turpin is a possible difference maker as long as he gets back on Gary Patterson’s good side.
The offense is set to improve, but the defense has some bigger issues to deal with after another troubling season on that end. It doesn’t help that they lose a good portion of that talent, starting on the line where someone will have to step up. For improvement to occur, the line will be the biggest piece as the back seven is mostly set. Ty Summers and Travin Howard are two of the best at linebacker, while the secondary is deep with experience led by safety Nick Orr and corner Ranthony Texada.
In truth, TCU didn’t lose to a bad team in 2016 and could’ve been a couple wins better after losing two double-overtime Games. The Horned Frogs would like to get revenge against Arkansas, but doing so on the road will be difficult. In addition, they could open Big 12 play with a couple losses as they travel to OK State and K State early on. To surpass last year’s record, it will mean winning home Games (something that didn’t happen last year) and grabbing an upset or two on the road with Iowa State and Texas Tech being the likeliest spot for those.
The Horned Frogs look set for seven or eight wins with anything less being another disappointment given the returning talent. The oddsmakers agree as TCU’s over/under at 5Dimes Sportsbook was set at 7 with the over a heavy -150 in June. If Hill struggles like last season, TCU may turn to freshman Shawn Robinson, although that may be a worst-case scenario. With the offense set to improve and the defense stout on the back, this group should at least compete in every Game this season, something that was far from the case in 2016.
2017 TCU Horned Frogs Football Schedule
Sept. 2 vs. Jacksonville State
Sept. 9 at Arkansas
Sept. 16 vs. SMU
Sept. 23 at Oklahoma State
Oct. 7 vs. West Virginia
Oct. 14 at Kansas State
Oct. 21 vs. Kansas
Oct. 28 at Iowa State
Nov. 4 vs. Texas
Nov. 11 at Oklahoma
Nov. 18 at Texas Tech
Nov. 24 vs. Baylor