The 2022 college football season has reached its halfway point, and the list of contenders is becoming clearer every week. Many of those contenders are the usual suspects such as Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia, but there are also some surprise teams hanging around. One of those surprise teams is 5-0 TCU football, which currently sits at 17th in the AP poll but is sure to rise once the new rankings come out.
The Horned Frogs have had a fantastic start to the season, already matching their win total from last season. They earned a big non-conference win against cross-town rival SMU, and have only grown more impressive since. After blowing out Oklahoma 55-24, TCU went on the road and beat Kansas 38-31 in a battle of unbeaten that no one saw coming.
Despite their strong performance, the Horned Frogs continue to fly under the radar. If they keep playing the way they are, they will be a serious contender for a New Year's Six bowl, and potentially more. Let's break down why TCU football is the most underrated team in college football right now.
3. Remarkable turnaround
Longtime TCU head coach Gary Patterson will always be a legend of the program. Patterson coached the Horned Frogs for more than 20 years and led them to six conference titles and several big bowl games. However, it became clear it was time for a change after a streak of mediocre seasons, and the two sides parted ways after a 3-5 start last season.
To replace the legendary coach, TCU hired Sonny Dykes away from SMU. So far, the hire looks like a slam dunk, and TCU is off to its best start in years.
Just in case you have to be told, today is THE example why Sonny Dykes left SMU. You go from admirable rebuild to perhaps winning the B12. In one year. #shoutoutgp
— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) October 8, 2022
The improvement from 2021 to 2022 is night and day. Dykes deserves his credit, but so do the players on the field. This team is buying in right now, and the Horned Frogs are dangerous.
2. Underrated defense
From a statistical standpoint, TCU's defense doesn't look too impressive. The Horned Frogs are fifth in the Big 12 in scoring defense at 23.8 points allowed per game, but eighth in total defense with 402.8 yards allowed per game.
However, TCU football has had a knack for forcing turnovers this season. The Horned Frogs have five interceptions in as many games, as well as two fumble recoveries. They've also been solid at getting after the quarterback, with 10 sacks so far.
This defense isn't going to win games by itself, but it won't lose games by itself either. When TCU is so strong on the other side of the ball, that's more than good enough.
1. High-octane offense
Not only has TCU's offense been the best in the Big 12 this season, it has been one of the best in the country. The Horned Frogs are third in the nation in total offense with 530 yards per game, and fourth in scoring offense with 46.4 points per game. They also rank in the top 25 in passing and rushing offense.
One of the keys to that success is quarterback Max Duggan, who has drastically improved since last year. So far, he has completed 73.2% of his passes for 1,305 yards, 14 touchdowns and only one interception. He is on pace to shatter his career highs, and could even be a dark-horse Heisman candidate.
The rest of the offense around Duggan is playing great as well. TCU football has six different players averaging over six yards per carry, including Duggan and leading rusher Kendre Miller, who has 474 yards and six touchdowns. The receiving core has also been fantastic, as eight different players have caught a touchdown, and five have caught multiple.
This offense is one of the most exciting and fun to watch in all of college football. As long as it's clicking, TCU has a chance against anyone in the country.
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