The Big 12 conference has turned upside down in the 2022 college football season. Preseason favorites Baylor and Oklahoma have stumbled to slow starts, while teams no one expected to make noise have done so. Even Kansas has been a factor in the Big 12 after placing last in the preseason poll. In all the chaos, TCU football has thrived more than any other team in the conference.
The Horned Frogs sit all alone atop the Big 12 at 4-0 in conference play and 7-0 overall. They are one of the last undefeated teams in the country, and placed seventh in the latest AP top 25.
However, the Horned Frogs have some conference foes right on their tails. Oklahoma State is the biggest threat to TCU's title hopes with a 6-1 record, 3-1 in conference play and sitting at ninth in the AP poll. Despite a 5-3 record, Texas is also a threat and will not go down without a fight.
The race to the finish in the Big 12 will be one of the tightest races in college football. While many teams have a chance at the crown, the Horned Frogs have by far the best shot at it. Let's go over a few reasons why TCU will win the Big 12 this season.
3. TCU's explosive offense
TCU's offense has established itself as one of the best in the country, and easily the best in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs have shown they can move the ball at will, averaging a conference-leading 522.1 yards per game, which also ranks third in the country. They have also been able to score at will, with their 44.7 points per game tied for the most in the Big 12 and third-most in the country.
To be fair, the other Big 12 teams are no slouches on offense, particularly Oklahoma State. The Cowboys are scoring at the same rate as TCU, although they average a much lower 466.9 yards per game. Texas lags a bit behind at 444.8 yards and 36.4 points per game, although the Longhorns do have the asterisk of missing star quarterback Quinn Ewers for a chunk of the season.
Even though those teams have strong offense, neither can match up to TCU's. That offense has taken the Horned Frogs so far already, and they will continue to go far as long as they're clicking.
2. TCU football has a relatively easy schedule
Compared to the other Big 12 challengers, TCU has a smooth road to the finish. The Horned Frogs have no ranked opponents left on their schedule, and play the two worst teams in the conference, West Virginia and Iowa State. Games against in-state foes Texas Tech, Texas and Baylor will provide some challenges, but TCU should be up to the task.
Oklahoma State and Texas have a bit tougher road by comparison. Both teams still have to play a ranked Kansas State team, and Texas also has to play TCU. Both of their remaining schedules are manageable, but they might break a bit more of a sweat than TCU.
By playing so many tough teams earlier in the season, the Horned Frogs are now in a great position. Barring a major upset, TCU has a good chance to finish the regular football season undefeated.
1. TCU already has a big lead
TCU may be hard to catch up to solely based on their current lead in the standings. At first glance, the Horned Frogs only have a one-game lead, but a closer look reveals a different story.
The Horned Frogs are 4-0 in conference play, just ahead of Oklahoma State and Kansas State at 3-1. However, TCU has already beaten both of those teams, so they essentially have a two-game lead due to tiebreaker. Texas sits at 3-2, but that deficit will be tough to overcome unless it can upset TCU.
The Horned Frogs faced a gauntlet early in the season, and they passed it with flying colors. Now, they are in prime position to win their first Big 12 title since 2014, and their first outright one in program history.
Follow Us
Subscribe