Texas shootout awaits as Buffaloes clash with Horned Frogs: Preview

Sincere Brown ranks second on the Buffs in total receiving yards and first in yards per catch. (Photo by Brody Rector/Sko Buffs Sports)

The Colorado Buffaloes (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) travel to take on the TCU Horned Frogs (3-1, 0-1 Big 12) this Saturday, with both teams looking to finally break through in conference play.

The first game of October for both of these teams brings back memories of their defining matchup in Week 1 of the 2023 season. In the opener of the ‘Coach Prime era’ at Colorado, the Buffaloes took down the Frogs, who were ranked No. 17 at the time, 45-42. Two years later, this matchup is back in Fort Worth and another offensive shootout is expected.

TCU features one of the premier offenses not only in the Big 12, but in college football as a whole. Led by star quarterback Josh Hoover, the Horned Frogs average over 37 points per game. 

“They’re going to run tempo offense, which they do really well,” Colorado head coach Deion Sanders said on Tuesday. “That team presents you with a lot of problems with tempo, so we’re practicing tempo right now.”

Colorado has seen spurts of offensive success but lacked consistency. The battle at the QB position has highlighted this as it has continued well into conference play. 

Kaidon Salter has the job for now, but both Ryan Staub and Julian Lewis have made appearances through the first five games, with the former starting against Houston. 

“I want them to play like their life is on the line,” Sanders said. “Like their careers are on the line, like the payment for a car is on the line, the payment for a home is on the line, like their children are depending on them.”

When that unit has been operating on all cylinders, it has been tough to stop. The Buffs scored over 30 points for three straight weeks against Houston, Delaware and Wyoming. 

Most recently, they scored 24 points against a BYU defense that had given up an average of just 5.2 points per game. The Cougars were tied for first in the country in that category with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

But one theme these teams both share is their struggles on defense. Colorado and TCU have allowed 88 and 83 total points, respectively.

TCU has had its fair share of struggles in both pass and run defense. However, stopping the passing attack has been the worst of the two issues. The Horned Frogs rank in the bottom-25 in the country in passing yards allowed. 

This cost them mightily in their most recent game against Arizona State. They allowed 291 passing yards and two passing touchdowns in that game. One hundred and twenty-six of those yards and both touchdowns went to a single receiver in Jordyn Tyson.

The Buffs have played one more game than the Horned Frogs, but the issue remains. They have struggled mightily to stop the run, namely by quarterbacks. QBs have recorded a career-high in rushing yards three separate times against Colorado this season. 

The Buffaloes' failure to stop the run has stretched across the board, though. They’ve allowed 197.2 rushing yards per game, which ranks third-worst among Power Four teams and 12th-worst in the FBS. 

“We’ve just got to play better at the linebacker position and in the secondary,” Sanders said. “We’ve got to play better.”

The Horned Frogs hope to exercise past demons with a win in this game, while the hungry Buffaloes look to roll the stampede through the Texas desert.

This game will take place on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. MT.