No. 12 BYU (8-1) is hosting the TCU Horned Frogs (6-3) in Provo this week, and the Cougars will be looking to exercise two demons.
First, Kalani Sitake's squad is looking to wash the bitter taste out of its mouth after a dispiriting loss at Texas Tech last week in a matchup of two top 10 teams.
Second, BYU will be looking to exact some revenge against a TCU team that has, quite frankly, repeatedly gotten the better of the Cougars in recent years. Two years ago, in BYU's first season in the Big 12, TCU waxed the Cougars 44-11 in a game most BYU fans would rather forget. That was the first time in 12 years the former Mountain West foes had faced each other. TCU had won the previous four games prior to 2023 and often in double-digit fashion. While BYU's current players are way too young to remember the old Mountain West days, the frustration of that one-sided rivalry still sticks in the craw of many old-school BYU fans.
And this week BYU will exercise both demons: The Cougars will bounce back from last week's loss at Texas Tech while also breaking BYU's five-game losing streak against TCU.
Why the Cougars will emerge victorious
Quite frankly, this year's BYU team has simply been better than TCU. And that's not a slight at TCU, either. The Horned Frogs are a very good football team, and the Cougars are going to have their hands (er, paws?) full this weekend. These are two good programs. BYU has just been a bit better through nine games.
The Cougars and Horned Frogs have faced three common opponents this season and the Cougars have shown better in two of them. TCU beat Colorado by 14 at home while BYU won by three-points on the road. BYU walloped West Virginia by 14 on the road while TCU overcame the Mountaineers by six, also on the road. Three weeks ago the Cougars went on the road and beat Iowa State by 14 while TCU is coming off a three-point home loss last week to the same Cyclone squad the Cougars easily handled.
BYU has the advantage against common opponents.
As far as national perception goes, BYU is ranked No. 12 in the AP Poll while TCU didn't receive any votes this past week. Similarly, the Cougars are ranked No. 12 in the College Football Playoff poll while the Horned Frogs don't crack the top 25. In ESPN's FPI ratings BYU ranks No. 17 to TCU's No. 29 ranking, so these are two good teams with the Cougars having the advantage.
Whether it's computer modeling or the good ol' eye test, BYU is the more impressive team in this matchup. BYU has also received some good news on the health front from dinged up stars like linebackers Jack Kelly and Isaiah Glasker, bell cow running back LJ Martin, and now healthy wide receiver Jojo Phillips. Throw in the the fact that the Cougars are playing a night game at home, and the "Vampire Cougs" have every advantage they could ask for.
BYU is coming off a tough loss at Texas Tech. The Cougars are on a long, frustrating losing streak against the Horned Frogs. Both of those wrongs will be righted this week at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Final score: BYU 27, TCU 17