KillerFrogs writer Tori Couch joins Brett Gibbons to preview TCU's Week 5 opponent, the West Virginia Mountaineers. The 2023 college football season presses on.
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00:00 Welcome back to the killer frogs college football podcast
00:02 a fan nation show brought to you weekly by killer frogs dot com.
00:06 I'm Brett Gibbons and I'm joined by a familiar face.
00:08 Tori, welcome back. Thanks for joining me again.
00:10 Aren't you getting tired of being on here and talking to me?
00:13 No. Any chance to talk football, especially college football is a good time.
00:17 Yeah, it is.
00:18 And we are previewing another one of TCU's games this week.
00:21 We got week five on tap.
00:23 God, is it really already week five?
00:25 The season just started.
00:26 Give me some more time with this.
00:27 It is the shortest season of all the big sport leagues here in the US.
00:32 So we're enjoying the time while we have it.
00:33 But TCU takes on the West Virginia Mountaineers this week.
00:36 And that is what we're going to be previewing.
00:39 Do you have any passing thoughts about last week's win
00:42 as TCU took home the iron skillet?
00:45 I thought that was the most complete game TCU has played all season.
00:50 You didn't have nearly as many miscues.
00:53 Special teams looked pretty buttoned up,
00:56 because that was the big concern for me after Houston.
00:58 That was very buttoned up.
01:00 Defense made a lot of plays.
01:01 The offense still had some some points left on the field and some things like that.
01:05 But, you know, you felt like the offense was starting to figure some things out.
01:10 Morris started to connect with his receivers better.
01:13 I don't know.
01:14 I just you felt like things were coming together against SMU.
01:18 Yeah. And TCU moves to three and one.
01:20 They arguably could be four and oh, if if you played that Colorado game,
01:25 maybe ten times over TCU's four and oh more often than not.
01:29 But hey, I'm not going to argue with three and one pretty good start
01:32 to the season here.
01:33 And they take on West Virginia, who also is three and one,
01:37 contrary to what I would have believed that they would have been at this point.
01:41 And before we get into the offensive and defensive matchups here,
01:44 I have to say West Virginia is well outplaying those expectations we had.
01:49 I thought preseason I actually made my call that Neil Brown would probably coach
01:54 his last game against TCU here as Mountaineers go into their bye week next week.
01:57 But that certainly isn't the case after a three and one start with two wins
02:02 in league here over. I'm sorry, just one day they have.
02:05 They they beat Texas Tech.
02:06 But hey, I didn't see that coming, to be honest here.
02:09 But I'm going to put a very, very, very big butt in here.
02:13 I'm sorry for any West Virginia fans that are listening to this.
02:16 They beat up on a pit team that I think has the potential to be very bad.
02:19 Did not expect that going to the game.
02:21 But the more I watch this pit team and fields are covered, they're dreadful,
02:24 like bottom of the ACC, bottom of the barrel, really bad.
02:27 And Texas Tech lost their starting quarterback after the first quarter.
02:30 So to be honest, three and one's a little bit lucky.
02:33 I think a little bit fortunate here when they played a real team Penn State,
02:36 they were thoroughly dominated.
02:37 I'm going to put the word out there.
02:40 I don't use this one lightly, but I think West Virginia is a bit fraudulent.
02:44 What say you?
02:45 I would agree, especially if you start diving into the numbers,
02:49 and I know we'll we'll touch on a lot of that.
02:51 But once you start diving into numbers, this three and one unravels pretty quickly.
02:56 They're only averaging, I believe, like 17 points a game versus FCS opponents.
03:01 Yeah, that's not great.
03:03 Yeah. I'm sorry, FBS.
03:05 One of those wins came against the FCS opponent.
03:07 So you're not even putting up 20 points a game versus FBS opponents.
03:11 Now, the defense is very good.
03:13 But man, that offense, it struggles.
03:16 The passer rating is low.
03:19 The two quarterbacks are not even completing 60 percent of their passes.
03:23 Like, it's just.
03:24 I agree, it's like it's not where you say, like, I agree, it's fraudulent.
03:29 It's it's going to unravel, I think.
03:32 It's to be fair.
03:35 When I say fraudulent, I don't mean that this team is no good.
03:38 And I'm not saying that they won't even make a bowl game.
03:40 If you look at, you know, they're here at TCU this week.
03:43 They have a bye week.
03:44 Then they're at Houston. Very winnable game.
03:46 I think Houston's not very good.
03:48 Then they host Oklahoma State, who's an absolute dumpster fire right now.
03:52 So that's a winnable game.
03:54 You know, newcomer UCF, that's on the road.
03:56 You see, that's pretty good.
03:57 But who knows? Then they play BYU.
03:59 They play all the newcomers here at Oklahoma, Cincinnati and at Baylor.
04:04 There's a lot of winnable games on the schedule in West Virginia.
04:06 Absolutely. Could find themselves bowling and not just bowling,
04:09 but maybe even seven and five knocking on the door of eight and four.
04:13 But when they go into a bowl game and they play a
04:15 a higher level ACC team or a top level group of five team,
04:19 I'm going to be honest, I'm going to be calling their bluff in that time.
04:23 But again, we'll have to get there first.
04:25 We're getting a little bit of a head of ourselves.
04:27 But do you see this success continuing?
04:29 Because I do, but only in the terms of wins and losses,
04:34 which I guess at the end of the day is the only thing that matters. Right.
04:37 I think I do, because of the reason you mentioned is that their schedule
04:41 is not super difficult.
04:43 They avoid Texas, they avoid both Kansas schools,
04:46 which arguably are the three best in the conference.
04:49 I believe Oklahoma is on their schedule. Yes.
04:51 Which I that's probably going to be a loss.
04:55 So but they avoid the three toughest schools.
04:59 So it's like I think they have a path to get to a bowl game.
05:03 But like you said, I don't think they're going to be as great
05:08 as their record might indicate.
05:11 No, definitely not playing all four newcomers in the second half
05:14 of their schedule to dumpster fires and in Oklahoma.
05:17 That's pretty much what they have after this biweek here.
05:19 So, yeah, West Virginia fans enjoy those wins.
05:22 Now you may be hanging on to Neil Brown a little bit longer
05:26 than you may have suspected or wanted.
05:28 So, you know, root for root for many wins at your own peril.
05:31 But I get it.
05:32 Winning is better than losing.
05:33 At the end of the day, they're probably going to have a winning record
05:36 and good for them.
05:38 They're fortunate to be there.
05:39 And that, you know, it kind of comes down to this game.
05:42 And I and when I handicap this game and scout it out and all those things,
05:45 I do keep in mind that this isn't just your average three and one
05:49 West Virginia team coming in.
05:50 This is a team that is severely playing above expectation.
05:54 So I do want to start with TCU's defense against West Virginia's offense.
05:58 West Virginia, they run the ball.
06:00 Sixty seven percent of plays.
06:02 That is the second most nationally behind the among the non service
06:07 academy teams, I tend to remove those from competition because they play such.
06:10 They're playing a different sport than all the other FBS teams here.
06:14 So second most not including the three service academies.
06:17 CJ Donaldson, he's a familiar name.
06:19 He is most of the offense.
06:20 He's a tight end converted to a tailback.
06:23 He's a big boy.
06:23 Two hundred and forty pounds, six foot one.
06:25 He runs with purpose.
06:26 He runs with aggression.
06:27 Not somebody I would personally want to get in the way of on a football field.
06:31 Starting quarterback Garrett Green did not play last week
06:35 as West Virginia upset Texas Tech backup, Nico Markeal.
06:39 He's more of a dual threat guy, way better with his legs and his arms.
06:42 Goodness gracious.
06:43 He had three point seven yards per attempt in a win over Texas Tech,
06:47 but he added 72 yards on the ground.
06:49 So he's an effective player.
06:51 But Tori, he's not a good passer.
06:53 He's just not.
06:56 No. When you look at those passing numbers, even for Garrett Green
06:59 in the with he played in three of the games, went out in the game.
07:04 Even his numbers are not not great.
07:06 So, yeah, it's it's interesting to realize how much they're relying
07:11 on that run game to get going, which historically,
07:14 West Virginia has pretty good lines, so that's not usually an issue.
07:19 But how long can you rely on one aspect of the offense for sustained success?
07:25 Yeah. And while the quarterbacks aren't great in their own right,
07:29 they're not terrible, they're not detrimental.
07:31 None of those things.
07:32 Not a ton of turnovers and turnover worthy throws.
07:34 They have nobody to throw to the wide receiver core.
07:37 Maybe.
07:38 Maybe the worst in the big 12.
07:40 I say that I say that a little ignorantly, just off top my head there,
07:44 but it's not great.
07:45 He doesn't have a lot of options, and that's why we're seeing,
07:47 like you said, 17 points a game against FBS competition.
07:50 Not ideal.
07:51 You did mention the offensive line.
07:52 It's very good.
07:53 Zach Frazier is an all American player on that line there.
07:56 They should be able to get a push.
07:57 They've been able to get a decent push in there.
07:59 But like you said, what are they going to do when the other team
08:01 starts scoring more points?
08:03 You know, they have to turn to the pass game, and I don't know if they can do that.
08:06 But even with the below average schedule so far, we're talking, like I said, pit
08:11 potentially be very, very, very bad.
08:14 I mean, like three win bad.
08:16 We're talking Texas Tech lost their starting quarterback, has not been up
08:19 to expectation this year.
08:20 West Virginia still 97th nationally in points per drive.
08:24 I like to look at points per drive rather than points per game
08:27 because points per game doesn't factor out the fact that you're scoring late
08:31 in garbage time and pick sixes and things like that.
08:33 Points per drive is a much more efficiency.
08:36 How often when you have the football, do you put the ball in the end zone
08:39 versus kicking field goals versus coming off empty?
08:41 So I do like looking at that more.
08:43 And they're currently 97th in scoring.
08:45 Now, thanks to TCU's pace of play, they do take away opponents ability
08:49 to just run the football, run the daylights out of football.
08:52 You're going to fall behind because TCU runs so darn fast
08:55 that if you're not keeping up that pace, you are going to start falling behind.
08:58 And fast.
08:59 Do you have any concern at all about West Virginia being able to slow this game
09:03 down and controlling the pace and kind of running things at their speed?
09:06 Maybe early, like in that first half of both teams
09:11 are trying to kind of establish what they want to do,
09:14 imprint their identity on the game.
09:16 I think that's where if if things could turn in West Virginia's favor,
09:20 I feel like that's a really good opportunity as early in the game
09:23 where, you know, they're going to run the ball
09:25 and they're going to just try and ground and pound pound things.
09:27 So on the flip side, TCU has that's their opportunity to say, Nope,
09:32 we're going to pass, but maybe we'll run the ball a little bit too
09:35 to keep it out of your hands.
09:38 And I know we'll dive into the offense here a little bit, but.
09:40 I think my concern would come, do you give do you let them establish the run early?
09:46 That's where I think it's going to be is what are you doing
09:49 in the first and second quarters as far as what, you know,
09:52 letting them establish what they want to do?
09:55 Yeah. And I just brought up their game against Texas Tech
09:58 because Texas Tech runs the fastest pace in the nation, 19.8 seconds per play.
10:04 I know I'm throwing a lot of numbers out.
10:06 I try not to do that on this podcast.
10:08 I know people's eyes glaze over.
10:10 I'm very statistics minded, but do keep my I do watch the games, too.
10:13 But Texas Tech runs the fastest pace in the country,
10:16 and they're still able to get 81 plays off from scrimmage against West Virginia.
10:20 So they were still running at their clip.
10:21 They just weren't very successful with it.
10:23 But West Virginia was not able to control the pace of that game,
10:26 which leads me to believe that TCU, who is fifth nationally with 21
10:30 and a half seconds per play blistering pace,
10:33 that they're not going to be able to control the pace on this side, too.
10:36 Just the, you know, up front.
10:38 I just don't think they're going to turn this into a rock fight
10:40 because they weren't able to against Texas Tech,
10:42 who's marginally worse offensively without their starting quarterback.
10:45 But at what point of this game do you start to worry?
10:47 I know I ask this question a lot, but I always think it brings out
10:49 interesting answers.
10:51 At what point in this game do you start to worry about how TCU's defense
10:55 is holding up against that run?
10:57 I wouldn't be too concerned early because.
11:01 I think it's just kind of what I think they're going to break off a big run
11:05 early now, how big a run?
11:07 You know, can you keep it to 20 yards as opposed to an 80 yard touchdown?
11:11 That's a big difference.
11:13 I think I would get really concerned if during that second quarter
11:16 and especially at the start of the first half,
11:18 after you've had an opportunity to make some adjustments, make decisions.
11:23 If they're still able to run the ball very effectively in that third quarter,
11:27 that's where I'm going to have some concerns.
11:31 After the SMU win, Sonny Dykes talked about the importance
11:35 of the physicality of the offensive and defensive lines and how that kind of
11:38 helps turn the tide and set the tone in that second half.
11:41 And I think that's got to be a similar looking for something similar here
11:45 is they're going to feel each other out in the first half
11:48 and then whoever can kind of set the tone in the second half
11:51 is going to control that run game.
11:54 Can I be overly specific about the point that I would be worried?
11:57 And it may come across as like, yeah, overly specific.
12:00 But when TCU is up 14, seven or when TCU is up ten to three,
12:05 are they able to force a three and out or are they able to force a punt
12:10 in West Virginia's own territory?
12:12 Or is West Virginia able to first down, first down, first down
12:16 with CJ Donaldson, with that backfield, be able to run and move the football?
12:20 That's when I'd be worried when you're nursing a one score,
12:24 potentially a ten point lead.
12:26 Can you get them off the field?
12:28 Because if you can't, that gets into the territory of high, like, say,
12:32 letting teams hang around.
12:34 And in my opinion, the the biggest reason
12:37 that better teams lose to less talented teams is because they let them
12:42 hang around and then an opportune turnover or a change of possession
12:46 at the half all of a sudden flips the entire script of this game.
12:50 And now a team that you should be beating soundly is hanging around
12:53 and you find yourself in a six point rock fight with six minutes left.
12:57 You know, the team has the football and then a sweaty palms time.
13:00 So I think I'd like to see if they're up a score or ten points,
13:03 keeping it within reason.
13:05 Are they able to force the Mountaineers off the field?
13:08 If not, I am worried about that defense.
13:12 Fortunately, defense has been pretty good outside of that Colorado game,
13:16 especially holding us immuted to 17 points.
13:18 Not bad. I do like what I've seen from them so far.
13:21 The thoughts on that at all.
13:24 No, I agree.
13:24 And I think that's another that's a very good point is if you're up a score,
13:29 can you get the ball back to your office?
13:32 And yeah, you want your offense to score and extend the lead.
13:35 But even if the offense can't score, if they're able to take more time
13:38 off the clock and just put more pressure on West Virginia,
13:41 I think that's really important.
13:42 So I think that's an interesting way to look at it, too, is.
13:46 Is situational as opposed to, you know.
13:49 Kind of more what I was looking at, which was specific point in the game,
13:53 but I do think that's really important as well to see if they can get
13:56 West Virginia off the field.
13:58 I could be wrong about this and watch me be proven like absolutely wrong on it.
14:02 But I think a two score lead in the second half
14:06 is insurmountable for West Virginia at this point of the football team
14:09 that they are, the pace that they run, the style of offense
14:12 that they are successful with and their inability to really push the ball
14:16 downfield through the air.
14:17 I really do think a 1417 point lead in the second half is probably it.
14:21 So can you get to that?
14:23 Obviously, a 14 point lead going into the half
14:26 where you give the ball back to them is not enough.
14:28 But if you can get that 20 point lead in the first half,
14:31 and I know that's a big lead, but three scores and three, three and outs
14:33 will do it.
14:34 I think that that is truly insurmountable for West Virginia
14:38 in the style of football they play right now.
14:39 So obviously, the goal is to score as many points as you can.
14:43 But, you know, if I'm calling the offense here, if I'm,
14:46 you know, the offense coordinator for TCU and I can get it, I know his name.
14:51 I know it's kind of browsed, but I did not want to put the words
14:53 if I were Kendall Bryles out on audio for people to hear.
14:55 So if I if I were calling the place for TCU, my goal would be
14:59 get that 14 point lead and then maintain it
15:03 or get that 20 point lead and then maintain it.
15:05 And I'm very anti conservative football.
15:08 I don't think that wins football games when you play not to lose versus to win.
15:12 You lose a lot more games than you like.
15:15 But if you can get that kind of lead on this team's offense,
15:18 I believe that they're absolutely hapless, cannot catch up.
15:20 And that's the point where then I would just be running timeout.
15:23 But let's I guess that was a pretty seamless transition into TCU's offense
15:28 against West Virginia's defense.
15:29 That was absolutely unintentional.
15:31 I was just going on a rant there.
15:32 But if you're looking at the Mountaineers,
15:33 they're actually really stout against the run.
15:35 They held Penn State's backfield about five yards to carry,
15:38 which if you're getting five yards to carry on your offense,
15:40 you're pretty happy with it.
15:41 But if you're holding a team of Penn State's caliber,
15:43 especially with their backfield offensive line to five yards to carry,
15:46 that's a pretty successful day, especially when you get blown out 38 to 50.
15:50 I guess it should have really been 31 to seven
15:52 if both coaches didn't decide to mess around at the end of that game there.
15:56 But Amani Bailey, he continues to be the dominant force on this offense.
16:01 He continues to be the conversation and probably my estimation,
16:04 the best player overall on TCU's offense.
16:06 He's forced 31 missed tackles.
16:09 That is the third most nationally.
16:10 And one of those players,
16:11 Audrey Kestame of Notre Dame, has played one more game than him.
16:14 So we're talking about the second most forced missed tackles
16:17 among running backs that have played four games so far.
16:19 He's picked up 120 plus yards on the ground against every FBS opponent,
16:23 aka when he's needed against Nichols, didn't really need him that much.
16:26 So they didn't run him that much.
16:27 And he didn't hit his 120.
16:28 But in all the games that he's needed to be a force,
16:32 he's he's picked up 120 plus on the ground.
16:34 TCU, though, the wide receiver court,
16:36 they've got a little bit of a drop problem.
16:37 They have 11 drops on the season.
16:39 That is six.
16:40 Most Chandler Morris without those drops would be top 20 in completion rate.
16:45 79% adjusted completion.
16:47 That takes out drops.
16:49 That takes out throwaways.
16:50 So that's what adjusted completion rate is there.
16:52 He's completing almost 80% of his intended passes if you take out the drop.
16:56 So I need to clean it up there.
16:58 That's for sure.
16:58 They cannot turn the ball over or miss opportunities
17:03 against West Virginia on offense, especially early.
17:06 If you dig yourself in a seven lead, that's going to change the calculus
17:09 of the game versus if you take a seven lead yourself. Right.
17:13 So, you know, West Virginia, they're going to want to slow the game down.
17:16 They're going to want to limit the number of TCU drives.
17:18 And when you get your drives limited, that makes the game closer.
17:22 That needs to be.
17:22 And like I said, you let teams hang around.
17:24 So I need to see it early and often with the Monte Bailey.
17:27 I need to see no drops.
17:29 We don't need turnovers.
17:30 None of that kind of stuff.
17:31 Play a clean game and get out of there with the victory.
17:34 In your opinion, has TCU looked more prepared against her other FBS opponents?
17:39 Because I know I was livid about their unpreparedness against Colorado.
17:42 No, I think they've looked a lot more prepared against
17:47 against SMU in particular, and then Houston as well.
17:51 And I think part of why they looked unprepared against Colorado
17:55 was there was absolutely no game tape.
17:57 That's not to say you can't prepare and you can't pull stuff
18:01 from what those coordinators have done at their past stops.
18:04 But it's really hard to prepare when you have zero tape.
18:09 So I think that was part of the equation there.
18:12 I, you know, so that's a hard comparison,
18:15 but I do think they've looked a lot better against Houston and SMU.
18:19 Execution might not be perfect every single time,
18:23 but I do feel like they are starting to figure out who they are.
18:27 They're using a Monte Bailey Moore like you talked about.
18:29 He is he's averaging 120 yards a game.
18:32 And I was looking at this the other day.
18:34 That's almost 15 yards more than the next back in the big 12.
18:38 I mean, there's a huge gap between him and Kansas State's running back.
18:43 Now, I don't know if he's truly better than him or not.
18:48 That's a maybe a little bit, you know, different, different argument.
18:51 I would say so. DJ Giddens is a great player, but I would say
18:55 a Monte Bailey is the best one in the big 12 right now.
18:57 He probably is.
18:59 And his stats are absolutely showing that.
19:01 And so I think they're they're they're not afraid to rely on him,
19:04 which I think is really important.
19:06 And you saw that in the SMU game because at halftime there was no run game.
19:10 There was absolutely no running for TCU that made some adjustments,
19:14 went back to it.
19:15 And we all know how that ended. So.
19:18 I think they looked they've looked a lot more prepared,
19:21 and I think that's going to continue into this game.
19:24 I really do.
19:26 I do understand.
19:27 And it absolutely is a reason that, you know, there there wasn't the tape
19:32 out in Colorado forehand, so it's kind of hard to prepare.
19:34 But I think the biggest concern to me was that Gillespie's guys
19:38 looked surprised that this team was running fast, not even, you know,
19:42 are you prepared for Dylan Edwards running the wheel route down the field?
19:46 Sure. I mean, Dylan Edwards, he's a freshman.
19:48 You have no tape on him.
19:50 You don't know what he's capable of. I get it. That's fine.
19:52 But being surprised that a team with no size on the offensive line
19:55 was running fast and getting to the perimeter
19:58 and using their best players to me was shocking.
20:01 That and not even a halftime adjustment was enough to make up for that.
20:04 It's almost like, like, wow, well, we expect a Colorado
20:07 to come out here and run 47 plays and here they go running 90.
20:11 I don't know. That's that's a whole nother rabbit hole.
20:14 I could do a whole podcast on that.
20:15 I do. Do you have any concern that's still remaining about game planning?
20:19 At this point in particular,
20:24 I think we'll start to see a little bit more of that come out
20:27 as conference play continues, because against Houston,
20:32 you didn't really have to pull out all the stops.
20:34 You didn't didn't have to do a ton because you started to pull away.
20:37 Same thing with SMU.
20:39 Sure, it's a 17 point game, but it started to feel a little bit more
20:42 like a blowout, like like TCU should have been up more at a certain point.
20:45 So I think until I see them back in a tight game like against Colorado,
20:53 I don't have too many concerns about the game planning,
20:55 but it's something definitely to keep an eye on, especially if if they got it,
21:00 if they have an opportunity to go up to scores or something like that
21:02 against which they don't do it.
21:04 Well, why didn't they do it? What what prevented that from doing that?
21:07 And I didn't talk too much about personnel here, but I do just kind of want
21:12 to touch on the secondary for West Virginia.
21:14 I know the competition they play, but guys is good unit.
21:17 They have two penalties between the likes of them, which in this day and age
21:21 is that's tough to do.
21:23 Yeah, none of them are allowing greater than a 50 percent completion
21:26 when targeted.
21:27 I they've got four picks as a team, several more pass breakups.
21:32 The highest NFL QB are that they've allowed is 86.
21:37 Mind you, it goes up to one hundred and fifty eight point three.
21:39 So this is a tough unit.
21:41 And I like TCU skill guys, but I don't think that their receivers
21:46 are good enough to be able to get enough separation against these guys
21:50 to make things easy for Chandler Morris.
21:52 He's going to need to be throwing balls in a tough windows, tight windows.
21:55 I know we found the tight ends for a couple of touchdowns last week.
21:58 Maybe they'll have to go to that route again.
22:00 But I yeah, you're not going to roll over against these guys.
22:03 Beanie Bishop is one of the better cornerbacks in my estimation, the big 12.
22:07 So they're going to have their hands full.
22:09 We need to see separation from these guys, especially downfield.
22:12 Give Chandler Morris some easy throws early on.
22:14 Let's not try to make this harder than it needs to be and run the ball
22:17 to Monte Bailey, and I think TCU will be just fine.
22:21 OK.
22:22 Who's who's your winner in this game between TCU and West Virginia
22:27 and what score are you giving them?
22:28 I am going to go to see a 24 West Virginia 10.
22:33 Like we talked about, I don't see West Virginia scoring a lot of points
22:37 unless TCU gives them opportunities, unless they they're just strip
22:41 sack fumble or turn for a touchdown or a pick six or some of those
22:45 more opportunistic plays.
22:47 I don't see West Virginia scoring that much.
22:49 I really don't.
22:50 And so on the flip side, TCU's got to take advantage of those opportunities
22:54 when they have them to move the ball down the field, maybe take some time
22:58 off the clock because with the new with the new clock rules, there's
23:01 a limited number of drives.
23:04 Teams are already seeing that they have less drives, one less drive,
23:08 two less drives, whatever it is, not that matters, especially in close games.
23:12 So I think TCU should be able to to move that ball.
23:16 Morris is going to have to be on point with his passes,
23:19 and he showed that a little bit against SMU that he can do that.
23:22 So I I think TCU is going to be able to move the ball to.
23:26 I'm in such lockstep with you that my score prediction is TCU 31 West
23:32 Virginia 10.
23:33 I don't believe West Virginia is going to be able to score the ball
23:35 that much at all.
23:36 TCU's linebackers are too good and sure tackling and they're good
23:39 swarm to the ball kind of defense when there's a team that's rushing the football.
23:42 I think they'll be able to take this out, put the ball in either
23:45 Garrett Green or Nico Markeo's hands, whoever does step out there on Saturday.
23:49 I'm actually not sure who it's going to be right now.
23:51 Either way, force them to throw it, force their quarterbacks to make plays.
23:55 And I think you're going to be just fine.
23:57 But before wrap up shop here, going back to the pickums.
24:00 I won a perfect five and oh last week, pat myself on the back after starting
24:04 eight and nine, or you went three and two. Not bad.
24:07 You were you were at six and three on the season.
24:09 So that that's pretty solid, I think.
24:11 I got four more games for you.
24:14 We are including the TCU West Virginia game in here.
24:17 But the first game that we're starting off with is called the Southwest Classic.
24:21 It's between Texas A&M and Arkansas played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
24:25 I think I'm going to go with A&M here.
24:29 I've really been impressed by their quarterback play.
24:32 I know he got hurt
24:34 against I'm blanking on who they played last week.
24:37 Auburn. Auburn.
24:39 I haven't heard he's out.
24:42 He's out for the he's out for the season.
24:45 That is a that is a development this afternoon.
24:47 That is a huge loss for him because he was he looked very good
24:52 against Miami and that loss.
24:55 I think I still like A&M.
24:58 I feel like they've just got a few more things rolling in the right direction.
25:01 Arkansas, just they just don't feel like they're
25:05 they're clicking, they're taking off, they didn't look great against BYU.
25:10 I'm going to go to Texas A&M.
25:12 I'm with you. I don't think Arkansas is very good.
25:15 Offensive coordinator Danny Enos doesn't do it for me.
25:17 Their defense is good enough to make up for that.
25:18 So, yeah, give me A&M, even with Max Johnson, who's journeyman.
25:22 He's he's a veteran. He's decent.
25:25 He's a lefty, though, that has a ridiculous windup.
25:27 So against a better secondary, that may be an issue.
25:30 I don't think Arkansas has a team to exploit that.
25:32 Here's a fun one.
25:33 They've ranked Kansas Jayhawks number 24, Kansas on the road at number three.
25:37 Texas, who are you taking to win?
25:40 I'm going to take Texas.
25:42 I think they have the better talent.
25:43 It's at it's in Austin.
25:45 I think that's going to matter.
25:46 But man, I think this is going to be a close game.
25:48 It's going to be a good game.
25:50 Like I, I think it's going to be tight.
25:53 I it's going to be a fun one to watch, but I'm going to ultimately pick Texas.
25:57 Yeah, I'm going to be honest.
25:59 I know they played Alabama, but I think Kansas is probably the best offense
26:02 that Texas played this year.
26:03 Certainly the best quarterback play they played all year.
26:05 They have the look ahead to the Red River shootout.
26:08 That's next week. They may be looking ahead.
26:11 That said, I don't think that there's a number that Texas cannot score
26:14 on this Kansas team.
26:15 I know defensively they've taken a little bit of a step forward,
26:18 but I don't think that Kansas can do anything about their downfield passing.
26:21 And Texas isn't going to overlook them because they've lost them recently,
26:24 you know, in Austin.
26:26 So I think that this is a game they're going to take seriously.
26:28 Maybe a sluggish start in the first half, but I think ultimately Texas
26:31 puts this one away and wins comfortably.
26:33 Now we have college game day heading to Duke for the first time ever.
26:36 There are now just six power five teams that have not hosted college game day.
26:40 As Duke is being written off here, they're hosting number 11 Notre Dame.
26:44 Who do you have winning this one?
26:46 I'm going to go with Notre Dame,
26:51 mainly because they know they let one slip through last week against Ohio State.
26:55 They're going to be motivated.
26:57 They're they're going to be.
26:58 I mean, it was one of those things.
27:00 Whoever's on their schedule next is just going to be unfortunate.
27:02 You know, I not to say that they're going to just demolish them.
27:06 I think it'll be a pretty good game.
27:07 But man, Notre Dame, what once slipped through their fingers.
27:11 So I think they're going to be pretty motivated.
27:13 But Duke's looked pretty good.
27:17 Be close in there.
27:18 They're rolling as well.
27:19 So I think it should be a pretty good game.
27:21 I'm very interested to see how Notre Dame responds.
27:24 On one hand, yeah, it could be a I'd hate to be the next guys on their schedule.
27:30 The other part of me thinks that it was such an emotional loss
27:35 and body blow after body blow.
27:37 Now they have to hit the road and play a Duke team
27:39 that is going to be amped up beyond belief.
27:41 That stadium is going to be juiced as it's ever been in its history.
27:45 And we saw what happened.
27:46 I, I know the 28 to seven final score was not indicative of how that game went.
27:51 Clemson probably should have won that game.
27:53 Weird to say.
27:54 But we saw how how energized that team, how Mike Elko gets his guys up for
27:59 and how a full Wallace Wade Stadium can actually be pretty impressive.
28:03 So I'm going to say Notre Dame.
28:05 I'm actually not very confident in it.
28:08 I think this will go one of two ways.
28:10 I think Notre Dame will blow the doors off them and make it a very sound
28:13 obvious win or Duke wins this game outright because Notre Dame's
28:17 can't get their footing after that emotional loss in week four.
28:20 Final one on here had to do it.
28:23 I know you love your Boise State Broncos, Tori.
28:25 So I put Boise State on here.
28:26 They travel to Memphis as underdogs.
28:29 Who are you taking to win?
28:31 Take my Broncos.
28:32 I'm going to go with Boise State.
28:34 They got a really nice road win in to open conference play against San Diego State.
28:38 That's not an easy place to play.
28:40 They kind of struggled a little bit in the non-conference
28:42 figuring some things out, almost beat UCF.
28:45 So I think they're kind of starting to figure some things out.
28:48 Their quarterback agrees looking a little bit better.
28:51 So I'm going to roll with the Broncos.
28:54 Ashton Jensee might be my favorite player in college football right now.
28:57 He's so good.
28:59 That running back, he's broken a thousand million tackles.
29:02 He's versatile.
29:03 I like him a lot.
29:04 I do not trust Memphis as far as I can throw them.
29:07 Ryan Silverfield has lost eight of his last 11 one score games.
29:11 He did win that Navy game.
29:14 Probably shouldn't have on multiple occasions watching that.
29:18 That was one of the more ridiculous football games I think I've ever seen
29:20 in my life, so I'm going to take Boise State on the road.
29:23 You know, it's a long trip out to Memphis, but hey, I think the Broncos
29:27 are more talented, much better coached.
29:29 Memphis can be an absolute clown car if they're not firing on all cylinders
29:32 under Ryan Silverfield.
29:34 But thank you so much for tuning in for another Killer Frogs
29:37 college football podcast.
29:39 Find us at Killer Frogs dot com or on Twitter or X or whatever
29:42 the call it these days at Killer Frogs.
29:44 I'm at road to CFB and you can find Tori at Tori Couch underscore TX
29:49 and continue this conversation over on Facebook.
29:51 Give us your West Virginia TCU score predictions.
29:55 This finds its way to West Virginia Facebook or social media.
29:58 I'm sorry you can yell at me in the in the comments there.
30:01 I probably won't read them, though,
30:03 as you go into this week because I know it's coming for me.
30:05 But if you liked what you heard, subscribe to us on your podcasting app
30:08 a choice via Spotify, Apple podcast or whatever using these days
30:11 and drop us a review is that's going to be the best way to help us grow
30:14 and reach more college football fans, big 12 fans and TCU fans.
30:18 Check back next week for the next episode of the Killer Frogs
30:21 college football podcast.
30:22 I'm Brett Gibbons. That is Tori Couch, and we'll catch you all next time.
30:26 (upbeat music)