NCAA College Football: Last Season in Review – TCU Horned Frogs

How the Horned Frogs Rebounded and Reestablished Their Identity in 2024

After a dream run to the national title game in 2022 and a brutal hangover in 2023, the TCU Horned Frogs entered 2024 with something to prove. Expectations were tempered. Few outside Fort Worth were talking about them. And maybe that was exactly what they needed.

They finished 7-5 in the regular season and won their bowl game to end 8-5. It wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t national-headline material. But it was exactly the kind of year Sonny Dykes needed: stable, competitive, and a sign that 2022 wasn’t a total fluke.

Rough Start, Strong Finish

The season opened with a thud. TCU dropped two of its first three games, including a frustrating home loss to SMU that had fans questioning whether the rebuild was really working. The offense sputtered. The defense, especially the secondary, looked lost.

But to their credit, the Frogs didn’t fold. They rattled off wins against Texas Tech, Kansas State, and Houston — gritty performances built on smart adjustments and timely plays.

The turning point came midseason when TCU leaned harder into its run game and simplified things for its young quarterbacks. The result: fewer turnovers, longer drives, and a defense that stayed off the field long enough to catch its breath.

Quarterback Development Was Key

Quarterback was a revolving door early in the season, but redshirt freshman Josh Hoover eventually settled in. He wasn’t Max Duggan, but he didn’t need to be. He managed the game, avoided major mistakes, and grew more comfortable each week. Hoover’s poise late in the year was one of the biggest wins for Dykes and his staff.

Defense Finds Its Edge Again

Joe Gillespie’s defense bounced back after a brutal 2023 campaign. While still not elite, the unit improved in tackling efficiency, third-down stops, and red zone performance. It wasn’t dominant, but it was functional—and for a team built to win with tempo, that was enough.

Building Toward 2025

This wasn’t a season that will hang banners. But it was one that recalibrated the program. TCU proved it could respond to adversity, develop talent, and win the games it was supposed to win. That’s how you build staying power.

Looking ahead, the Frogs return key pieces on both sides of the ball and bring in a strong recruiting class, especially on defense. If Hoover continues his trajectory and the O-line holds up, TCU could be a legitimate Big 12 dark horse in 2025.

For bettors, this is a team to watch — especially early in the season, before the market catches up. They’re off the national radar, but they’re better than their win total will likely suggest. Quiet success, after all, tends to fly under the odds.