TCU football’s season opener is set for 2021 against a team it has never faced
TCU football hasn’t announced its 2021 football schedule yet. The Big 12 is expected to finalize its schedule soon, possibly by early next week, and the university will announce the schedule in its entirety.
But sources have confirmed that TCU will open the season with a home game against Duquesne on Sept. 4 at Amon G. Carter Stadium. It’ll be the first meeting between TCU and Duquesne, an FCS school out of Pittsburgh in the Northeast Conference.
TCU’s other nonconference games include home meetings against Cal (Sept. 11) and SMU (Sept. 25). Game times will be announced at a later date.
TCU and Cal played for the first came in the 2018 Cheez-It Bowl, a 10-7 overtime victory by the Frogs. The Horned Frogs were scheduled to play at Cal last season, but that game was canceled amid the coronavirus pandemic. The earliest TCU can play a return game at Cal is the 2031 season.
TCU and SMU, of course, have a rich history with the rivalry dating to 1915. The 2021 matchup will mark the 100th meeting for the “Iron Skillet.” TCU leads the all-time series 51-41-7. The 2020 game was canceled due to the pandemic although the schools tried to play it.
TCU could start Big 12 play as early as Sept. 18, or that could be an open week with conference play starting Oct. 2.
The Frogs are scheduled to have seven home games in 2021. Along with the three nonconference games in Fort Worth, TCU will host home Big 12 games against Baylor, Kansas, Texas and West Virginia. The road games are at Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Iowa State and Kansas State.
Spring practices are expected to begin around March 15, coach Gary Patterson said this week, with tentative plans for a spring game on April 17 at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
As with everything these days, though, these plans are subject to change.
