Breaking down TCU football’s 2021 schedule (plus early predictions)
At first glance, it’s easy to feel the Big 12 did TCU wrong with its 2021 football schedule.
The Horned Frogs have no breaks once they start league play. Every other team has at least one open date once they start Big 12 play.
As former TCU great Ben Banogu posted on Twitter, “Whoever made this schedule hates TCU … doesn’t make any sense.”
That may be true as far as having TCU play nine straight conference games without a bye. But every team could find something “wrong” with the schedule. Baylor, for instance, is facing both Texas and Oklahoma when those programs are coming off byes.
Outside of the bye issue, though, the schedule actually sets up well for TCU.
As athletic director Jeremiah Donati said, “Scheduling is always a trade-off. It’s never perfect but it’s fair overall.”
The Frogs like their schedule with early games against Texas and Oklahoma. They close the regular season at Iowa State, which plays OU the week before. TCU faces Kansas the week before ISU.
The only team that will be coming off a bye going into the TCU game is West Virginia on Oct. 23. So, all in all, it seems fair enough.
With that being said, here’s an early breakdown of the schedule with predictions.
Sept. 4 vs. Duquesne (Win): This is the first meeting between the programs and should be an easy victory for the Frogs.
Sept. 11 vs. Cal (Win): A rematch of the 2018 Cheez-It Bowl. Don’t expect seven interceptions to be thrown between the programs, but do expect another close game that the Frogs win.
Sept. 25 vs. SMU (Win): SMU shocked TCU in 2019 in Fort Worth. The Frogs won’t let that happen again in the 100th meeting for the Iron Skillet.
Oct. 2 vs. Texas (Win): It’s hard to bet against Gary Patterson facing Texas. Plus, Max Duggan has proven to be at his best against the Longhorns so far in his college career.
Oct. 9 at Texas Tech (Win): A 5-0 start? The schedule sets up nicely for that to happen for the first time since 2017. Patterson and the Frogs earn the victory over the Red Raiders and former OC Sonny Cumbie.
Oct. 16 at Oklahoma (Loss): TCU’s first stumbling block. Patterson has never defeated the Sooners since Lincoln Riley took over.
Oct. 23 vs. West Virginia (Win): TCU has lost three straight to WVU, but it gets back on track in 2021. The Mountaineers bring back a lot of players and will be a “dark horse” in the Big 12, but they’ll fall in Fort Worth.
Oct. 30 at Kansas State (Loss): Chris Klieman is 2-0 against Patterson early in his K-State tenure. And the Wildcats have playmakers such as Deuce Vaughn who can change a game with one play. This is a tough game on the road to win.
Nov. 6 vs. Baylor (Win): TCU, having lost two out of three after a 5-0 start, welcomes Baylor to town. The Frogs have won five of the last six meetings and will make it six of the last seven in 2021.
Nov. 13 at Oklahoma State (Loss): TCU is just 1-4 in Stillwater since joining the Big 12, and this feels like a game where not having a bye catches up. That and Spencer Sanders is a pretty good quarterback for the Cowboys.
Nov. 20 vs. Kansas (Win): KU is a program that is reeling without much promise. TCU has played closer-than-expected games in the past, but seems to have shaken that trend last year. This should be an easy W.
Nov. 27 at Iowa State (Win): Will a trip to the Big 12 title game be on the line? TCU closes the season with a win in Duggan’s home state.
Regular season record: 9-3. Will a 6-3 mark in league play be good enough to reach the Big 12 title game? Probably not, but the Frogs would have a chance to reach double-digit wins in a bowl game.
