Opt-outs are a new reality of bowl season, as many players decide to forgo the postseason games.
Sometimes it’s about not wanting to hurt their NFL draft stock. Other times, players opt out to get a jump on hitting the transfer portal.
Last year TCU star receivers Jack Bech and Savion Williams opted out of TCU’s 34-3 win over Louisiana in the New Mexico Bowl after both players were banged up at the end of the regular season. Bech ended up being drafted in the second round and Williams in the third.
So will TCU football have any opt-outs when it faces USC in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30? Head coach Sonny Dykes gave a surprising answer Tuesday.
“We had a team meeting on Monday to talk about the bowl game. Everybody was here and looked to me like they were excited to play,” Dykes said. “I don’t anticipate anyone not playing.”
That would be huge news for the Horned Frogs if they were able to have their full roster available against the Trojans. It’s a pivotal game for both teams with the potential to be one of the most-viewed bowl games of the season.
No. 16 USC is aiming for its first double-digit win season since head coach Lincoln Riley’s first season in 2022. Meanwhile, the Horned Frogs could win nine games in back-to-back years, plus pick up a top-20 win over a marquee opponent.
There’s NFL talent on both sides, which could help each team’s top playmakers move up draft boards.
Among the TCU players who will have to decide whether it’s worth it to play in the bowl game are three seniors, wide receiver Eric McAlister, safety Bud Clark and linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr.
Clark, a second-team All-Big 12 safety, missed the final two games of the season, and he’s also already accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl. Being fully healthy for that all-star game is something Clark has to consider.
Elarms-Orr, a first-team All-Big 12 linebacker, seems likely to play considering the high-profile opponent.
McAlister, a first-team All-Big 12 wide receiver, is the biggest name to watch, along with USC counterpart Makai Lemon. McAlister was one of the best receivers in the nation and seems a safe bet to be at least a mid-round selection in the 2026 NFL draft.
Dykes offered an encouraging update about McAlister’s status.
“I think he will [play],” Dykes said. “I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t. I haven’t had that conversation with him, but I would expect him to.”
TCU will begin practicing for the Alamo Bowl on Thursday.
Game schedule dates, times, locations
NEXT UP: Game dates, times, locations, channel
Rangers ▶
June 22 Rangers 4, Miami 3
June 23 Miami 6, Rangers 4
June 24 Miami 4, Rangers 2
June 25 Rangers 6, Toronto 5
June 26 Rangers 5, Toronto 4
June 27 Rangers 7, Toronto 4
June 28 Rangers 3, Toronto 2
June 29 at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m., ESPN
June 30 at Cleveland, 5:40 p.m., RSN
July 1 at Cleveland, 12:10 p.m., RSN
July 2 vs. Detroit, 7:05 p.m., RSN
July 4 vs. Detroit, 3:05 p.m., RSN
July 5 vs. Detroit, 2:30 p.m., NBCSN, Peacock
Wings▶
June 17 Golden State 91, Wings 80
June 20 Wings 93, Chicago 92
June 22 Wings 112, Seattle 110 (OT)
June 25 Las Vegas 99, Wings 84
June 28 Minnesota 85, Wings 77
July 2 at Connecticut, 7 p.m., KFAA, Amazon Prime Video
July 5 at Toronto, 2 p.m., KFAA
July 7 at New York, 7 p.m., ESPN
July 10 vs. Toronto (at Montreal), 6:30 p.m., Ion
July 12 vs. Chicago (at American Airlines Center), 6 p.m., ESPN, Disney+
TCU Football ▶
2026 season
Aug. 29 vs. North Carolina (at Dublin), 11 a.m., ESPN
Sept. 12 vs. Grambling State, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Sept. 19 vs. Arkansas State, 7 p.m., ESPNU
Sept. 26 at Central Florida, TBA
Oct. 3 vs. BYU, TBA
Oct. 17 at Baylor, TBA
Oct. 24 vs. West Virginia, TBA
Oct. 31 vs. Kansas, TBA
Nov. 6 at Arizona, 9:15 p.m., ESPN
Nov. 14 vs. Kansas State, TBA
Nov. 21 vs. Utah, TBA
Nov. 26 at Texas Tech, 7 p.m., ESPN
Cowboys ▶
Sept. 13 at N.Y. Giants, 7:20 p.m., NBC
Sept. 20 vs. Washington, 3:25 p.m., Fox
Sept. 27 vs. Baltimore (at Rio de Janeiro), 3:25 p.m., CBS
Oct. 4 at Houston, 12 p.m., Fox
Oct. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, 7:15 p.m., Amazon Prime Video
Oct. 18 at Green Bay, 7:20 p.m., NBC
Oct. 26 at Philadelphia, 7:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC
Nov. 1 vs. Arizona, 12 p.m., Fox
Nov. 8 at Indianapolis, 12 p.m., Fox
Nov. 15 vs. San Francisco, 3:25 p.m., Fox
Nov. 22 vs. Tennessee, 12 p.m., Fox
Nov. 26 vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m., Fox
Dec. 7 at Seattle, 7:15 p.m., ESPN, ABC
Dec. 20 at L.A. Rams, 3:25 p.m., CBS
Dec. 27 vs. Jacksonville, 7:20 p.m., NBC
Jan. 3 vs. N.Y. Giants, 12 p.m., Fox
Jan. 9 or 10 at Washington, TBA
World Cup ▶
All local matches at AT&T Stadium
Group stage
June 14 Japan 2, Netherlands 2 (Group F)
June 17 England 4, Croatia 2 (Group L)
June 22 Argentina 2, Austria 0 (Group J)
June 25 Japan 1, Sweden 1 (Group F)
June 27 Argentina 3, Jordan 1 (Group J)
Knockout round
June 30 Norway 2, Ivory Coast 1 (round of 32)
July 3 Round of 32: Australia vs. Egypt, 1 p.m., Fox
