TCU Horned Frogs @ Wyoming Cowboys Football Preview

Yes, the TCU Horned Frogs were supposed to play a meaningful Mountain West Conference football game in the month of November. Notice the word “a,” as in “one.” It turns out that the folks from Fort Worth, Texas, will play two important conference games in November. The Wyoming Cowboys have decided to make a push for the top tier in the league, adding a new dimension to this weekend’s clash in Laramie, Wyoming.

With TCU and Wyoming slated to play in the first week of November, it is doubtful that many would have expected it to be a game with conference championship implications. With TCU at 6-2 (3-0 MWC), and its defense looking just good instead of being the best in the country, such a game with Wyoming is not an automatic win like it has been in the past three years. Wyoming has shown grit so far this season to get to 5-2 (2-0 MWC), its latest win a 30-27 victory over San Diego State.

Freshman quarterback Brett Smith has been a revelation for the Cowboys. The youngster is completing 61 percent of his passes and his touchdown-to-interception ratio is better than two-to-one. And while he doesn’t run much, Smith can and will run when needed, and he does so effectively.

As of now, Laramie has a fun surprise in store for the matchup. In the days surrounding, it should be relatively pleasant weather, but Saturday is slated for temperatures in the 20s with a 70 percent chance of heavy snow. This is certainly not a Frog-friendly environment. The last time TCU played in such weather was when its 2009 squad—a team that would finish 12-1—squeaked by Air Force 20-17 on a frigid, breezy Colorado Springs night. But acclimation aside, TCU might have the schematic advantage in such weather. The Horned Frogs have three running backs in Waymon James, Matthew Tucker, and Ed Wesley all with over 400 rushing yards on the season. TCU’s average yardage per game has been very balanced: 51 percent by the pass, 49 percent by the run. Wyoming’s numbers are slightly less balanced: 56 percent by the pass, 44 percent by means of the running game.

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TCU is coming off a 38-28 win over BYU in Cowboys Stadium. While the game wasn’t much in doubt in the second half, it was largely due to BYU special teams mistakes. The Frogs were held to 150 yards under their per-game average. Unfortunately for Wyoming, it has shown no such ability to stop a strong run game. The Pokes gave up 318 rushing yards to Utah State, and also surrendered 224 yards last week to Ronnie Hillman, the nation’s leading rusher. If weather dictates a heavy dose of running, TCU’s ability to rotate three backs that are each as good as the next could cause problems for Wyoming like Utah State’s trio of Robert Turbin, Michael Smith, and Kerwynn Williams.

In a cold, snowy game, ball security becomes an issue. Neither team has been excellent, but, both are better at forcing turnovers than losing them, as TCU and Wyoming are ranked in the top 20 in turnover margin. The team that takes best care of the ball and can fight the weather to make a big play or two will find itself tied for first with Boise State in the Mountain West title chase.

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer