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TCU Football: 3 bold predictions vs the SMU Mustangs

By Matty Breisch

DALLAS, TX - SEPTEMBER 23: The TCU Horned Frogs celebrate with the Iron Skillet Trophy after beating the Southern Methodist Mustangs 33-3 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on September 23, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - SEPTEMBER 23: The TCU Horned Frogs celebrate with the Iron Skillet Trophy after beating the Southern Methodist Mustangs 33-3 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on September 23, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

1. TCU runs twice as many plays as SMU

While it’s not the most attractive stat on earth, if TCU is able to run twice as many plays as SMU in their Week 3 game, it will go a long way to ensuring a Horned Frogs victory.

In a game where two high-powered offenses are facing off, maintaining the momentum throughout the game will be huge in determining which offense is able to find a rhythm, and which finds itself sputtering out.

And while SMU’s offense has put up video game numbers against their opponents in the first weeks of the college football season, it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to do so freely against TCU’s much improved defense. If they have a couple three-and-outs early in the game, it could go a long way two defining the game as a whole.

In TCU’s 28 – 7 week two victory against SEC powerhouse Arkansas, the Horned Frogs were able to take the lead early in the game and then contain the Razorbacks power running game by milking the clock, and possessing the ball for almost 10 minutes longer than Arkansas. While this doesn’t seem like a lot of time, it allowed TCU to run 73 offensive plays, 19 more than Arkansas was able to run.

This extra time on offense allowed Gary Patterson’s squad to give his defenders a breather, and move the ball at offensive coordinator Sonny Cumby’s desired pace. Even if the Horned Frogs do have trouble with vertical passing routes early in the game, they possess enough experience both on and off the field to pivot to a four-minute offense, and milk the clock, which is something that SMU does not possess.

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Even if the Mustangs are able to run their quick strike offense early on in the game against TCU, their lack of offensive snaps will create a gambling mentality that will force their sophomore quarterback Ben Hicks into less than optimal situations, something TCU’s defense has been able to take advantage of so far this season.

In a contest of high-powered passing offenses, the outcome of the game may come down to who wins the time of possession battle.

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