TCU Football: Do Frogs have enough to hold on defensively vs. WVU?

To stay alive for bowl eligibility, each game is huge from here on out for TCU football needing two wins in its last three tries of 2018.

At the beginning of the 2018 campaign, this matchup between TCU football and the top 10-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers was anticipated to be a deciding factor in the Big 12 picture. It’s anything but that at this point since TCU football has fallen out of relevance in the Big 12 standings and West Virginia looks to roll them over in Morgantown.

The home atmosphere combined with the momentum coming off a massive road victory over the Texas Longhorns seems like more than enough to push West Virginia to a win over TCU. Yet, head coach Gary Patterson and the TCU Horned Frogs might have just the thing needed to give the Mountaineers a scare in Week 11.

This vaunted TCU defense that the Big 12 is used to is still here. It’s the TCU offense that was the biggest letdown this fall. Season ending injury to quarterback Shawn Robinson and a suspension handed to senior wide receiver KaVontae Turpin also helped to seal the doom of this TCU offensive group.

TCU is now relying on a volatile sophomore quarterback in Michael Collins that is still fresh off a road loss to the Kansas Jayhawks. That makes the effectiveness of the TCU defense huge if this team wants any chance against a deep and talented West Virginia offense.

This year, TCU is still one of the top defenses in the Big 12 and is allowing less than 20 points per game in roughly half of its matchups this fall. Star senior West Virginia quarterback Will Grier is going to have another tough battle on his hands with a very fast TCU defense on tap this week.

While the Mountaineers put up points in the triple digits combined in the past two weeks, TCU is going to be a tough test if the offense isn’t prepared for what lies ahead. TCU is allowing less than 200 passing yards per game and well under two passing touchdowns. If anything spelled letdown for West Virginia, it’s this game after putting up two massive performances including an emotional road win over Texas.

We also shouldn’t underestimate what the Frogs are able to do with at least some type of momentum coming off a much-needed home win against the Kansas State Wildcats. The TCU offense could be getting more comfortable and a motivated defense is set to take the field in Morgantown in Week 11.