TCU 2025 Snapshot

Here’s a summary of how TCU Horned Frogs football is doing in 2025 — where they stand now, what’s worked (and what’s shaky), and what to watch.

2025 Season Snapshot

Overall record: 8–4 (conference: 5–4) under head coach Sonny Dykes. (Wikipedia)
Home-away breakdown: Home games 5–1, away games 3–3. (TCU Athletics)
Offense: relies on an “Air-raid” scheme under OC Kendal Briles; QB Josh Hoover — returning starter — continues to be center of the offense. (Wikipedia)
Defense: with DC Andy Avalos in his second season, TCU appears to have a relatively stable defensive unit (4–2–5 base). (Wikipedia)

From their 2025 schedule: (ESPN.com)

Strong start: Opened 2025 with resounding wins — e.g., 48–14 at North Carolina, 42–21 vs Abilene Christian, 35–24 vs SMU. (ESPN.com)
Tough losses: Close and not-so-close defeats — lost 27–24 at Arizona State; 41–28 at Kansas State; 20–17 vs Iowa State; and a rough 44–13 loss at BYU. (ESPN.com)
Late-season bounce: Closed the regular season on a high — beat Houston (17–14) and then routed Cincinnati 45–23. (ESPN.com)
Postseason: Earned a bowl berth — the Valero Alamo Bowl — set to face USC Trojans. (Frogs O' War)

Offensive continuity: With Hoover at QB and the Air-raid scheme established, TCU’s offense has shown consistency and explosiveness. Forecasts had projected around ~418 total yards per game. (On3)
Talent and experience: Several returning starters both on offense and defense — giving roster stability that analysts had flagged as a big plus. (On3)
Big-game resilience: The late-season wins show TCU can bounce back and perform under pressure, which is important in a competitive conference like the Big 12 Conference.

Inconsistency vs good teams: Losses — especially on the road — to established conference foes (Kansas State, BYU) suggest struggles in tougher environments and against strong defenses.
Defense still a question mark: Despite improvements under Avalos, a few of the losses (and close games) show defensive lapses — something TCU will need to shore up if they want to compete for the conference title.
Tough schedule: Pre-season projections noted that TCU has one of the 50 hardest schedules nationally in 2025 — 11 Power-Conference opponents among only two teams to do so. (SI)

Bowl season & maybe more: With the Alamo Bowl beckoning, TCU has a chance to end 2025 on a high note — a big win there could set momentum for 2026. (Frogs O' War)
Big 12 relevance: While probably not the top favorite, TCU remains in position to contend — if they find consistency and avoid the stumbles in close games. Analysts have viewed them as a possible dark-horse this season. (PFF)
Development matters: If the offense stays sharp and the defense solidifies, 2025 could serve as a launchpad for a stronger 2026 — especially as young players accumulate playing time and newer transfers settle in.