TCU plays Kansas on Saturday in a Big 12 matchup of teams trying to get their seasons on track
TCU (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) at Kansas (1-3, 0-1), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Kansas by 1 1/2.
Series record: TCU 26-9-4.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Two teams with big expectations this season instead are meeting with desperation setting in. TCU lost a one-point nailbiter to UCF before getting blown out 66-42 by SMU last weekend, while Kansas dropped three straight to Illinois, UNLV and West Virginia by a combined 13 points. The Jayhawks played their first two home games at Children’s Mercy Park, the home of MLS club Sporting Kansas City, while their own stadium is being renovated. But their Big 12 games shift across the state line to Arrowhead Stadium beginning with TCU.
KEY MATCHUP
Kansas RB Devin Neal against the TCU run defense, which allowed Brashard Smith to run for 127 yards and three touchdowns and SMU pile up 238 yards on the ground in all last week. Neal has been a bright spot for an otherwise struggling Kansas offense, running for 443 yards with a 6.2 average and three touchdowns this season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
TCU: WR Jack Bech shredded SMU’s secondary last week, hauling in eight passes for 166 yards and two scores. He was able to get open thanks in part to a similarly stellar game from WR Eric McAlister, who had six catches for 114 yards and a touchdown.
Kansas: QB Jalon Daniels has struggled mightily this season, especially when it comes to decision-making and turnovers. He’s thrown for 626 yards and four touchdowns, but he also has been sacked five times and thrown seven interceptions.
FACTS & FIGURES
TCU has won five straight and 10 of the last 11 in the series against Kansas. The lone win by the Jayhawks over that span was a 27-26 victory on Oct. 27, 2018, in Lawrence. … TCU and Kansas have played four previous games in Kansas City, Missouri. The Horned Frogs won games in 1944 and ‘45 and the teams played to scoreless draws in 1946 and ’47. … TCU QB Josh Hoover has eight 300-yard passing games in 10 career starts. … Horned Frogs WR Jack Bech has three 100-yard receiving games this season. He also has four catches of 43 yards or more. … Jayhawks WRs Lawrence Arnold (2,036 yards) and Luke Grimm (2,014) each surpassed the 2,000-yard mark for receiving in their career last week. … Jayhawks RB Devin Neal has run for at least 100 yards in seven of his past eight games.
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