TCU puts its 10-game winning streak in Big 12 regular-season play on the line Saturday when it hosts West Virginia in Fort Worth, Texas.
Speaking of winning streaks, both the Horned Frogs (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) and Mountaineers (3-1, 1-0) have responded to their respective season-opening setbacks with three straight victories.
Chandler Morris completed 24 of 33 passes for 265 yards and a career-best three touchdowns to lift TCU to a 34-17 victory over SMU last Saturday.
Tight end Jared Wiley recorded his first multi-touchdown performance of his career with a pair of scores in the first half.
Big 12 leading rusher Emani Bailey rolled up 126 yards and found the end zone.
“He’s physical, he’s tough, he catches the ball, he’s a good protector, he’s shifty,” Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes said of Bailey, who has totaled 483 rushing yards in four games.
“I love the way he finishes runs. I want to put the ball in his hands. When you have a guy like that, that’s a good thing.”
Bailey also found the end zone in his lone carry against the Mountaineers last season. He scored from 30 yards out in TCU’s 41-31 triumph in Morgantown, W. Va.
CJ Donaldson Jr. scored twice in that game and also found the end zone to pace the Mountaineers (3-1, 1-0) to a 20-13 win over Texas Tech last Saturday.
West Virginia coach Neal Brown, however, said Donaldson “has to play better” after the latter finished with just 48 yards rushing versus the Red Raiders.
Nicco Marchiol threw a touchdown pass in his first career start in place of the injured Garrett Greene, who is sidelined with a leg injury.
“This is a game we needed to win. This was the first opportunity to prove them wrong. We’re not 14th now,” said Brown, who was referencing the Big 12 preseason media poll that had his Mountaineers in last place.
Brown noted Greene was available to play last week but “did not warm up well.” He is questionable for Saturday.
–Field Level Media