TCU Explodes for 63 Points, Crushes Grambling in Home Opener

TCU needed a response after a disappointing season-opening loss. The Horned Frogs delivered one emphatically.

TCU demolished Grambling State 63-7 Saturday night at Amon G. Carter Stadium, piling up 676 yards of offense while smothering the Tigers on the ground. The victory moved TCU to 1-1 and gave the Horned Frogs their first win of the 2026 season.

MORE: TCU Injury Report: Key Absences Ahead of Grambling

Quarterback Jaden Craig looked dramatically more comfortable than he did against North Carolina.

Craig completed 24 of 31 passes for 391 yards and four touchdowns without an interception.

He consistently attacked downfield, helping TCU average 12.2 yards per pass attempt and keeping Grambling’s defense under pressure throughout the night.

Tight end Kenyon Sadiq Ashley became Craig’s most productive target, catching seven passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

Craig also connected with Jordan Scott for a 52-yard score as TCU turned the game into a rout after halftime.

The Horned Frogs didn’t rely exclusively on the passing game.

TCU rushed for 285 yards on 37 carries, averaging 7.7 yards per attempt.

Jeremy Payne finished with 79 yards on just nine carries, while Maddox Everhart, Jordan Denman and others contributed to a ground attack that consistently created favorable situations.

TCU finished with 33 first downs and converted all three of its fourth-down attempts.

But the defense may have been just as impressive.

Grambling managed only 20 rushing yards on 28 attempts, an average of 0.7 yards per carry. The Tigers finished with 210 total yards and converted only one of 14 third downs.

TCU also intercepted Grambling quarterbacks twice.

The exclamation point came in the fourth quarter when T. Parks returned an interception 67 yards for a touchdown, extending the lead to 56-7.

The game was competitive only briefly. Grambling cut the deficit to 21-7 in the second quarter, but TCU answered before halftime and then scored 35 unanswered points after the break.

For Sonny Dykes and the Horned Frogs, beating an FCS opponent won’t erase the frustration of the opening loss to North Carolina.

MORE: How to Watch Grambling at TCU: Jaden Craig and the Frogs Make Home Debut

Craig was efficient and explosive. The running game generated chunk plays. The defense dominated the line of scrimmage.

After an ugly start to the season, TCU finally looked like the team it expected to be.