TCU Gets No Coaches Poll Votes As Close Losses Threaten Its Bowl Hopes

FORT WORTH -TCU keeps getting close enough to imagine a different season. The standings, and the voters, keep delivering the same cold answer.

The Horned Frogs received no votes in Sunday’s updated US LBM Coaches Poll after a 24-20 home loss to West Virginia. At 3-4 overall and 1-3 in Big 12 play, TCU sits outside both the Top 25 and the list of teams receiving consideration.

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Eighteen unranked programs earned at least one voting point. TCU wasn’t among them.

For Sonny Dykes’ team, the more pressing issue is how another winnable game escaped.

Saturday marked the Horned Frogs’ fourth one-score defeat of the season. They outgained West Virginia 484-265, moved into position for a potential winning touchdown and still walked away empty after a late red-zone strip sack.

“The biggest thing for us right now is just an inability to be able to finish on offense,” Dykes said afterward.

That explains more about TCU’s predicament than any ranking could.

Quarterback Jaden Craig completed 33 of 47 passes for 372 yards and a touchdown. Jordan Dwyer and Kari Ashley each surpassed 100 receiving yards. There was enough production to win, but the Horned Frogs went scoreless in the fourth quarter.

Voters reward results. TCU’s yardage advantage couldn’t erase another loss.

Meanwhile, five Big 12 teams appeared in the updated Coaches Poll: No. 5 Utah, No. 9 BYU, No. 14 Texas Tech, No. 19 Houston and No. 21 Arizona. Oklahoma State, Cincinnati and UCF also received votes.

That landscape underscores the challenge ahead. Three of TCU’s remaining five opponents - Arizona, Utah and Texas Tech - are ranked.

The Frogs need three more victories to reach six wins and conventional bowl eligibility. Their remaining schedule begins with Kansas visiting Amon G. Carter Stadium on Oct. 31 at 2:30 p.m. CT.

After that come a Friday night trip to Arizona, home games against Kansas State and Utah, and a Thanksgiving finale at Texas Tech.

There’s still time to change the season’s direction. TCU has demonstrated it can compete, and its 17-6 victory at Baylor showed it can finish a conference game convincingly.

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But competing and winning have become painfully different experiences for this team.

Before the Horned Frogs can make voters reconsider, they must solve the problem that keeps following them into the final minutes: turning promising possessions into enough points to leave with a victory.