TCU Touts Defense, West Virginia Brings Offense in Clash of Styles

TCU is back into the winner's circle after a resounding 17-6 victory over Baylor, which had a much bigger impact than a simple glance at the final score would indicate.

The Horned Frogs were repeatedly denied wins in close contests throughout this season, with a previous 0-3 record in one-score games within the year.

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While the margin against the Bears ballooned past the aforementioned threshold, it was as narrow as one point early in the third quarter before TCU was able to make some clutch plays to put itself in the drivers' seat for good.

Although the offense did enough to earn the win, it still left much to be desired, which could be a testament to the strength of Baylor's defense.

However, the Horned Frogs defense continued to shine in a solid effort of their own and proved to be a serious cornerstone to build upon down the stretch.

With momentum on its side and the first Big 12 win finally taken care of, TCU looks to stretch that initial win into a lengthy streak and the next opponent standing in the way is West Virginia.

The Mountaineers are 4-3 overall and have an 1-3 mark in the Big 12 after also picking up its first league win last week.

Despite the similarities in record with TCU, the path that West Virginia took to get there and the issues faced along the way could not be more different from the Horned Frogs.

Under head coach Rich Rodriguez, the Mountaineers boast one of the most high-powered offenses in the conference and have yet to score under 30 points in a game this season.

But the fireworks have come at the expense of defense, which has been unable to maintain leads created by the offense and keep opponents at bay at any point across the schedule.

Even in their win over Cincinnati, the Mountaineers surrendered a stunning 42 points to the Bearcats and created an identity that is more akin to the Big 12 of the past than the latest incarnation of the conference.

For a team that has yet to score more than 17 points against a Power 4 opponent, West Virginia's defensive struggles could be the golden opportunity for TCU to have a true breakout moment.

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On the other hand, the Mountaineers' offense could be the biggest challenge faced by the Horned Frogs thus far and will require the defense to be in top-notch shape to prevent West Virginia from running wild over them in Fort Worth.

TCU hosts West Virginia inside Amon G. Carter for an early 11 a.m. CT kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 24 in a differing clash of styles that could result in a pivotal win for either in the closing stretch of the season.