TCU Football Positioned as Big 12 Sleeper After League-Wide Reset

The Big 12 rarely sits still, and this offseason has only reinforced how quickly the balance of power can shift.

With Texas Tech coming off its first outright conference title since 1955 and a different champion crowned in each of the past seven seasons, the door is wide open once again. In the middle of that uncertainty sits the TCU Horned Frogs, a program quietly positioned to surprise.

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TCU enters the next phase of Big 12 football ranked No. 7 in CBSSports.com's early power rankings following the transfer portal cycle. On the surface, that might sound modest, but context matters.

The conference is undergoing a massive reset, with at least 10 teams breaking in new quarterbacks and long-time staples like Mike Gundy, Chris Klieman, and Matt Campbell moving into new chapters. Even more telling, 22 of the 28 players named to the most recent All-Big 12 first team are no longer in the league.

That kind of turnover creates opportunity, and TCU has been steadily building toward another push. Head coach Sonny Dykes has guided the Horned Frogs to 18 wins over the past two seasons, keeping the program competitive even as rosters across the conference churned.

Now, TCU turns the page to a new generation with a blend of upside and intrigue.

One of the most fascinating additions is quarterback Jaden Craig, a transfer from Harvard who has already caught the attention of NFL scouts. Craig brings size, intelligence, and poise to the position, and his development will go a long way in determining how high TCU can climb.

Pairing Craig with offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis could prove pivotal. Sammis has quickly earned a reputation as a rising offensive mind after orchestrating a dramatic turnaround at UConn, and his system is designed to maximize efficiency while stressing defenses vertically.

The biggest question facing TCU is whether the roster can push beyond consistency and back into true contention.

The Horned Frogs have hovered near the edge of the Big 12 race, but breaking through the glass ceiling requires timely quarterback play and continued growth along the lines of scrimmage. With so many traditional powers retooling, the timing may finally be right.

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As the Big 12 reshapes itself yet again, TCU doesn’t need to dominate the offseason headlines. It just needs to be ready when the chaos inevitably arrives. With stability on the sideline, a promising quarterback, and a league full of question marks, the Horned Frogs look like one of the conference’s most dangerous sleepers heading toward kickoff.

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