Norman, Oklahoma — It is the final regular-season game of the 2023 season for the TCU Horned Frogs, as they are set to take on Oklahoma in Norman. This is TCU’s last chance at becoming bowl-eligible for the season.
This will be a tall task for TCU, as Oklahoma has been very dominant this entire season, with huge wins over teams like Texas. With that being said, TCU has a very good chance of winning this game considering they beat Texas to a three-point game just two weeks ago.
The key to this matchup is exposing Oklahoma’s defense. Josh Hoover has emerged as a very talented quarterback for TCU, putting up incredible numbers. Just last week, he went 24 for 29 with 412 yards and 2 touchdowns. Against Texas, he went 24 for 36 with 302 yards and two touchdowns. For a freshman with little to no experience, Josh Hoover has been the spark that TCU has needed this year and looks promising for the future of this program.
Oklahoma has struggled against teams like UCF this season, allowing them to put up 29 points. If TCU’s offensive line can protect Hoover and give him the time he needs to go through his progressions, they should be in good shape. The utilization of the run game with Emani Bailey has been proven effective for teams with a good secondary. Oklahoma is going to see a bunch of different looks from TCU to keep them on their toes.
As far as the TCU defense goes, they are facing a very talented and disciplined Sooner quarterback, Dillion Gabriel. Although Oklahoma has lost some pretty bad games this season, Gabriel has consistently played well. The major issue in this game is that Gabriel is dealing with an injury that he suffered last week against BYU. He was sidelined for some of the game against BYU, but OU still came away with the win. Head Coach Brent Venables says he expects Gabriel to be ready to play Friday. Without a definite answer, it will be hard for TCU to prepare because they could see a different quarterback than they were prepared for. If Gabriel doesn’t start, it will be Jackson Arnold, who went 5 for 9 with 33 yards against BYU. With that being said, if Gabriel plays and isn’t 100 percent, this definitely can play in favor of the Horned Frogs. TCU’s aggressive style of defense has been effective against teams like Texas. If TCU can get pressure early on an injured Gabriel, it could rattle him early and force turnovers.
Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. on Friday in Norman, Oklahoma.
