Last week’s game against West Virginia displayed the roller coaster ride this TCU football team has been this season; they can look both elite and incompetent at times.

Head coach Sonny Dykes kept it blunt after the loss.

“I have no explanation for it. The third quarter was the worst offense I’ve ever seen… We have to do a better job or we’re not gonna win another game,” he said.

The Frogs were shutout by West Virginia in the second half.

“We did not execute to our level. I gotta throw better throws and make better plays,” said quarterback Chandler Morris.

While the game proved to be a disappointment for the Frogs, the bigger story lied within the injury that West Virginia line backer Aubrey Burks sustained on a special teams play.

It was a neck injury that kept him motionless on the field, with medical staff having to carefully move him onto the cart where he was then rushed to the hospital. Thankfully, later that night, Burks shared this on X.

All tests from the neck injury came back negative and Burks will make a full recovery and look to continue playing football later this season.

As for a bounce back game for the Frogs, they couldn’t ask for a better opponent than the struggling Cyclones.

One reason for this struggle could be the gambling scandal that Iowa State had to endure in early August, where five players, including starting quarterback Hunter Dekkers, pleaded guilty to underage gambling.

TCU will need to right the ship in these next two weeks against Iowa State and BYU because its schedule will only get harder. The Frogs will have to play three consecutive games against tough teams in Kansas State, Texas Tech, and Texas.

Despite the disappointments early in the season, the Frogs still have a great mindset and are determined to make a run at the Big 12 title.

“It’s not out of reach,” said offensive lineman Andrew Coker.

The Frogs will look to bounce back against Iowa State as they travel to Ames to play the Cyclones in an evening showdown.

TCU opens as a 6.5-point favorite according to BETMGM. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and will be streaming on Fox Sports.