TCU’s 2023 football schedule revealed: Breaking down the Frogs’ 12-game slate this fall

After reaching the College Football Playoff and eventually losing to Georgia in last season’s CFP National Championship, TCU’s 2023 football schedule is finally available. The Horned Frogs will play nine games against Big 12 foes and three games outside of conference play. 

The landscape of the Big 12 has shifted this offseason, as four schools have been added – Houston, UCF, BYU, and Cincinnati. With Texas and Oklahoma departing for the SEC in 2024, the 2023-2024 academic year is expected to be the Big 12’s only with 14 teams in the conference. 

TCU will play all three of its non-conference games at home. After TCU’s 38-13 blowout on the road at Colorado kicked off the 2022 season, the Buffaloes will travel to Fort Worth to open 2023 on Sept. 2. This season, the Buffaloes will be led by new head coach Deion Sanders and will feature what is expected to be a much-improved roster. The Frogs will welcome Nicholls to Fort Worth on Sept. 9, a team that finished last season 3-8 in the FCS Southland conference. TCU’s final non-conference game will not come until Sept. 23, when they welcome SMU across town to Amon G. Carter Stadium. The Horned Frogs topped the Mustangs 42-34 on the road last season. 

The Horned Frogs’ Big 12 schedule kicks off on Sept. 16 on the road at Houston, a team entering the Big 12 along with two others from the American Athletic Conference. The Cougars are expected to be led by a familiar face at QB in Texas Tech transfer Donovan Smith. 

TCU will host West Virginia in its first conference home game on Sept. 30. The Mountaineers struggled last season, but gave the Frogs a tight battle in Morgantown. Head coach Neal Brown is seemingly coaching for his job in 2023. TCU then heads to Ames, Iowa to take on Iowa State on Oct. 6 hoping to replicate 2022’s blowout win in Fort Worth. 

When BYU travels to Fort Worth on Oct. 14, the Cougars and Horned Frogs will officially renew their Mountain West rivalry as members of the Big 12. Pittsburgh transfer Kedon Slovis is expected to be BYU’s quarterback for the upcoming season. 

Before finally reaching its bye week, TCU will head on the road to take on Kansas State in one of the most anticipated rematches of the Big 12 season on Oct. 21. The Horned Frogs split two matchups with Kansas State last season, including a heartbreaking loss in the Big 12 Championship game. With Adrian Martinez and Deuce Vaughn both gone next season, expect Will Howard to lead a new-look Kansas State offense. 

TCU follows its bye with three straight in-state battles. First, the Horned Frogs will travel to Lubbock for a Thursday night game on Nov. 2. Texas Tech’s 8-5 record in 2022 was a massive step forward under first-year head coach Joey McGuire, who will look to build on that success this season. The Horned Frogs will return home for the first time in almost a month for Nov. 11’s matchup with Texas, expected to be the final Big 12 matchup for the two schools. With highly-touted quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning battling it out for the Longhorns’ starting quarterback position, expectations are high in Austin. TCU hosts rival Baylor on Nov. 18, arguably the team that came closest to derailing the Frogs’ undefeated 2022 regular season. 

The final game of TCU’s regular season slate will be played the day after Thanksgiving, a Friday trip to Norman to take on Oklahoma for one final Big 12 battle. The Sooners are expected to improve in 2023 after bringing in a top-5 recruiting class in the nation. 

Four Big 12 schools did not make TCU’s schedule: Oklahoma State, Kansas, and new members UCF and Cincinnati. 

TCU’s full 2023 schedule: 

Sept. 2: vs. Colorado

Sept. 9: vs. Nicholls

Sept. 16: at Houston

Sept. 23: vs. SMU

Sept. 30: vs. West Virginia

Oct. 7: at Iowa State

Oct. 14: vs. BYU

Oct. 21: at Kansas State

Nov. 2: at Texas Tech (Thu.)

Nov. 11: vs. Texas

Nov. 18: vs. Baylor

Nov. 24: at Oklahoma (Fri.)