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PROVO — BYU's rekindling of a former conference rivalry with TCU Saturday will be different from the old Mountain West showdown between the Cougars and Horned Frogs.
Both programs are in very different positions since the last time they met — TCU's 38-28 win in Arlington, Texas, on Oct. 28, 2011 that capped an 11-game series that dates back to 1987. Most notably may be the men in charge, with former coaches Bronco Mendenhall and Gary Patterson having moved on.
The Frogs got their Power Five call-up after that last meeting — more than a decade before BYU — when the Big 12 invited TCU after the 2011 season.
Since then, Cosmo wandered in the wilderness of FBS independence while SuperFrog built up his Power Five stature, culminating in a berth in last year's national championship game in TCU's first appearance in the four-team College Football Playoff.
But this year's TCU squad isn't last year's team, either.
The Horned Frogs are just 3-3, dropping to 1-2 in Big 12 play after a 27-14 loss to Iowa State, their second straight loss in conference play. The Cyclones (3-3, 2-1 Big 12) ran for 215 yards over the weekend, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, and had four interceptions against TCU in the win.
But when BYU coach Kalani Sitake watches the Frogs on tape, he still sees glimpses of the team that finished 13-2 a year ago with a 51-45 upset over Michigan in the CFP semifinal and a 65-7 loss to No. 1 Georgia in the title game under first-year coach Sonny Dykes.
"His program played for the national championship last year," Sitake said. "They have a lot of guys who are talented and who know success."
Of course, TCU likely won't be the same team as its been all year, either. Starting quarterback Chandler Morris left with a knee injury in the second half of the 27-14 loss to the Cyclones.
Morris is not expected to play Saturday (1:30 p.m. MDT, ESPN) against BYU, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, but the long-term prognosis of his injury is yet to be determined. That would leave the Frogs to start redshirt freshman Josh Hoover, who completed 11-of-19 passes for 119 yards, a touchdown and an interception in relief against Iowa State.
The last time Morris was sidelined with a lengthy injury, though, Max Duggan came off the bench in the first game of the year and rallied TCU to its magical 2022 season that included everything short of a Big 12 championship and national title.
Even with Hoover under center, that scheme persists.
"I think we were mostly preparing for a scheme and a team, the way they play, rather than one individual," BYU safety Crew Wakley said. "It's unfortunate for (Morris) … but it doesn't really change much for us. They could have anybody out there, and we're going to have our game plan and execute it."
Teammate Isaiah Bagnah agreed, adding that "regardless of what their record is," the Frogs are less than a calendar year removed from that title game appearance.
But a different quarterback does change things, the defensive end transfer from Boise State added. But just a bit.
"Position-wise, especially from a pass rushing standpoint, it changes what you want to do," he said. "From a defensive standpoint, I feel like our plan is solid. I feel like we can still work off what we have, and obviously there will be some adjustments. But I'm excited."
Even with injuries and a different head coach from the last time BYU played them, the Horned Frogs still have a brand, and the Cougars are seeking their first Big 12 road win after a 35-27 win over Cincinnati earned the program its first conference victory in over a decade (and the ensuing bye week).
With Hoover under center, that brand may involve a lot more of Emani Bailey, who had a team-high 152 yards on 21 carries against Iowa State — his fourth game he's rushed for over 100 yards.
The 5-foot-9, 207-pound junior from Denton, Texas, who transferred home from Louisiana is currently the No. 4-rated running back in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 690 yards, and is fifth with 115.0 rush yards per game.
"They have tons of speed, and that's at every position," Sitake said. "It's a tough matchup. We've had an extra week to watch their film … but they're a very talented team, well-coached, with tons of athleticism and speed. We'll have to be ready for that."
