TCU Football

TCU is only 2-5 against the spread over its last seven road games, while Oklahoma State is just 2-6 ATS in its last eight spots as a home dog. In a huge game in the Big 12 conference with national championship implications, the 8-0 Frogs battle the 8-0 Cowboys Saturday afternoon in Stillwater.

Point spread: The Horned Frogs opened as five-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark (line updates and matchup report).

College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 48.6-31.8 Horned Frogs

Why the TCU Horned Frogs can cover the spread

TCU remained unbeaten and on course for a national championship playoff berth with a 40-10 romp over West Virginia last week. The Frogs led 17-0 out of the gate, 23-10 at the half, then held the Mountaineers scoreless in the second half, securing the cover as 12-point favorites. On the day, TCU outgained West Virginia 616-327, ran for 228 yards and held the ball for over 36 minutes.

But something seems to be missing with the Frogs; after hitting the 50-point mark five times in a row, they've only scored a total of 85 points over their last two games. And yes, that is sarcasm.

More importantly, though, the TCU defense, which looked a little vulnerable a few weeks ago, has limited its last two foes to a total of 31 points.

Why the Oklahoma State Cowboys can cover the spread

Oklahoma State also remained undefeated last week with a 70-53 shootout victory at Texas Tech, winning that game outright as a two-point road dog. The Cowboys spotted the Red Raiders the first 17 points of the game but battled back, took their first lead late in the third quarter, then took the lead for good early in the fourth, ending the game with a 28-8 run.

On the day, Oklahoma State racked up 662 yards of offense, breaking loose for multiple big plays, and added scores on a punt return and an interception return. The Cowboys have now scored at least 58 points three times this season.

Smart pick

The Frogs have outrushed every opponent so far this season, while Oklahoma State has been outrushed in three of its last five games. Also, when it comes to common opponents, TCU blew out West Virginia and Texas, while the Cowboys beat the Mountaineers in overtime and the Longhorns by a field goal. Despite its recent ATS road record, take TCU here, giving the points.

Betting trends

Oklahoma State is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games in November.

The total has gone over in seven of TCU's last 10 games on the road.

TCU is 12-1 straight up in its last 13 games on the road in November.

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark, all quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app.

TCU received a boost to its 2016 recruiting class Friday as wide receiver Isaiah Graham committed to becoming a member of the Horned Frogs.

Trey Mongrue of KTVE passed along word of the decision from the Bastrop High School (La.) standout. The wideout posted a message on social media last night ahead of the announcement:

Man Can't believe It's Here I Just Pray And Thank God Knowing He Will Put Me In The Right Place❗️#Blessed

— Coach Graham (@isaiahgraham) October 30, 2015

Graham is a 4-star recruit who rates as the No. 227 overall prospect and the No. 44 wide receiver in next year's incoming class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Although he's modestly sized for a modern receiver—247Sports lists him at 6'1'', 180 pounds—he's emerged as a talented playmaker. He's capable of stretching the field with good straight-line speed, but he also isn't afraid to work over the middle of the field.

He'll need to add more power to fill out his frame. That will help him better handle a more physical brand of football at the collegiate level and keep him healthy in the face of consistent punishment.

The quicker he can do that, the better. There will be some openings among the Horned Frogs' receiving corps next season with Josh Doctson, Kolby Listenbee and Ja'Juan Story all in their senior year for the undefeated Big 12 squad.

Graham probably won't be ready for an extensive role right away. He still needs some development time to add a little more polish to his game, both in terms of route running and blocking. But his reliable hands and playmaking ability give him a chance to at least carve out a role in certain packages.

Josh Doctson continued his remarkable season in Thursday’s game against West Virginia by breaking the TCU Horned Frogs’ single-season receptions record with his 67th, according to ESPN CollegeFootball.

He surpassed Josh Boyce, who set the previous high in 2012. And TCU still has four games remaining. 

Doctson broke his own school records for receiving yards and touchdowns in a single season earlier this year.

The senior accomplished the most recent feat on a four-yard pass in the second quarter, according to Statbroadcast.com, and was at seven catches for 126 yards and a touchdown at the half.

Doctson trails only Baylor’s Corey Coleman among Big 12 receivers in receiving touchdowns, 13 to 18, as both are putting the conference on the map for star-studded receivers, per Phil Murphy of ESPN:

All due respect to Treadwell, Ridley, Garrett and Smith-Schuster, the nation's best two WR are in the Big 12

Corey Coleman
Josh Doctson

— Phil Murphy © (@Phil_Sports) October 30, 2015

The two will go head-to-head in what is shaping up as a top-five matchup and potential play-in game for the College Football Playoff in what will be each team’s regular-season finale.   

The underdog is 3-0 against the spread in the three West Virginia vs. TCU games since those teams joined the Big 12 three seasons ago; the first two meetings went to overtime, and last year's game was decided by a field goal at the buzzer. The championship-minded Horned Frogs host the upset-minded Mountaineers Thursday night in Fort Worth.

Point spread: The Horned Frogs opened as 14.5-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark (line updates and matchup report).

College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 49.4-25.6 Horned Frogs

Why the West Virginia Mountaineers can cover the spread

West Virginia began this season well enough, with three straight victories, then lost two tough games in a row to ranked Oklahoma and Oklahoma State outfits. Two weeks ago, the Mountaineers lost their third straight game to a ranked team, at Baylor 62-38, then had last week off.

WVU, as a three-touchdown underdog, only trailed the Bears by 10 points at 34-24 well into the third quarter before letting things slip away. Mountaineers quarterback Skyler Howard kept his team in the game with four touchdown passes, but he also threw a key red-zone interception in the first half.

Earlier this month, West Virginia lost to the Sooners, 44-24, but that was a three-point game late into the third quarter. The Mountaineers then fell in overtime to the Cowboys, 33-26, after rallying from a 15-point halftime deficit. If it can move the chains, control some clock with its running game and keep the TCU offense off the field, West Virginia could keep this game close, too.

Why the TCU Horned Frogs can cover the spread

TCU is 7-0 and part of the College Football Playoff conversation following its 45-21 victory at Iowa State two weeks ago. The Frogs then had last week off.

TCU spotted the Cyclones an early 21-14 lead and still came back to cover as a three-touchdown favorite, scoring the last 31 points of the game. The Frogs piled up 621 yards of offense on ISU, as quarterback Trevone Boykin enhanced his Heisman chances by connecting on 27 of 32 throws for 436 yards and four touchdowns, running for 74 yards and another score.

The 45 points it scored against Iowa State was actually TCU's lowest total since Week 1, when it only scored 23 in a win over Minnesota. After that, the Frogs hit the 50-point mark five times in a row.

Smart pick

The Horned Frogs may well win this game, but its defense has given up 840 yards over the last two games. And West Virginia has outrushed four of its last five opponents. Also, playing at home means TCU is probably dealing with a slightly inflated spread. Take the Mountaineers here, plus the points.

Betting trends

The total has gone under in 12 of West Virginia's last 15 games.

West Virginia is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games in October.

TCU is 14-6 ATS in its last 20 games.

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app.

TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin, the preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, played his way back into the top tier in a 52-45 win at Kansas State.

Boykin has looked impressive all season. It's not like he did anything to drop. But he posted a Heisman-caliber performance on Saturday, completing 20 of 30 passes, 301 passing yards, 124 rushing yards and four total touchdowns in a wild comeback victory.

The Horned Frogs trailed 42-31 with eight minutes remaining, but a pair of Boykin touchdown runs—the second of which went for 69 yards—put them back in front late.

TCU's Trevone Boykin with the nice 69-yard TD run for the lead! #TCUvsKSU https://t.co/T5boGV2XUk

— XFINITY Sports (@XFINITYSports) October 11, 2015

When Kansas State struck back with a field goal, tying the game with one minute and 47 seconds left to play, Boykin responded less than 40 seconds later with the game-winning 55-yard touchdown pass to Josh Doctson:

55 yard TD pass for Trevone Boykin and #2 TCU! Frogs up 7 with 1:10 remaining #TCUvsKSU https://t.co/hDnaeFvbXR

— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) October 11, 2015

Prior to the Horned Frogs' comeback, the Heisman race looked something like this:

1. LSU running back Leonard Fournette
2. Massive chasm
3. Everybody else

Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee wrote an article titled "The 2015 Heisman Trophy Is Leonard Fournette's to Lose" after LSU's early-afternoon win, and it's not like he lacked good reason. That premise held water at the time and continued to for three hours afterward.

But then Boykin quickly made it moot.

Despite TCU's defensive problems—the result of massive player turnover and injury attrition—the senior has willed his team to six straight wins. He led wild, improbable comebacks over Texas Tech and Kansas State, and TCU's 50-7 rout of Texas looks even better now that the Longhorns beat Oklahoma.

Having Doctson, a top candidate to win the Biletnikoff Award, on the perimeter has helped. So has shifty running back Aaron Green. But for the most part, Boykin has made plays on his own—with his legs, his arm and his instincts—to keep TCU in the playoff discussion.

He's also on pace to finish with 4,206 passing yards, 366 rushing yards and 50 total touchdowns. Here's how that compares with the past two Heisman winners:

Player	CMP %	PASS YDS - TD - INT	RUSH YDS - TD
Trevone Boykin ('15)	63.7	4,206 - 42 - 10	366 - 8
Marcus Mariota ('14)	68.6	3,470 - 36 - 2	636 - 11
Jameis Winston ('13)	68.8	3,490 - 35 - 8	134 - 3

Boykin has a lower completion percentage but higher volume stats than Marcus Mariota in 2014 and Jameis Winston in 2013.

TCU only played three nonconference games, one of which came on the road against a strong Minnesota defense, so it's not like these numbers should regress during Big 12 play, either. The way this conference looks, Boykin should actually reach (if not exceed) those projections.

What separated Mariota and Winston from the pack in their respective winning years was that they played for national title participants. As long as Boykin keeps the Horned Frogs rolling, which he's proven capable of doing so far, he's an obvious favorite.

If the Horned Frogs stumble, dropping a few games and careening toward a "New Year's Six" bowl instead of a playoff game, then Boykin is less likely to win but not eliminated. He hasn't posted the stats of Johnny Manziel in 2012 or Robert Griffin III in 2010, but he's close, and his defense might force his hand in the back half of the schedule.

With Boykin and Fournette so far ahead of the rest of the field, Boykin also benefits from limited competition. What if Fournette gets hurt? What if LSU goes up in flames? What if teams stack the box and dare QB Brandon Harris to make plays?

Who else might Boykin not beat?

TCU's depleted defense might improve, but it will only improve by so much. That will keep the pressure on the offense. The Horned Frogs have scored 70, 56, 55, 50 and 52 points in their last five respective games, and that trend shows no sign of stopping.

"I’m not trying to be the No. 1 team in the nation, I’m just trying to be an undefeated team," head coach Gary Patterson said after the game, per Carlos Mendez of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "I can’t control the voters. I’m tired of hearing about style points. … We’re just trying to win."

Boykin's proven pretty good at winning, and in three months, that statement might apply to more than just games.

Fournette has an official co-favorite.

Texas Christian is a solid road outfit, winning six of its last seven and 31 of its last 39 away from home. But the Frogs are also only 5-7 against the spread over their last dozen road games and 3-10 ATS the last 13 times they've been favored on the road. TCU is favored on the road for Saturday night's clash with Kansas State in Manhattan.

Point spread: Horned Frogs opened as seven-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)

College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 40.7-23.4 Horned Frogs

Why the TCU Horned Frogs can cover the spread

The Frogs are 5-0 this season and hitting on all cylinders, following last week's 50-7 trouncing of Texas. TCU led 30-0 after the first quarter and probably could have put up 70 on the beleaguered Longhorns. The Frogs outgained Texas 604-313, ran for 228 yards, and quarterback Trevone Boykin continued his Heisman run by throwing five touchdown passes.

Two weeks ago, TCU scored 55 points in topping Texas Tech; just before that, it put up 56 in a win over SMU; and just before that, it piled 70 points on Stephen F. Austin.

Texas Christian is chasing a berth in the College Football Playoff and not only needs wins, but they have to be convincing. A close victory is almost considered a loss, and as the Frogs learned last year, there's very little room for error.

Why the Kansas State Wildcats can cover the spread

After three straight victories to begin this season, the Wildcats just suffered their first loss, a 36-34 decision at ranked Oklahoma State. Kansas State led almost the entire game, fell behind late, regained the lead, then lost on a field goal with 30 seconds to go. But on the day, the 'Cats out-rushed the Cowboys 144-49, held the ball for almost 35 minutes and covered as seven-point road dogs.

Kansas State won its first three games this season by a combined score of 103-36 and has out-rushed every opponent by an average of 95 yards per game. Usually winning the ground battle by margins like that leads to wins and covers.

The Wildcats under head coach Bill Snyder are always a dangerous outfit because they're usually so fundamentally sound and well-coached. Kansas State is also 5-1 ATS its last six times out as a home dog.

Smart pick

TCU is the better team in this matchup, playing on the road, where the spread is more amenable. So despite the recent trends, the smart money here is giving the points with the Frogs.

Betting trends

TCU is 13-0 SU in its last 13 games.

TCU is 5-0 ATS in its last five games in October.

Kansas State is 6-0 ATS in its last six games at home in October.

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark, all quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app.

Texas once dominated the rivalry with Texas Christian, winning 24 straight meetings from the 1960s into the 1990s, but since the Horned Frogs joined the Big 12 they're 2-1 both straight up and against the spread in the series. TCU hosts the Longhorns for homecoming in Fort Worth Saturday afternoon.

Point spread: Horned Frogs opened as 18.5-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)

College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 41.3-21.6 Horned Frogs

Why the Texas Longhorns can cover the spread

UT is off to a 1-3 start to the season, its worst in 60 years, but the last two losses have come by a total of four points, including a 30-27 decision against Oklahoma State last week. The Longhorns trailed 14-3 early, rallied to take a 27-24 lead, but with less than a minute to go in a tie game their punter botched a snap, setting the Cowboys up for the game-deciding field goal.

On the day, Texas ran the ball 42 times for 171 yards while the defense held OSU to 103 yards on 46 carries. That's 2.2 yards per carry.

Two weeks ago the Longhorns rallied from 21 points down against Cal to pull within one point with a minute to go, but missed the extra point. Head coach Charlie Strong is catching flak for his team's lack of progress, but he's only in his second season. If the 'Horns could just put the brakes on the mistakes and penalties, they could begin to turn their ship around.

Why the TCU Horned Frogs can cover the spread

After outlasting Texas Tech last week 55-52, the Frogs are 4-0 so far in their quest to earn a berth in the College Football Playoff. TCU came within a half-minute of a soul-crushing upset, but running back Aaron Green caught a tipped pass in the back of the end zone on a 4th-and-goal to save the day. The Frogs outgained the Red Raiders by 150 yards (although the defense didn't exactly impress) and won the time of possession battle by a 35-25 margin.

Since a somewhat lackluster performance against Minnesota in the season opener TCU has racked up 70, 56 and 55 points, respectively.

The Frogs are filling holes on defense at the moment, but as long as quarterback Trevone Boykin and his offensive line are healthy, they'll always have a chance to simply outscore opponents.

Smart pick

The worm has turned for these two teams, relative to one another; the Frogs are now national championship contenders while the Longhorns are rebuilding. But TCU is coming off an exhausting effort last week, its defense is depleted and playing at home means the spread is probably inflated. If Texas can stop shooting itself in the foot, it could keep this one close enough to cash.

Betting trends

Texas is 1-5 ATS in its last six games.

Texas is 17-1 SU in its last 18 games on the road in October.

TCU is 8-0 SU in its last eight games against the Big 12.

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark, all quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app.

The No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs survived a huge scare in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday, getting a miracle finish on a late touchdown catch by Aaron Green in the back of the end zone with less than 30 seconds to play to down the Texas Tech Red Raiders in a 55-52 offensive shootout. 

On 4th-and-goal from the 4-yard line, TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin fired a pass to Josh Doctson. Doctson deflected the ball, and Green was in perfect position to secure the game-winning score.

This is what the wild piece of insanity looked like, per the Big 12 Conference on Twitter: 

Well, that's one way to do it.

Boykin to Doctson to Green. http://t.co/nTjHLrYuJZ

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 27, 2015

Per B/R's Bryan Fischer, the Horned Frogs put on an offensive clinic in the victory:

TCU: 55 points, 750 yards of offense.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) September 27, 2015

Of course, Texas Tech wasn't shabby, either. All told, these two teams combined for 107 points and 1,357 yards of total offense. 

The Red Raiders had a chance to win at the end, as a 15-yard penalty gave them an untimed play from the 50-yard line. Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes was able to get a pass off before being sacked, and the ball made it to the TCU 10-yard line after a series of laterals before Jakeem Grant was tackled out of bounds to end it. 

Here's how close Texas Tech was to pulling off one of the most insane, miraculous wins in school history, per Fox Sports:

A FIGHT to the FINISH. #TCUvsTTUhttps://t.co/TyF32k8E1G

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) September 27, 2015

That wacky conclusion prompted many responses, though none as apt as this one from Bonnie Bernstein of CampusInsiders.com:

Dear College FB Gods: Please make the TCU-Baylor game at the end of the season as exciting as TCU-Texas Tech. Thank you. Love, All of Us

— Bonnie Bernstein (@BonnieBernstein) September 27, 2015

Even though the Horned Frogs will be thrilled to get away from a Big 12 conference road game with a win, head coach Gary Patterson can't be happy with what he's seen from his team so far this season, especially on the road.

In the season opener at Minnesota, TCU had to hang on for a 23-17 win. Saturday's contest was different, though the end result was enough to keep the Horned Frogs squarely in the College Football Playoff mix. 

Boykin was tremendous, with 485 passing yards and four touchdowns, and he's flashing the Heisman Trophy form that many predicted before the season started. This is the second consecutive week in which he's broken the 400-yard barrier.

Boykin did most of his damage in the first half, as noted by ESPN College Football on Twitter:

Trevone Boykin has 332 Pass Yds & 3 TD in ONE HALF as #3 TCU leads Texas Tech, 33-28. #TCUvsTTU pic.twitter.com/lLvc1CAjlH

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 26, 2015

Boykin's favorite target in the game was Doctson, who went all kinds of crazy on Texas Tech's secondary with 18 catches for 267 yards, three touchdowns and the game-saving deflection. His reception total also put him in good company with another former TCU wide receiver, per Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News:

Here's an interesting nugget: Josh Doctson is the first TCU player with at least 10 catches in a game since Trevone Boykin vs. WVU in 2013.

— Chuck Carlton (@ChuckCarltonDMN) September 26, 2015

The senior wideout also provided one of the game's best highlights on this one-handed 52-yard touchdown reception, per the Big 12 Conference on Twitter:

Leave it to Boykin and Doctson!

The combo creates this 52-yard TD score on 3rd & 11. Frogs back on top. http://t.co/zfcNYszkMw

— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 26, 2015

Texas Tech came into the game looking for revenge after last year's 82-27 thrashing in Fort Worth. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury made sure his players remembered that loss leading up to this weekend, telling Tim Griffin of the San Antonio Express-News it's not the kind of thing you can sweep under the rug. 

“I don’t think you forget losses like that. As a player I didn’t,” Kingsbury said. “It’s a conference game, which should be motivation enough. They haven’t forgotten how that felt last year.”

Give credit to the Red Raiders, who have been impressive this season, even with a 3-1 record after Saturday's loss. They continued to battle until the end, but TCU's firepower was too much to overcome. 

Texas Tech running back DeAndre Washington did a lot of the heavy lifting, finishing with 188 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries. It took some time for the passing game to open up, but Mahomes was tremendous down the stretch, finishing with 392 yards and two touchdowns. 

Justin Stockton showed off his speed on a 50-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes that he caught around the TCU 45-yard line to help give Texas Tech a 52-48 lead late in the fourth quarter. 

If Mahomes continues to do the kind of damage he did Saturday against one of the nation's best teams on one leg, Texas Tech will be fine moving forward. 

Unfortunately, there was too much time on the clock for TCU to offer a response. The Horned Frogs haven't looked great for most of the season, but they are doing what's necessary to win. 

There are games every year that define what a team is going to be. TCU just passed a significant hurdle and will be able to move into conference play with great confidence. The team also knows what it has to work on to be a true title contender.

TCU is 8-2 both straight up and against the spread over its last ten Big 12 conference games, while Texas Tech is 2-12 SU and 5-8-1 ATS in its last 14 conference contests. The preseason favorites to win the Big 12 begin their conference slate on the road when the Horned Frogs take on the Red Raiders Saturday afternoon in Lubbock.

Point spread: The Horned Frogs opened as 9.5-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)

College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 32.3-27.7 Horned Frogs

Why the TCU Horned Frogs can cover the spread

Texas Christian is off to a 3-0 start to this season, including a 56-37 victory over SMU last week. The Frogs spotted the Mustangs the first touchdown of the game, then scored 42 of the next 52 points to take control.

They allowed Southern Methodist to get within five points midway through the fourth quarter but put the game away with a pair of late scores. TCU racked up 720 yards of offense, 266 on the ground, while quarterback Trevone Boykin enhanced his Heisman chances by throwing five touchdown passes and running for another.

The Frogs opened this season with a 23-17 victory at Minnesota, then spanked Stephen F. Austin 70-7.

With 15 starters back from a team that probably should have made the College Football Playoff last year, including 10 on offense, TCU is shooting for nothing less than a playoff appearance this season.

Why the Texas Tech Red Raiders can cover the spread

Texas Tech, which won four games all of last season, is also off to a 3-0 start to this season, and 2-0-1 ATS, after upsetting Arkansas last week in Fayetteville, 35-24, winning outright as a 10-point road dog. The Raiders took a 7-0 lead less than five minutes into the game and never trailed, stiffening in the second half to hold the Hogs to a single field goal. Texas Tech outgained Arkansas 486-424 and went 7-for-10 on third-down conversions, as quarterback Patrick Mahomes hit on 26 of 30 pass attempts, keeping the chains moving.

The Red Raiders opened this season with a 59-45 victory over Sam Houston, pushing the spread as two-touchdown favorites by allowing the Bearkats to score the last two meaningless touchdowns of the game, the second one with less than two minutes to go. Texas Tech then topped UTEP 69-20, covering at minus-20.

The Raiders returned 17 starters this season, their third under head coach Kliff Kingsbury. And college football teams often make great strides in their third seasons under new coaching regimes.

Smart pick

To reach the College Football Playoff, TCU needs to win the Big 12, and it can't do that by opening its conference slate with a loss to an inferior team. Even a close victory could be harmful to its playoff chances. Also, Texas Tech is coming off an upset victory over an SEC team and might be ripe for a letdown. The smart choice here is with the Frogs, playing on the road, where the spread is a little more amenable.

Betting trends

TCU is 8-2 SU and ATS in its last 10 games against the Big 12.

Texas Tech is 2-12 SU in its last 14 games against the Big 12.

Texas Tech is 5-1 ATS in its last six games.

All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark, all quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app.

Last year's biggest snub from the Heisman Trophy presentation in the Big Apple is undoubtedly this season's early Heisman candidate. 

TCU Horned Frogs gunslinger Trevone Boykin had a monstrous day against Stephen F. Austin in Week 2 with 285 yards and four touchdowns on 18-of-27 passing. Keep in mind, he was removed midway through the third quarter as the Horned Frogs had the game well in hand. They eventually won 70-7.

That performance is fresh off a Week 1 victory against a pesky Minnesota squad in which Boykin racked up 246 yards, added 92 more on the ground and scored two total touchdowns. 

Boykin is the most electrifying playmaker of any team in the Top Five. And yes, that includes the roster full of joystick stars on Ohio State's roster. 

On Saturday, he joined a club only accompanied by Andy Dalton by becoming the second player in TCU history to throw for 60 touchdowns, per ESPN Stats and Info:

Trevone Boykin: 60 career passing touchdowns, joining Andy Dalton (71) as the only players to reach that threshold in TCU history. #SFAvsTCU

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 12, 2015

What makes Boykin so dynamic is his versatility. Not only is he so athletic that the Horned Frogs once had him listed as a wide receiver on their depth chart, but he is also comfortable in the pocket and can be the traditional, pro-style quarterback when called upon. That was on full display with Boykin's third touchdown pass of the day against Stephen F. Austin:

Trevone Boykin goes DEEP to Kolby Listenbee for the TD! #3 TCU leads Stephen F Austin, 21-0. #SFAvsTCUhttps://t.co/OvGSc0LhRQ

— FS1 (@FS1) September 12, 2015

What's working in Boykin's favor so far is essentially the lack of a developed field, although he would likely deserve to be at the head of the pack regardless. 

Among the other early Heisman contenders are Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, his receiver Braxton Miller, Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire, Georgia running back Nick Chubb and Baylor quarterback Seth Russell. 

The constant on that list is that none of those guys is proven throughout the course of a full season. Yes, Jones won a national title last year, which puts him at No. 2 behind Boykin. But with the 2015 campaign still in its infancy, experience and past successes over the course of entire seasons still carry a bit of weight. 

To add context to that argument, Boykin broke 9,000 career yards of total offense on Saturday and is the nation's leader in that category:

Trevone Boykin has now surpassed 9,000 career yards of total offense, the nation's active leader. pic.twitter.com/dFli0B6DY3

— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) September 12, 2015

Looking deeper at the other candidates, let's say we live in a world where all those players end up in New York City. Miller and Jones could steal votes away from each other. Chubb's Bulldogs likely won't be contenders in the jam-packed SEC, which hurts his chances. 

Finally, and unfortunately, Zaire could be dealing with a serious injury after being carted off in Notre Dame's Week 2 contest against Virginia. 

On the flip side, Boykin is a healthy signal-caller in a Power Five conference that is known for its high-flying offenses (see Baylor, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State). 

The only true competition he might have is Baylor's Russell, and voters have shied away from Baylor gunslingers recently, as they're starting to be perceived as "system quarterbacks." 

There will also be a litmus test—a head-to-head matchup on Friday, Nov. 27—to settle that argument. 

Boykin has become almost stoic in his approach week in and week out. He shows up, shows out and gets out. Most times with a win. 

According to Frogs O' War, that's exactly what TCU head coach Gary Patterson took away from Saturday's blowout win:

"He did what he needed to do. I don't know if he was inspired after the first quarter." Patterson on Boykin.

— Frogs O’ War (@FrogsOWar) September 12, 2015

The true Heisman field has yet to settle itself, as the season is still young. But for now, Boykin is head and shoulders above the competition as the current Heisman favorite.