TCU Football

TCU's 23-17 road win over Minnesota in front of a rowdy crowd at TCF Bank Stadium on Thursday night is going to wind up like a fine wine: It'll age well.

Unfortunately for Heisman hopeful Trevone Boykin, his season-opening performance went down like a flat soda.

The fifth-year senior and front-runner for college football's top award had an aesthetically pleasing box score, accounting for 338 total yards and two touchdowns, but a deeper look showed he was rusty.

While the award can't really be lost (or won, for that matter) in one game, Boykin did nothing to prove he was the nation's top player in a game everybody was watching on opening-night, prime-time television.

The good news for Trevone Boykin is this may be the best defense he faces for about two months.

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) September 4, 2015

Instead, he sputtered along with the rest of TCU's offense against a better-than-advertised Minnesota team. Boykin misfired on at least six different occasions to wide-open receivers—two of which would have gone for touchdowns.

On the last one, Shaun Nixon made an impressive double move on a Golden Gophers defender, and nobody stood within 10 yards of him as he raced unimpeded into the end zone. Boykin overthrew him by three feet.

The other time, Emanuel Porter found a seam in the zone, and Boykin—who finished 26-of-42 passing—threw high and behind his target. He immediately lowered his head, angry at himself for the squandered opportunity.

It was a night full of them, and not just for him. TCU's red-zone offense was forgettable.

Boykin had some moments of brilliance, such as a 19-yard touchdown run in the first half where he juked star cornerback Eric Murray on his way to an untouched score. Also, when given time to set his feet and read through his progressions, he delivered some Heisman-caliber throws.

TCU QB Trevone Boykin sure looked like a Heisman candidate on the opening drive of the 2nd half, capped off by this: http://t.co/WTvvbI3kx6

— ESPN (@espn) September 4, 2015

But other times, he suffered from happy feet under pressure, tossing one poorly thrown interception and narrowly missing another one. He also fumbled a pitch under duress, but the Frogs recovered.

The pick in particular was a momentum-flipping mistake.

https://twitter.com/smartfootball/status/639640948113305600

In a game that many folks wanted to see TCU dominate considering it doesn't play a schedule that will mount much resistance, coach Gary Patterson's team just kind of plodded along.

Even so, this has the makings of morphing into a quality win once some games flow by and we go deeper into the season.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill has built a pretty solid Big Ten team, and while the dearth of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball will keep them from being any kind of contender in the conference, it's not out of the question they could be the class of a weaker West division.

Everybody already knew they boasted a strong secondary, but the front seven looked like a tough, physical group Thursday, too.

Perhaps the biggest positive TCU should take from all this is how it battled respectably in a game that wound up tougher than many thought it would.

Did the Frogs look good winning? No. Did they earn any style points that will help them with the voters and, eventually, the committee? Nope.

But this is a TCU offense that ran roughshod through the Big 12 a season ago, and it returns 10 starters. Though Boykin didn't look like a star against the Gophers, he is one, and he and that side of the ball will get things going.

Patterson care if Frogs drop? ‘Oh, no. I’m glad I’m 1-0. I only want to be ranked high at the end. I don’t care about this early stuff.’

— Carlos A. Mendez (@calexmendez) September 4, 2015

Patterson shrugs off judgment: ‘You have to know that we know we overthrew some open receivers. You know we’re going to score more points.’

— Carlos A. Mendez (@calexmendez) September 4, 2015

Defensively, there were serious question marks after the Frogs lost six of their top seven tacklers off last year's team and were without sack leader James McFarland in the opener. But that young group rose to the occasion, thwarting Minnesota at nearly every turn.

The performance was spoiled somewhat by a frenetic fourth-quarter drive the Gophers punctuated with a touchdown, but the TCU defense still impressed. That's a major building block for a season that could wind up being special despite a bit of a stumble over the first hurdle.

Around water coolers all over the country Friday, people will be discussing how the Frogs are overrated, maybe not a serious title contender and how Boykin will have to play his way back into the Heisman conversation.

As for Patterson, he was just happy with a win in a difficult environment.

TCU coach Gary Patterson says, "We wanted to get one under the belt." Expected tough game... http://t.co/w8q2P1j1as pic.twitter.com/UDGjrQfXSd

— Brian Bennett (@GBrianBennett) September 4, 2015

Games like this one will make a team battle-tested, build character and prepare it for major conference battles down the road much more so than a 50-point cakewalk would. Teams such as Kansas State may force TCU to grind it out, and now it has experience doing so.

TCU and Boykin didn't impress everybody Thursday night, but they could have learned some things that will help them as they embark on this title run.

If that's the case, they will look back on this gritty brawl of a victory fondly.

Brad Shepard covers college football for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.

While nearly making a run to the College Football Playoff last season, TCU made a nice profit for its financial backers, going 11-2 against the spread, one of the best marks in the country. The Horned Frogs open this season as road favorites up in Big Ten country when they visit Minnesota to tangle with the Golden Gophers Thursday night.

Point spread: Horned Frogs opened as 16-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.

College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 40.8-22.8 Horned Frogs

Why the TCU Horned Frogs can cover the spread

TCU returns 15 starters this season from a team that lost just one game and just missed the first ever College Football Playoff last season. That contingent is led by quarterback Trevone Boykin, who begins this season as a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, four along the offensive line and three along the defensive front four. TCU begins this season ranked No. 2 in the both major polls, and with good reason as it's got the talent, and head coach Gary Patterson should have plenty of motivation to make another run at a playoff berth.

Why the Minnesota Golden Gophers can cover the spread

Minnesota returns 12 starters this season from a team that got within about three quarters of playing in the Big Ten title game last season. Five starters are back on offense, including quarterback Mitch Leidner who enters his second season as the starter, although they do have to replace 1,600-yard rusher David Cobb. Seven starters are back on defense. More importantly, however, this is probably the best team, depth-wise, that head coach Jerry Kill has had in his five seasons with the Golden Gophers. Also, Minnesota is 3-0 against the spread its last three times out as a home underdog.

Smart pick

After getting snubbed by the playoff committee last year, the Horned Frogs will be taking no chances this season. Win, and win big if possible, is the plan. Minnesota, meanwhile, is an improving program under Kill, but probably doesn't have enough to pull off the upset here. Also, these teams just met back in Week 2 of last season, when as a 16-point home favorite TCU cashed in with a 30-7 victory. This time the game is in Minnesota, but that just means the spread is little more amenable. The smart pick here is the road Frogs.

Betting trends

TCU is 14-2 ATS in its last 16 games.

The total has gone under in seven of Minnesota's last 10 games at home.

Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in its last five Week 1 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.

Twenty-one minutes. That's all it took for TCU's offense to show it had changed for the better. 

Twenty-one minutes into the second game of the 2014 season, against Minnesota, it was clear this was not the same TCU offense that barely mustered 25 points a game the year before. By the nine-minute mark in the second quarter, the Frogs were up 24-0 on the Golden Gophers thanks to a B.J. Catalon touchdown. TCU scored just six more points in the 30-7 win, but the damage was done. 

A quick look at the drive chart told the whole story:

Three plays, 18 yards, 35 seconds: touchdown.

Six plays, 45 yards, 1:29: field goal.

Three plays, 27 yards, 55 seconds: touchdown.

Five plays, 39 yards, 1:12: touchdown.

TCU had help from multiple Minnesota turnovers, but the Frogs offense still made the Gophers pay with quick-strike drives. Like the Baylors and Oregons of the college football world, TCU was suddenly making opponents pay for their mistakes. 

TCU finished second nationally in 2014 in points per game (46.5), fifth in total offense (533 yards per game), and quarterback Trevone Boykin averaged about 354.5 of those yards by himself. The most dramatic offensive transformation was complete. Head coach Gary Patterson, who hired co-offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie that offseason, was viewed as a genius for going outside his comfort zone and transitioning to a hurry-up, no-huddle offense. 

The thing is, though, it almost never came to be. 

"I think we were all surprised that offensively—because last spring, the spring before, going into last season—we just weren't very good when we ended spring. Some guys were hurt. So you really couldn't tell," Patterson said at Big 12 media days. "Then our kids really came along during the summertime on their own, really bonded and started doing it, and things just happened."

It just happened. 

That's an appropriate way to describe TCU's offense, in a way. The Frogs had so many weapons last year: Boykin, running backs B.J. Catalon and Aaron Green, receivers Josh Doctson and Kolby Listenbee. How does a defense stop all of that? With an attack that athletic run by a collaborative brain trust made up of future head coaches, there's only so much a defense can do before the yards and points pile on. 

Eventually, if you do things long enough, they start to click. 

But just because the transformation happened doesn't mean it happened magically. There are reasons for it. Boykin needed a full offseason to be "the guy" at quarterback to build his confidence and consistency. For the previous two seasons, he had filled in as Casey Pachall's understudy while experimenting with other positions.

"He was the toughest quarterback [to defend] that I've coached, it just had not come to fruition on the field," Patterson said. "Really, I wasn't surprised by his success." 

TCU's receivers needed to come together too. The receiving corp was a long, athletic group but one that underachieved in 2013.

"Guys just bought in," Boykin said. "It was about the want-to. Once you weed out the bad apples, you see the potential you have.

"I knew we had guys who could catch the ball. It was all about being focused and mentally prepared."

The offensive line, previously marred by injuries, got healthy. (Rarely in '13 did the Frogs start the same five O-linemen two games in a row.) Put all of these factors together, and TCU's offense went from a unit that couldn't do much right to one that couldn't do much wrong in the span of one year.

With the pieces in place, TCU's offense just needed the right scheme. This version of the hurry-up isn't complicated, as Patterson and starting center Joey Hunt explained, but it does offer plenty of options. 

"It's a player-friendly offense," Hunt said. "You go, get your play, and go do it. That's what I love about it."

Oh yeah, and the tempo. Hunt, a self-described "more athletic" center, loves keeping defenses on their toes. But the only way this can happen is if TCU's players are executing more and thinking less. Make a mistake? It's not the end of the world, you just have to throw the play away and move on—quickly.

"If you're going to make a mistake, make a mistake full speed," Boykin said.

For Boykin and Hunt, success in the offense revolved around maturing in the decision-making portion of their games. For Boykin specifically, it was about identifying defensive formations and adjusting appropriately. For Hunt, it was about having the confidence to call out more blocking assignments and dictating the pace. 

"The transition was a little different," Hunt said. "For me, as a center, I was controlling how fast we go and snapping it. The snap's on me. Tre(vone) just tells me when he's ready. I make more calls, like which way we're sliding on the line and all that. I call a little bit more than I used to." 

Now in Year 2 of the offense, TCU's players feel there's even less caution than before. Considering practically the entire starting lineup is returning, it's possible the Frogs could improve on their numbers from '14. 

Dana Holgorsen on TCU offense: ‘What you saw toward the end, they were scoring a bunch of points. That’s probably where they’ll pick up.’

— Carlos A. Mendez (@calexmendez) July 21, 2015

Patterson, though, was his usual conservative self.

"Everybody has always told me there's always another level second year. Kind of like last year, I'm going to wait and see what the difference is," Patterson said. "When you've been around other kinds of offenses, you kind of know the progression. This will only be my second year of being the head coach with this offense, so I don't know what the progression is besides playing against it. But everyone I've talked to has talked about taking it to another level."

It's definitely possible. Perhaps no back in the Big 12 finished stronger than Green, who had four 100-yard games in the second half of the season. Boykin specifically pointed out Deante' Gray and Emanuel Porter as receivers who have stepped up their game this offseason. 

But what all of those players really give this offense are options.

"You're not going to be perfect," Boykin said. "There are times when we're not passing the ball well and we have to rely on our running game. There are times when we're not running the ball well and we have to rely on throwing the ball."

As for Boykin himself, the extra year as the clear-cut No. 1 quarterback has given him more confidence than ever before. He and TCU's other veteran players have improved as leaders. Patterson said that Boykin has been offered to work out in front of "NFL and quarterback" gurus. Instead, Boykin stayed with his teammates this summer to make sure they were doing seven-on-seven work. 

These are the types of lessons Boykin and Co. hope younger players pick up on so that, one day, they'll teach them to even younger players.

That's how TCU plans to keep its offense on an upward trajectory. Not just for 2015, but for all the years after. 

First up, though: Minnesota, the first FBS team exposed to the new TCU offense last year. 

"We've got a lot of practices before we get to Minnesota, which it's going to be a very tough ballgame," Patterson said. "It's like Custer. The only difference between Custer and us is we know what's on the other side of the hill."

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com. 

If the Big 12 ends up having just "One True Champion" in football this season, the smart money is on TCU being the team to come out on top in the eyes of the league's media members.

The Horned Frogs were the overwhelming choice to claim their first outright Big 12 title, collecting 32 of 42 first-place votes in results the conference released Wednesday. Baylor, which was picked to finish second, got the other 10 first-place votes.

Team (1st Place Votes)	Total votes	2014 Finish
TCU (32)	408	T-1st
Baylor (10)	384	T-1st
Oklahoma	312	T-4th
Oklahoma State	289	7th
Texas	245	T-4th
West Virginia	204	T-4th
Kansas State	201	3rd
Texas Tech	139	8th
Iowa State	83	10th
Kansas	45	9th

Oklahoma, last year's media favorite (which ended up tying for fourth place), was picked third, followed by Oklahoma State, Texas, West Virginia, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Iowa State and Kansas.

This is the first time in the non-divisional Big 12 era that the preseason favorite is not from the state of Oklahoma. #OKState #Sooners

— Mark Cooper (@mark_cooperjr) July 16, 2015

TCU was picked to finish seventh last year but shared the Big 12 title with Baylor. Both teams were shut out of the playoffs, but TCU went on to crush Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl to finish with a 12-1 record. The Horned Frogs return 17 starters from that team, including senior quarterback Trevone Boykin (whom the media picked as the preseason Offensive Player of the Year) and four other players who were named to the league's preseason squad.

Boykin currently sits as the Heisman Trophy favorite, according to Odds Shark, given 6-1 odds to win the award given to college football's top player.

Since going back to a single division in 2011, only one team that the media has picked to win the Big 12 has accomplished that feat. That was Oklahoma in 2012.

The Big 12 media days are set for July 20-21 in Dallas.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.

Has TCU found its successor to Trevone Boykin? Former Texas A&M starting quarterback Kenny Hill certainly hopes so. 

Hill confirmed with Travis Brown of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram what had been speculated for months: that he would be transferring to the Horned Frogs. Hill told Brown that he will enroll on June 1 ("two Mondays from now" he said to Brown). He will sit out the 2015 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules and have two years of eligibility remaining in 2016.

That would seem to perfectly set up his own run at the starting quarterback spot since Boykin will be a redshirt senior this season. Will it work out that smoothly? We'll find out in a year or so, but Hill will have the time to learn and the resources available to be successful. 

Put another way, you have to like Hill's chances of earning the starting job next year. He'll be in the right environment to succeed, it'll be a matter of whether he wants to or not. 

It starts with the fact that he'll be under the guidance of co-offensive coordinators Sonny Cumbie and Doug Meacham. It's been well-documented what both of those guys have done for the Frogs offensively. In 2013, TCU ranked at or near the bottom of the Big 12 in every major statistical offensive category. Last season, the first with Cumbie and Meacham, TCU averaged nearly 200 more yards per game and 21 more points per game. Only Baylor had more points per game nationally (48.2 to 46.5). 

The improvement was visible across all positions, but the most dramatic difference was with Boykin. This was a guy who seemed bound for a position change. Under Cumbie's guidance, however, he morphed into a one-man offensive show, accounting for 354.5 yards per game—best in the Big 12—and 42 total touchdowns. 

The best part is, as Chris Brown of Grantland notes, Boykin can be even better this year: 

https://twitter.com/smartfootball/status/596667221428011008

https://twitter.com/smartfootball/status/596667376713740289

Hill is a big-time talent and further along as a passer now than Boykin was at the end of the 2013 season. The A&M transfer will have the benefit of learning under Cumbie and Meacham for a year without having to worry about game action. It's his "internship" so to speak. Assuming no one scoops up Cumbie and/or Meacham in the next two years for a head coaching gig—that could be a big assumption—Hill could have as many as three years as their pupil. 

Of course, three other quarterbacks—Grayson Muehlstein, Foster Sawyer and Zach Allen—are being coached by Cumbie as well. The difference is Hill has starting experience in an Air Raid-based offense under his belt. Unless Boykin gets hurt and someone successfully steps in to replace him, the quarterback competition should be wide-open in '16.  

Everything sets up advantageously for Hill, but there's also a certain amount of responsibility that falls on him as well. Hill got off to a hot start last season by throwing for more than 500 yards in the season opener against South Carolina.

However, things began going south five games later in a loss to Mississippi State in which he threw three interceptions. Two games later in a shutout loss to Alabama, Hill was benched in favor of freshman Kyle Allen. Shortly thereafter, he was suspended two games for violating team rules. He was also hit with a misdemeanor public intoxication charge in March of 2014. 

Those are learning experiences for Hill. A change of scenery can sometimes be just what a player needs to start over. In his first season, he won't have to worry about playing, only about understanding the playbook, developing chemistry with new teammates and getting better. Nothing will be rushed. 

Will be quite a QB race at TCU next spring. Patterson said late this spring he only feels like he has one QB that could win the Big 12.

— David Ubben (@davidubben) May 22, 2015

No idea what to expect from Hill at TCU. Anything from "never sees the field" to "eventual Heisman Trophy winner" is in play.

— David Ubben (@davidubben) May 22, 2015

Hill isn't guaranteed the starting job in 2016. Head coach Gary Patterson just doesn't work that way. Plus, there's not an immediate need at quarterback. Hill will have the chance to come in and compete for the job in 2016. If he does all the right things, he has the talent to take the field in purple next year. 

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com. 

TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin is a prime candidate to win the Heisman Trophy during the upcoming season, and all signs point to him being ready for that pursuit when the 2015 campaign commences.

Continue for updates.

---

Boykin Expected Back by May 1 After Wrist Surgery

Friday, April 3

In an effort to ensure that Boykin is completely healthy entering the season, he underwent a successful wrist surgery Thursday that is expected to keep him out for less than a month, according to David Ubben of Fox Sports Southwest:

TCU QB Trevone Boykin had successful wrist surgery today. Gary Patterson told @FSSouthwest he'll be back by May 1. http://t.co/PCCO2BIIPw

— David Ubben (@davidubben) April 3, 2015

TCU head coach Gary Patterson doesn't seem concerned about the status of his star quarterback as he downplayed the significance of the surgery, per Ubben.

"Everything is great," Patterson said. "Minor surgery so no worries."

Boykin is coming off a season that saw him throw for over 3,900 yards and 33 touchdowns as the Horned Frogs narrowly missed out on being part of the inaugural College Football Playoff.

TCU has aspirations of playing for a national title this time around, and Boykin's play will almost certainly be the driving force behind whether that happens.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter

TCU starting quarterback Trevone Boykin is reportedly going to miss the end of spring practice after undergoing surgery on his wrist. 

Kevin Flaherty of 247 Sports reported the disappointing news for the Horned Frogs:

Trevone Boykin will participate in most of spring football before missing the final three practices as he has surgery to repair a fractured bone in his left wrist, according to TCU coach Gary Patterson.

Boykin actually suffered the injury late in the 2014 season, but played through it with a soft cast. The procedure is planned for the first week of April, meaning that Boykin, with a recovery timetable of five weeks, should be ready to go for summer workouts.

Boykin took a big step forward in his junior campaign, improving to the point that he found himself in the conversation for the Heisman trophy. His lack of mistakes leading the passing attack, after throwing 17 picks in his first two seasons, and contributions on the ground helped spark the team's hot start.

The Horned Frogs have to be thrilled that Boykin isn't expected to miss any time in the regular season, although losing him for some of the team's spring practices has to be frustrating for Patterson. Expect backup quarterback Matt Joeckel to take snaps in Boykin's absence.  

TCU's ascent to national relevance in 2014 is continuing to pay dividends. Courtney Lark, a 4-star receiver out of Bellaire (Texas) High School, committed to the Horned Frogs on Saturday, spurning offers from Baylor and Nebraska among others.

Gerry Hamilton of ESPN reported the news:

TCU was a bit of an upset choice given expert predictions. 247Sports' crystal ball gave Lark a 62 percent chance of committing to Baylor, with Oklahoma coming in second place at 25 percent. None of the predictions listed went TCU's direction.

Lark is considered the No. 78 recruit in the nation and 11th-best receiver in the Class of 2016, according to 247Sports composite rankings. Listed at 6'1" and 170 pounds, Lark has excellent hands and has become an increasingly solid big-play threat. He made 58 receptions for 1,138 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior.

While he'll need to bulk up to withstand Big 12 punishment, Lark is yet another coup in what's becoming a landmark class for Gary Patterson. Lark's signing moves the Horned Frogs up to No. 7 on 247Sports' Class of 2016 rankings, fifth-highest among schools with seven or fewer recruits. Patterson has inked four 4-star recruits already, double the number from his 2015 group.

With a 12-1 season in the books, a number of players returning and reinforcements like Lark on the way, the future in Fort Worth is sure looking bright.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter

Oh, yes. The hype machine for TCU in 2015 has been warmed up. A sharp pull of the starting lever, a quick whiff of ozone, and it's up and ready to go. 

That's the result of the Horned Frogs' 42-3 rout over Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl. With the exception of Oregon's 59-20 victory over Florida State in the Rose Bowl, it was as impressive a showing as anyone in the postseason. 

It also added more ammunition to the debate over whether TCU should have been included in the College Football Playoff. Heading into the final week of regular-season games, the Frogs appeared to be securely ranked at No. 3 before falling a whopping three spots even though it took care of business against Iowa State. 

Was it a matter of TCU's "brand" not being strong enough? Did the Big 12 co-champions title/lack of a conference title game hurt? There are a lot of theories out there. 

Know this, though: TCU, projected to finish seventh in the Big 12 this past season by media members, won't sneak up on anyone in 2015. Quite to the contrary, the Frogs are already bathing in preseason hype. Nationalchamps.net has TCU as its preseason No. 1 team. 

Among those looking at TCU as a playoff contender in 2015 is Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples: 

The Horned Frogs could return as many as 16 starters from a team that went 11-1 during the regular season, so they’ll probably be the preseason favorite in the Big 12. And if you read this week’s Punt, Pass & Pork, you know Boykin is basically in the same -- albeit healthier -- place that Oregon’s Marcus Mariota was at this time last year.

Staples points out a key distinction about preseason expectations. Bowl season "momentum" is largely a myth. Yes, it ends the year on a positive note and it gives head coaches a drum to beat in the offseason booster/alumni circuit. Offseason workouts are a little more enjoyable. Any carry-over from a performance standpoint, though, is nonexistent. At some point, the game is in the past and forgotten. 

Oklahoma, which had lofty playoff expectations after beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl last January, sputtered to an 8-5 season and got clocked in the Russell Athletic Bowl by Clemson. Offseason hype didn't exactly help the Sooners there. 

"I talked to them [TCU players] about teams that had great seasons, that were highly ranked, that weren't there anymore," Frogs coach Gary Patterson said after the Peach Bowl (via Carlos Mendez of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). "The common mistake that those teams make is that they don't think they have to go back to the beginning. We'll go back to the bottom."

All anyone can look at is what TCU has returning, which is 10 of 11 offensive starters plus co-offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie. The addition of Meacham and Cumbie last offseason proved to be incredible, and the results showed immediately. This past season, TCU's offense finished third in the country with 46.5 points per game; that's three full touchdowns more than 2013's total (25 points per game). 

Beyond the numbers is the development of a sleeping giant on offense, starting with quarterback Trevone Boykin. Boykin, who in two years had to play the role of reliever rather than starter, once appeared bound for a position change. Instead, and with a full offseason as the No. 1 guy, he led the Big 12 in total offense (354.5 yards per game).

In many ways, Boykin became the dangerous offensive weapon many thought Oklahoma dual-threat quarterback Trevor Knight was going to become after his lights-out Sugar Bowl performance. 

Opponent	Date
at Minnesota	Thursday, Sept. 3
at Kansas State	Saturday, Oct. 10
at Oklahoma	Saturday, Nov. 21
Baylor	Friday, Nov. 27

The development goes beyond Boykin, though. TCU's wide receivers, an underachieving group in 2013, became one of the more productive units in the Big 12. In the absence of injured starting running back B.J. Catalon, Nebraska transfer and former blue-chip recruit Aaron Green finally emerged with four 100-yard performances in the final six games. The offensive line, a revolving door in '13, was finally healthy with the first team starting all but one game together. 

All of those players return. That's nightmare fuel for opposing defensive coordinators, and it's also why TCU might rely on some traditional Big 12 shootouts to win another conference title next season. 

TCU's key losses are on defense—and at every level. Gone are defensive tackle Chucky Hunter, linebacker Paul Dawson, defensive back Kevin White and safety Sam Carter. That's the team's anchor in the trenches, leading tackler and two great defenders. That's a lot of star power to replace. 

Patterson is a defensive guy, and 2015 will test his abilities once again to coach up another crop of players. 

The path to the playoff is the intriguing part for TCU because it's so similar to 2014—and everyone saw how that went. A road game at Minnesota remains the key nonconference game and a season-ending home game against Baylor could once again decide the Big 12 picture.

If there's one thing that potentially hurts TCU, it's that the Frogs do not play in the first weekend of December. Should TCU be in the CFP conversation, would it be out of sight, out of mind? That won't be known for another year. 

With a loaded offense returning, though, TCU should be preseason favorites to win the Big 12. Win enough games along the way and the Frogs will without a doubt be in the CFP picture. There's no secret about what TCU will offer in 2015: lots of offense with perhaps some defense to boot. 

The question is whether that will that be good enough next time around. How things shake out from a strength-of-schedule perspective is always a wait-and-see thing. But the perception of TCU football has changed in a hurry, and for the better. Another successful season and the Frogs will have some credibility, some staying power on their side. That could be the biggest difference. 

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com. 

TCU looked like one of the four best teams in the country in a 42-3 rout of Ole Miss—and that is putting it lightly.

The Horned Frogs out-gained the Rebels by 294 yards to claim the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl title, proving in the process that they (a) were a College Football Playoff-worthy team this season, and (b) will be favored to make the playoff in 2015-16.

Trevone Boykin completed 22 of 31 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns for an offense that entered Wednesday ranked No. 2 in the country in points per game and No. 4 in yards per game and lived up to its billing against the vaunted "Landsharks" defense.

And he did it with his signature flair.

As good as the Horned Frogs offense was in 2014, however, there is reason to believe it will improve next season.

The only senior in Wednesday's starting lineup was left tackle Tayo Fabuluje. Every other meaningful contributor is set to return.

Spoke w Doug Meacham (TCU co-OC) recently…was very proud of this group; but added that next year could be better. 10 of 11 return

— FootballScoop (@FootballScoop) December 31, 2014

Boykin is the leader, but TCU's supporting cast is just as impressive.

Running back Aaron Green came on late in the season and is a threat to score from anywhere. Ditto for Week 1 starter B.J. Catalon.

Receivers Josh Doctson and Kolby Listenbee can rival any pass-catching duo in the country, and center Joey Hunt and right tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai both made the All-Big 12 second team.

TCU scored 42 points in 32 minutes against the No. 1 scoring defense in the country (13.8 points per game). One of its six touchdowns came on defense, and field position played a role in setting up a few of the other five, but that doesn't change the pace this team was on before taking its foot off the pedal with a 42-0 lead.

	Season Average/Game	First 32 Min. vs. TCU
Points Allowed	13.8	42
Yards Allowed	321.1	287
Yards Per Play	4.61	5.86
Plays of 10+ Yards	11.3	12

Co-offensive coordinators Sonnie Cumbie and Doug Meacham have reinvented the TCU offense, giving it an uptempo flourish.

The Horned Frogs had the No. 8 adjusted pace in the country, per Football Outsiders, and never scored fewer than 30 points in a game.

Last season, before hiring Cumbie and Meacham, TCU scored fewer than 30 points in eight of 12 games—the same amount of games it lost outright. The defense was strong, but the offense couldn't keep up, so the Frogs missed a bowl game for the first time since 2004.

Now this might be the most complete team in America.

I hope @AP votes #TCU No. 1 & splits the national title. No way to claim playoff winner is best team now. So no nat'l champ. #TCUvsOleMiss

— Graham Couch (@Graham_Couch) December 31, 2014

But it's not just the TCU offense that is stocked for next season.

The defense is set to lose some meaningful contributors—chief among them linebacker Paul Dawson, defensive tackle Chucky Hunter, cornerback Kevin White and safety Sam Carter—but a huge showing from its younger players inspired hope for 2015.

James McFarland, for example, intercepted a Bo Wallace pass in the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter. Derrick Kindred had a pick and a third-down tackle for loss. Ranthony Texada made a pair of great coverage plays on the Rebels' first drive.

Ole Miss averaged 2.01 yards per play.

	TKL	TFL	SCK	INT	PBU
DT Chris Bradley (Fr.)	2	0.5	0.5	0	0
DE Josh Carraway (So.)	4	0.0	0.0	0	0
S Derrick Kindred (Jr.)	5	1.0	0.0	1	0
S Chris Hackett (Jr.)	2	0.0	0.0	1	0
DT Terrell Lathan (Jr.)	3	1.0	1.0	0	0
DT Tevin Lawson (So.)	3	1.0	1.0	0	0
DE James McFarland (Jr.)	4	2.0	1.0	1	1
DT Davoin Pierson (Sr.)	3	1.5	0.0	0	0

Chris Hackett was the No. 1 safety on Bleacher Report's CFB 250 and has a big NFL draft decision ahead of him. His return would be a massive lift, but as long as defensive coordinator Dick Bumpas comes back for his 11th season, this defense will be fine regardless.

Remember, after all, that preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Devonte Fields was dismissed from the team in August. TCU entered Wednesday with No. 6 defense in the country, per the F/+ ratings at Football Outsiders, despite losing its projected best player in fall camp and last year's best player (cornerback Jason Verrett) to the first round of the 2014 NFL draft.

Bumpas has laughed in the face of attrition for more than a decade.

Why should he stop laughing now?

TCU rose as high as No. 3 in the CFP standings but dropped to No. 6 after the final week of the season.

The Horned Frogs did their own job, pasting Iowa State 55-3, but were passed by outright ACC champion Florida State, outright Big Ten champion Ohio State and co-Big 12 champion Baylor, which handed TCU its only loss of the season in October.

There was outcry after the Horned Frogs dropped three spots, seemingly for reasons that were out of their control, but head coach Gary Patterson doesn't feel the need to rub their success in the face of the selection committee—or anyone else, for that matter.

"I don't think I have to say anything," he told Shannon Spake on the ESPN broadcast. "I think for next year, and what happened this year, I think everyone can see what kind of football team [this is]."

We can. And considering how much talent comes back, it's scary to think what kind of football team this might become.

"I think as a university, as a program, I don't think we've touched the iceberg," Patterson told reporters before the game.

After Saturday, though, that iceberg is dead ahead.

Follow Brian Leigh on Twitter @BLeigh35.