There’s nothing quite like rivalry games in college football, and the Week 4 slate has a great one with Saturday’s matchup between TCU and SMU. The Horned Frogs sit with an undefeated 2-0 record, while SMU enters the contest at 2-1 with a loss to another Big 12 opponent, the Baylor Bears. TCU is coming off a 42-21 win over Abilene Christian last week, while SMU took down Missouri State, 28-10.
The game kicks off at 11:00 a.m. CT on Saturday from Ft Worth, Texas. TCU is favored by 7.0, and the over/under is set at 64.5 points. Here are two key players to watch in this game, followed by the top storylines for each team, and a prediction from Heartland College Sports.
Two Key Players to Watch
Josh Hoover, TCU Quarterback
TCU quarterback Josh Hoover is one of the nation’s best, and the secret’s been out for a while now if you’ve watched the Horned Frogs play. The junior from Heath, Texas, was largely left out of offseason conversations about the best signal callers in the Big 12, and he’s making everyone who chose to do so eat their words with his performance so far in 2025.
Romello Brinson, SMU Wide Receiver
In short, Romello Brinson has been incredible for SMU through their first three games. He’s tied for seventh in the country with 314 receiving yards this season, averaging an outstanding 20.9 yards per catch. He’ll need to be at the top of TCU’s scouting report when the game gets underway.
Top Storylines
Can TCU Get Back on Track in the Series?
Last season, SMU smacked TCU in their Week 4 clash, beating the Horned Frogs 66-42. That win gave the Mustangs their third win over TCU in their last five matchups, but prior to that, TCU dominated the series with seven-straight wins. Now, with the game in Ft Worth, Sonny Dykes‘ team should have a good shot to take control of the next iteration of the series.
Will the Turnovers Stop?
While SMU has been pretty solid offensively in its first three games, the turnovers have been an area where the team can improve. Star quarterback Kevin Jennings has thrown interceptions in each game, and taking care of the football against TCU will be critical.
Prediction: TCU 38, SMU 28
Look, sometimes in predictions it’s more about talking yourself out of a trendy pick than anything else, and in this case, TCU is the better team and is playing at home. In theory, the Horned Frogs should handle SMU comfortably and cruise into Big 12 play with a win over their rivals on the back burner.
