TCU will travel to the Alamo Bowl without starting quarterback Josh Hoover.
Hoover became the latest Big 12 quarterback to declare for the transfer portal when the window opens on Jan. 2. Hoover shared the following statement via Instagram on Thursday night.
Hoover will not play in the Alamo Bowl vs. USC on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Hoover is now the fourth-highest available quarterback behind Nebraska transfer Dylan Railoa, according to 247 Sports. Hoover is projected to have the most career passing yards (9,629) and touchdown passes (71) of any returning quarterback in 2026.
The TCU starter joins fellow starting quarterbacks Sam Leavitt (Arizona) and Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati) in hitting the portal. Once the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2023, Hoover has one year of eligibility remaining.
Hoover, flirting with a career-high 3,949 passing yards in 2024, completed 65.9% of his passes for 3,472 yards, 29 touchdowns and 13 interceptions this past season. He ended the year with a QBR of 73.2 (28th nationally).
As of Hoover’s announcement, Indiana and Curt Cignetti, currently the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, are considered near the top of the list for Hoover, according to Chris Hummer of 247Sports.
For the Alamo Bowl, TCU will likely look to sixth-year Vanderbilt transfer Ken Seals (4 completions, 24 yards, 1 INT) under center vs. the Trojans. It’s thin from there, with the next best option being senior wide receiver Joseph Manjack IV, holding one completion for 17 yards this year.
USC recently “resigned” Jayden Maiava for 2026, according to the team’s official X page. Maiava, the 10th highest graded quarterback per PFF, opted out of the NFL Draft to return for his senior season.
Maiava enters the TCU bowl date with a career-high 3,431 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his second season in Los Angeles. Maiava transferred to USC from UNLV at the end of the 2023 season.
