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The 2025 TCU football schedule isn't just a list of dates. It’s a funeral for a century-old rivalry, a high-stakes road trip to face a legendary NFL coach, and a gauntlet through a Big 12 conference that has basically become the Wild West.
Honestly, if you're a Horned Frogs fan, your pulse is probably already racing.
Coach Sonny Dykes and the squad entered 2025 with a chip on their shoulder. They had to prove the 2022 national championship run wasn't a fluke. They also had to deal with the reality that college football as we knew it in Texas—specifically the Iron Skillet—was coming to a close.
The Week 1 Belichick Factor
Usually, you open the season with a "buy game." You know, a lower-tier opponent you pay to come to Fort Worth so you can beat them by 40 and work out the kinks. Not this time.
TCU opened the 2025 campaign on Monday, Sept. 1, in Chapel Hill. But it wasn't just a game against North Carolina. It was the debut of Bill Belichick as the Tar Heels' head coach.
Talk about a spotlight.
The Frogs ended up spoiling that debut with a dominant 48-14 win. It was a statement. While the national media was obsessing over the hoodie moving to the ACC, TCU was busy putting up nearly 50 points on national TV.
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Saying Goodbye to the Iron Skillet
If there’s one date TCU fans had circled in red ink, it was Sept. 20.
SMU came to Amon G. Carter Stadium for what many believe is the final meaningful chapter of the Iron Skillet rivalry. For now, anyway. TCU has decided not to renew the series, opting for more home-game flexibility in the future.
The atmosphere? Electric.
The result? A 35-24 victory for the Frogs. Eric McAlister basically put the team on his back. Winning that trophy one last time before it goes into a glass case for the foreseeable future felt personal. It was personal.
Navigating the New Big 12 Gauntlet
Once the non-conference dust settled, the 2025 TCU football schedule dove straight into the deep end of the Big 12.
The middle of the season was a roller coaster. There was that Friday night trip to Tempe on Sept. 26 where TCU lost a heartbreaker to Arizona State, 27-24. Then, Colorado came to Fort Worth.
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Everyone wants to talk about Deion Sanders, but the 2025 version of the Buffaloes looked a lot different without Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. TCU took care of business there, winning 35-21 on Oct. 4.
The schedule stayed brutal through October:
- Oct. 11: A tough 41-28 loss at Kansas State.
- Oct. 18: The "Bluebonnet Battle" against Baylor. TCU pulled it out 42-36 in a game that reminded everyone why this rivalry is so underrated.
- Oct. 25: A gritty 23-17 win in the thin air of Morgantown against West Virginia.
The November Grind and the BYU Trap
November is where things got weird.
After an off-week, Iowa State snuck into Fort Worth and stole a 20-17 win. Then came the trip to Provo on Nov. 15. Playing at BYU is never easy, but losing 44-13 was a gut punch that most fans didn't see coming.
But this team didn't quit.
They went to Houston and ground out a 17-14 win before returning home to dismantle Cincinnati 45-23 on Nov. 29 to wrap up the regular season.
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What This Schedule Tells Us About TCU’s Future
Looking back at the full 2025 TCU football schedule, the Frogs finished the regular season 8-4. They went 5-4 in conference play.
Is that "elite"? Maybe not by 2022 standards. But in a Big 12 where literally anyone can beat anyone on a Saturday, it's a solid foundation. The win over North Carolina proved they can handle the biggest stages. The win over SMU proved they still own DFW.
The season eventually culminated in a trip to San Antonio for the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30. They faced USC—a team they have quite a bit of history with. In a classic back-and-forth thriller, TCU won 30-27 in overtime.
It was a hell of a way to end the year.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're looking ahead after the 2025 campaign, here are three things to watch for as the 2026 cycle begins:
- Quarterback Stability: The 2025 season showed that when the offense is clicking, they are top-tier. Keep an eye on the transfer portal for any veteran additions to push the room.
- Home Field Advantage: TCU struggled in a few close home games in 2025. Strengthening the "Fort" is priority number one for the coaching staff.
- Rivalry Identity: With SMU off the schedule for now, the Baylor game on Oct. 18 becomes the de facto "must-win" for bragging rights in the state.
The 2025 schedule was a gauntlet, but it proved the Horned Frogs are still a major player in the national conversation. Now, the focus shifts to whether they can take that 9-4 overall record and turn it into a 10 or 11-win season in 2026.