The 2015 TCU Horned Frogs football team represented Texas Christian University (TCU) in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 120th TCU football team played as a member of the Big 12 Conference (Big 12), led by 15th-year head coach Gary Patterson. The Horned Frogs played their home games at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.

TCU (11–2, 7–2) finished the season ranked #7 in the nation after a victory in the Alamo Bowl. The season marked the Horned Frogs' fifth top-10 finish and sixth top-15 finish in the last 8 seasons. The Horned Frogs notched their sixth 11+ win season in the last 8 years and their tenth 10+ win season in the 15-year Gary Patterson era.

Preseason Recruiting National Signing Day unofficially kicked off the new season on February 5, 2015. The Horned Frogs inked 21 high school seniors to National Letters of Intent and added two additional playmakers by grayshirt. Hoping to build on the success of the new up-tempo offense installed by Co-offensive coordinators Doug Meacham and Sonny Cumbie in 2014, the 2015 signing class included six wide receivers. Three signees graduated from high school in December 2014 and enrolled at TCU for the spring term.

In addition to the above-listed signees, TCU added consensus 3-star wide receive Darrion Flowers (5'9", 170, Sam Houston HS, Arlington, TX), who accepted a track and field scholarship for 2015–16 and will join the football team before the 2016 season. Similarly, TCU added kicker Jonathan Song (5'9", 160, All Saints HS, Fort Worth, TX), who will also grayshirt during the 2015–16 season and count against the 2016 recruiting class. Flowers and Song will fill areas of need in 2016 after the loss of PK, P, and WRs at the conclusion of the 2015 season.

It was widely reported in early 2015 that former Southlake Carroll standout and Gatorade Football Player of the Year Kenny Hill would transfer from Texas A&M to TCU before the 2015 season. Hill confirmed his transfer on May 22, 2015, and enrolled for the summer term. As a transfer, Hill can practice with the 2015 team, but he will be ineligible for play until 2016.

During the summer, TCU added walk-on athlete Rocket Ismail, Jr. (5'11", 176, Ranchview HS, Carrollton, TX), son of All-American, Notre Dame legend and former CFL and NFL player Raghib "Rocket" Ismail. Ismail is immediately eligible and joins a number of additional walk-ons on the 2015 roster.

Coaching staff changes Patterson formally announced coaching staff changes on February 25, 2015. Following the retirement of long-time TCU defensive coordinator Dick Bumpas, Patterson promoted safeties coach and former Texas Tech defensive coordinator Chad Glasgow and TCU linebackers coach DeMontie Cross to co-defensive coordinators. TCU director of player personnel Dan Sharp was reassigned as the defensive line coach, and three-year graduate assistant Paul Gonzales was named the Frogs' cornerbacks coach. Further coaching staff changes include the shuffling and addition of analysis and graduate assistants, including the addition of former TCU linebacker and 2009 5th-round draft pick Jason Phillips.

Spring practice The Horned Frogs' formal spring practice ran from February 28 through April 10. In their April 9 spring game, the Frogs were without quarterback Trevone Boykin, who underwent minor surgery on his non-throwing wrist prior to the final week of spring practice. The focus of spring ball was squarely on the defense, where Coach Patterson must replace 5 starters, including 2 linebackers. Offensive coordinators Meacham and Cumbie, meanwhile, focused on improving the year-old up-tempo offense and identifying a backup quarterback.

Spring 2015 "way-too-early" pre-season rankings from most major sports news outlets, issued after the end of the 2014 season tabbed the 2015 Horned Frogs at #1 (ESPN-Martin Rickman), #2 (Sports Illustrated), #2 (CBSSports), and #2 (ESPN-Mark Schlabach).

Fall camp In July, TCU was selected as the overwhelming favorite to win the Big 12 regular season crown, and Trevone Boykin emerged as the frontrunner in the 2015 Heisman Trophy race. During Big 12 media days, the media's attention fell heavily upon league frontrunners TCU and Baylor. Fall camp began on August 4, 2015.

Little news was released by Gary Patterson during the Horned Frogs' fall camp. Rumors of injuries sustained by starting wide receivers Josh Doctson and Deante Gray, as well as starting defensive tackle Davion Pierson were unconfirmed, and Patterson revealed in late August that Doctson would likely play in the opener at Minnesota while Gray's readiness for the September 3 game remained questionable. Late in fall camp, junior wide receiver and special teams punt returner Cameron Echols-Luper, son of TCU running backs coach Curtis Luper, announced his transfer to Arkansas State, where Echols-Luper hopes to play quarterback.

TCU was ranked #2 in both the preseason Amway (USA Today) Coaches Poll and the preseason AP Poll.

Schedule TCU was one of only four teams in the country to play six road games against Power 5 Conference opponents. The Horned Frogs' road schedule included a non-conference season opener at Minnesota and five Big 12 road games. The Frogs will had only one mid-season bye during week eight of the regular season.

Schedule source: GoFrogs.com and FBschedules.com

Rankings

Game summaries At Minnesota

Statistics TCUMINN First downs 25 18 Total yards 449 341 Rushing yards 203 144 Passing yards 246 197 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 34:50 25:10 Team Category Player Statistics TCU Passing Trevone Boykin 26/42, 246 yards, TD, INT Rushing Trevone Boykin 18 rushes, 92 yards, TD Receiving Josh Doctson 8 receptions, 84 yards, TD Minnesota Passing Mitch Leidner 19/35, 197 yards, TD Rushing Rodney Smith 16 rushes, 88 yards, TD Receiving K. J. Maye 4 receptions, 73 yards, TD

TCU was one of only three consensus-top 25 teams to play a true road game against a Power 5 Conference opponent in week one, joining the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes at Virginia Tech and the #20 Stanford Cardinal at Northwestern. Of the three, only #2 TCU and #1 Ohio State returned home with victories.

Stephen F. Austin

Statistics SFATCU First downs 8 30 Total yards 167 627 Rushing yards 146 224 Passing yards 21 403 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 27:07 32:53 Team Category Player Statistics Stephen F. Austin Passing Hunter Taylor 2/10, 12 yards, INT Rushing Loren Easly 6 rushes, 93 yards, TD Receiving Cole Carter 1 reception, 10 yards TCU Passing Trevone Boykin 18/27, 285 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Trevorris Johnson 9 rushes, 71 yards Receiving Kolby Listenbee 6 receptions, 142 yards, TD

The 70 points scored by the Horned Frogs in this game marked the second-highest score of any TCU Horned Frogs football team in the program's 120-year history (the record of 82 points was set against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in 2014). This win extended TCU's winning streak to 10 games and improved Gary Patterson's record to 21–1 when coaching a TCU team ranked in the top 5 and 32–3 when coaching a TCU team ranked in the top 10.

SMU

Statistics SMUTCU First downs 23 28 Total yards 508 720 Rushing yards 174 266 Passing yards 334 454 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 32:57 27:03 Team Category Player Statistics SMU Passing Matt Davis 18/32, 334 yards, TD Rushing Matt Davis 17 rushes, 62 yards, TD Receiving Courtland Sutton 4 receptions, 115 yards, TD TCU Passing Trevone Boykin 21/30, 454 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Aaron Green 21 rushes, 164 yards, 2 TD Receiving Josh Doctson 5 receptions, 171 yards, 2 TD

This 95th Battle for the Iron Skillet came 100 years after the Frogs and Mustangs first met in October 1915 at TCU's Clark Field, a meeting TCU won 43–0. The Horned Frogs celebrated Family Weekend and Clark Society Weekend during this September 19, 2015, home game, and the TCU Lettermen's Association inducted several new members into its Hall of Fame as part of the weekend's festivities.

At Texas Tech

Statistics TCUTTU First downs 38 32 Total yards 750 607 Rushing yards 247 215 Passing yards 503 392 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 34:57 25:03 Team Category Player Statistics TCU Passing Trevone Boykin 34/54, 485 yards, 4 TD Rushing Aaron Green 28 rushes, 162 yards, 2 TD Receiving Josh Doctson 18 receptions, 267 yards, 3 TD Texas Tech Passing Patrick Mahomes 25/45, 392 yards, 2 TD Rushing DeAndré Washington 22 rushes, 188 yards, 4 TD Receiving Jakeem Grant 8 receptions, 126 yards, TD

The Horned Frogs' thrilling 55–52 last-minute win over Texas Tech marked TCU's first win in Lubbock, Texas, since 1991. TCU's 750 yards of offense was the third-most in school history (the record was set against Texas Tech in 2014, with 785). Trevone Boykin's 485 passing yards was the second-most by a quarterback in school history. Josh Doctson's 267 receiving yards set a new TCU single-game record, and his 18 receptions tied the TCU record.

Texas

Statistics TEXTCU First downs 20 31 Total yards 313 604 Rushing yards 191 228 Passing yards 122 376 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 29:26 30:34 Team Category Player Statistics Texas Passing Tyrone Swoopes 5/8, 74 yards, TD Rushing D'Onta Foreman 18 rushes, 112 yards Receiving John Burt 2 receptions, 36 yards TCU Passing Trevone Boykin 20/35, 332 yards, 5 TD Rushing Aaron Green 14 rushes, 70 yards Receiving KaVontae Turpin 6 receptions, 138 yards, 4 TD

The Horned Frogs celebrated Homecoming during the October 3, 2015, Big 12 home opener versus Texas. The 50–7 win was the Horned Frogs' first home win over the Longhorns since 1992, and TCU's wins over the Longhorns in 2014 and 2015 mark the Frogs' first back-to-back wins over Texas since the 1950s. Trevone Boykin threw for 332 yards without playing in the fourth quarter. The third of his five touchdown passes broke the career touchdown pass record set by former TCU and current Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton from 2007–2010. Josh Doctson caught two touchdown passes, the latter of which broke former TCU wide receiver and former New England Patriot and Super Bowl Champion Josh Boyce's TCU career record.

At Kansas State

Statistics TCUKSU First downs 22 28 Total yards 543 385 Rushing yards 242 228 Passing yards 301 157 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 20:15 39:45 Team Category Player Statistics TCU Passing Trevone Boykin 20/30, 301 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Trevone Boykin 11 rushes, 124 yards, 2 TD Receiving Josh Doctson 8 receptions, 155 yards, 2 TD Kansas State Passing Joe Hubener 13/33, 157 yards, INT Rushing Joe Hubener 26 rushes, 111 yards, 4 TD Receiving Deante Burton 5 receptions, 65 yards

As the winner of the 2015 TCU–Kansas State football game, TCU took the lead in the all-time series against the Wildcats, with an overall record of 5–4. The Horned Frogs' come-from-behind win marked Gary Patterson's first win as a head coach against his alma mater in Manhattan. Jaden Oberkrom tied the all-time TCU career field goal record with a 50-yd field goal in the first half. The win marked the Frogs' 14th in a row, tying the all-time TCU record for consecutive wins. TCU's 52 points notched a school-record 5-game-50+ point streak. With the win, the Horned Frogs are now 25–1 when ranked in the top 5 and 36–3 when ranked in the top 10 under coach Patterson.

At Iowa State

Statistics TCUISU First downs 30 24 Total yards 621 461 Rushing yards 177 115 Passing yards 444 346 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 28:42 31:18 Team Category Player Statistics TCU Passing Trevone Boykin 27/32, 436 yards, 4 TD Rushing Trevone Boykin 13 rushes, 74 yards, TD Receiving Josh Doctson 10 receptions, 190 yards, 2 TD Iowa State Passing Sam B. Richardson 22/36, 251 yards Rushing Mike Warren 22 rushes, 78 yards, TD Receiving Allen Lazard 5 receptions, 147 yards, TD