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College football Week 3: 5 teams on upset alert

By Cody Williams

PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 03: Josh Rosen #3 of the UCLA Bruins calls a playduring the first half of a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at the Rose Bowl on September 3, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 03: Josh Rosen #3 of the UCLA Bruins calls a playduring the first half of a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at the Rose Bowl on September 3, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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FAYETTEVILLE, AR – SEPTEMBER 9: Kenny Hill #7 throws a pass to Kenedy Snell #16 of the TCU Horned Frogs during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Horn Frogs defeated the Razorbacks 28-7. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE, AR – SEPTEMBER 9: Kenny Hill #7 throws a pass to Kenedy Snell #16 of the TCU Horned Frogs during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on September 9, 2017 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Horn Frogs defeated the Razorbacks 28-7. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

4. TCU Horned Frogs

Rank: 20, Opponent: SMU Mustangs, Spread: TCU -19.5

There wasn’t much to really learn about the TCU Horned Frogs in the opening weekend of the 2017 college football season. They welcomed Jacksonville State to Fort Worth and absolutely beat the breaks off of them to the tune of 63-0. Against such inferior competition, it was impossible to gauge how good of a team Gary Patterson has this season. Any questions, though, were answered as they went on the road and dominated the Arkansas Razorbacks last week.

Unlike TCU teams of the past, the Horned Frogs haven’t been terribly prolific on the offensive side of the ball. Kenny Hill and the passing attack rank only tied for 63rd in passing yards per game to this point. They’re a bit better running the ball, ranking 39th in the country in rushing yards per game — but that’s still a far cry from exception. Where they’ve excelled, however, is on defense. Against Arkansas, they made a vet in Austin Allen look atrocious and largely shut down the run game.

With that being said, TCU is about to face a much bigger test for their defense in Week 3 as they welcome the SMU Mustangs to town. SMU’s passing attack at its best is absolutely lethal. Their big key is wide receiver Courtland Sutton, a 6-foot-4 monster with nice speed and playmaking ability who also had four scores last weekend in a win over North Texas.

There’s no guarantee at all that the Mustangs will be able to unleash the offense on this stout Horned Frogs defense. But if they can, that will put the onus on Hill and the TCU offense. To this point, it’s hard to say how they’d answer that call, thus making them vulnerable.

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