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College football 2018: Biggest X-factor on every Top 25 team

By Derek Grochowski

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Miles Sanders (24) of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs for a gain in the game between the Washington Huskies and the Penn State Nittany Lions on December 30, 2017 at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Miles Sanders (24) of the Penn State Nittany Lions runs for a gain in the game between the Washington Huskies and the Penn State Nittany Lions on December 30, 2017 at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ. (Photo by Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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LUBBOCK, TX – NOVEMBER 18: Shawn Robinson #12 of the TCU Horned Frogs warms up on the field before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on November 18, 2017 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. TCU defeated Texas Tech 27-3. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TX – NOVEMBER 18: Shawn Robinson #12 of the TCU Horned Frogs warms up on the field before the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on November 18, 2017 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. TCU defeated Texas Tech 27-3. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

16. Shawn Robinson, TCU Horned Frogs

After winning 11 games last season and two of their three losses coming to Oklahoma it is time for the Horned Frogs to leap into the top of the Big 12. Kenny Hill is gone and that will hurt the offense.

The front seven will be the strength of the defense, the secondary will be better and they won’t have to stop Baker Mayfield and Mason Rudolph. The key to the Horned Frogs having another successful season will be Kenny Hill’s replacement, Shawn Robinson. The stable of wide receivers they have and the talented running backs coming back will balance the offense.

Kenny Hill grew a lot in his time at TCU, he became a better passer even if the yardage did not jump a lot. In his first year in, he threw 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. In 2017 he was able to bring the interceptions down to eight and the touchdowns up to 23.

As a freshman, Robinson saw limited time on the field towards the end of games. In his limited time on the field, he was able to throw three touchdowns. If he can develop like Kenny Hill did and get better every year, the Horned Frogs could have their quarterback for the next few seasons.

It is so important that Shawn Robinson is the X Factor this season because this is the year the Big 12 is reloading. Oklahoma lost a lot of talent the same can be said with Oklahoma State. Outside of the top three, no one is ready to overtake TCU at this point.

But if Robinson is not ready to be the starting quarterback and TCU slips they will find themselves with another good season, but no playoff. It won’t take long for the nation to find out what kind of team TCU is. They will play Ohio State in the third week of the season.