Texas @ TCU preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 22, 2012 ) Texas Christian 20, Texas 13

Fresh off a bye week, Texas will travel to Fort Worth in search of a fourth consecutive victory in the Big 12 against Texas Christian. Sam Carter delivered the knockout blow for the Horned Frogs in last season's meeting with the Longhorns, coming up with a late interception of Case McCoy that sealed the demise of then-No. 16 Texas. McCoy will get another crack at the Horned Frogs as he makes his fourth start this season for injured junior David Ash.

Johnathan Gray, the second-ranked rusher in the Big 12, has averaged 113.4 yards in the last five games for the Longhorns, but the Horned Frogs' defense won't bend so easily against the sophomore. TCU has the top ranked run defense in the Big 12 at 115.3 yards a game and has stopped opponents from reaching the 100-yard mark four times this season. The Horned Frogs also top the Big 12 in sacks (24) and interceptions (13) and Carter has already gotten his hands on three interceptions for TCU.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Texas Christian -2.

ABOUT TEXAS (4-2, 3-0 Big 12): After a rocky start to the season, Mack Brown has since righted the ship and the Longhorns have won three straight games including an upset of then-ranked No. 12 Oklahoma. McCoy has put in solid work in place of Ash this season, throwing for 630 yards and four touchdowns in three starts. Mike Davis does not lead the team in receptions or receiving yards — that honor belongs to Jaxon Shipley — but the senior has consistently found the end zone this season with five receiving touchdowns.

ABOUT TEXAS CHRISTIAN (3-4, 1-3 Big 12): The Horned Frogs have failed to string together consecutive victories this season for head coach Gary Patterson, and a 1-3 record in conference play proves just how important a win over the Longhorns would be. Trevone Boykin threw three interceptions and completed less than 50 percent of his passes as the Horned Frogs' offense was held scoreless in the first half against Oklahoma State and managed just 10 points in the game. Having seen McCoy last year, TCU's defense should benefit from familiarity with the senior and slow down an offense that averages 33 points a game.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Longhorns are 20-5 after a bye week under Brown.

2. Shipley has caught a pass in each of his 29 career games.

3. Texas and TCU will meet for the 84th time in the series — it is the fifth most played series in Texas history.

PREDICTION: Texas 27, Texas Christian 23