KillerFrogs is taking TCU’s remaining regular-season matchups to the virtual field in EA SPORTS College Football 27. All results and player statistics below come from the video game simulation.

Last week, we ran a simulation to see how the Horned Frogs would fare against Arizona. This week, Kansas State gets its turn.

Before we get to the virtual action, check out our TCU vs. Kansas State preview and how-to-watch guide for more on Saturday’s matchup in Fort Worth.

TCU by the Numbers

TCU faced a Kansas State team with a backup quarterback and matching overall ratings on the game’s team selection screen. The Horned Frogs still dropped this one, 23-10.

The offense struggled to find a rhythm, while the defense could not keep Kansas State from doing enough to win. TCU also had trouble establishing the kind of consistent running game that could have taken pressure off its quarterback.

Our KillerFrogs simulations have not exactly been on target. Through four games, the video game has picked the wrong winner every time. College football apparently remains unpredictable on the virtual field, too.

Here is how some of the simulated Horned Frogs performed:

• QB Jaden Craig: 22 of 41 passing for 216 yards, a 53.7% completion rate, no touchdowns and one interception.
• RB Jeremy Payne: 17 carries for 79 yards, a 4.6-yard average and one touchdown; two receptions for 14 yards.
• WR Jordan Dwyer: 11 receptions for 100 yards, a 9.1-yard average and a long reception of 26 yards.
• WR Ed Small: Six receptions for 66 yards, an 11.0-yard average and a long reception of 17 yards.
• CB Kalen Carroll: Nine tackles and one pass breakup.
• CB Vernon Glover: Five tackles and one interception.

This simulation did not like the TCU offense at all.

The offensive line struggled in pass protection, leaving Craig little time in the pocket. When he did get a chance to step up, his receivers often had trouble creating separation.

Dwyer remained a bright spot, reaching double-digit receptions and the 100-yard mark. He accounted for nearly half of Craig’s passing yardage and gave the Frogs their most reliable option through the air.

Small added six catches for 66 yards, but those individual efforts did not translate into enough scoring opportunities. Craig finished without a touchdown pass, and TCU managed only 10 points.

Payne supplied the Frogs’ lone touchdown and averaged 4.6 yards per carry. Still, his production was not enough to give the offense the balance it needed.

Glover provided what looked like a potentially important turning point when he intercepted Kansas State quarterback Blake Barnett. The takeaway gave TCU a chance to capitalize on favorable field position, but the offense could not turn the opportunity into the response it needed.

That was the story of this virtual matchup: a few encouraging individual performances, but too little sustained offense.

For a different perspective on the actual game, see our KillerFrogs staff score predictions for TCU vs. Kansas State.

Kansas State by the Numbers

The mode we use for this simulation does not automatically reflect the latest real-world injury situation. For this matchup, we manually removed Avery Johnson from the starting lineup and gave Barnett the start.

That was the only manual lineup adjustment we made. Barnett’s role here reflects our simulation setup rather than a declaration about Kansas State’s actual starting quarterback.

Barnett did enough to guide the virtual Wildcats past TCU. He was not especially efficient through the air, but Kansas State paired his passing production with a productive performance from running back Joe Jackson.

Here are the Wildcats’ notable simulated statistics:

• QB Blake Barnett: 16 of 31 passing for 210 yards, a 51.6% completion rate, one touchdown and one interception; 18 carries for 24 yards.
• RB Joe Jackson: 14 carries for 82 yards, a 5.9-yard average and no touchdowns; three receptions for 11 yards.
• WR Jaron Tibbs: Six receptions for 105 yards, a 17.5-yard average, one touchdown and a long reception of 25 yards.
• TE Garrett Oakley: Three receptions for 46 yards, a 15.3-yard average and a long reception of 28 yards.
• LB Rex Van Wyhe: 10 tackles.
• DE Wendell Gregory: Four tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack.

Kansas State’s defense impressed me the most in this simulation. The Wildcats consistently disrupted TCU’s offense, with Gregory helping lead the pressure up front.

Some of that came down to the Frogs’ protection problems. Some of it was simply Kansas State taking advantage of the opportunities the game presented.

Jackson also had a strong performance. His 82 rushing yards helped the Wildcats move the ball without asking Barnett to carry the entire offense.

Tibbs supplied the biggest receiving performance of the game, turning six catches into 105 yards and a touchdown. Oakley added another useful option, averaging more than 15 yards per reception.

Together, those contributions gave Kansas State enough offense to support its defense and leave the virtual field with a 23-10 victory.

Of course, our Arizona simulation picked a TCU win last week, and that did not carry over to the real game.

After four straight misses, Horned Frogs fans might be perfectly happy to see the simulation get another one wrong Saturday.

Stay Connected

Stay connected with TCU Horned Frogs On SI for the latest TCU news, analysis and recruiting coverage.

Join the conversation in the KillerFrogs fan forum, and visit KillerFrogs.com to sign up for The Weekly Croak.