2026 TCU Countdown to Kickoff: 40 Days Until Horned Frog Football
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TCU football is moving closer to its 2026 season opener against North Carolina in Dublin, Ireland on Aug. 29. As the Countdown to Kickoff continues, we’ll highlight a former Horned Frog whose jersey number coincided with the number of days remaining until the opener. At No. 40 is former TCU defensive end James McFarland!
Named Defensive MVP of the 2014 Peach Bowl, McFarland intercepted a Bo Wallace pass in the Ole Miss endzone that gave the Horned Frogs a 28-0 halftime lead over the Rebels. McFarland had two tackles for loss and a sack to lead the TCU defense, which dominated in the 42-3 victory. The 6-foot-2, 250-pounder from West Monroe, Louisiana finished the 2014 season with 12 tackles for loss, seven sacks and three forced fumbles.
McFarland joined the TCU football program in 2012 and spent five years there. For his career, McFarland had 99 total tackles, 57 solo tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, 10 pass breakups, three forced fumbles and a pick-six over 51 games played. Despite missing the 2015 season to an injury, McFarland returned as a redshirt senior in 2016 and started all 13 games. He had 35 total tackles and led the TCU defensive line with four pass breakups and six quarterback hurries. His total tackles including a season-best six in the Liberty Bowl loss to Georgia.
Rated a three-star recruit out of high school, McFarland signed with TCU over Oklahoma, Mississippi State and Arkansas. He played in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2012, when the Horned Frogs went 7-6 and loss against Michigan State in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. He made 12 appearances in 2013 and broke out as a junior in 2014, when TCU went 12-1 and shared the Big 12 title with Baylor.
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