A milestone on the horizon
The 2026 college football season is already generating buzz, with the countdown to the opening game marking a symbolic alignment of numbers that fans will not soon forget.
At the center of this narrative is Jack Spikes, a former TCU Horned Frogs running back whose jersey number 20 now coincides with the season’s opening countdown.
Spikes’ collegiate career was nothing short of spectacular. In 30 games he amassed 1,555 rushing yards and scored nine touchdowns, earning All‑Southwest Conference first‑team honors in both 1958 and 1959.
His excellence was recognized nationally, as he collected first‑team All‑American accolades and was named Most Valuable Player of the Cotton Bowl in 1959, a performance that cemented his place in TCU lore.
The draft buzz surrounded him in 1960, when he was selected in the first round by both the National Football League and the American Football League, a rare double‑draft distinction.
Spikes began his professional journey with the Dallas Texans, contributing to the franchise’s 1962 AFL Championship. In that historic overtime victory he made a decisive 10‑yard reception and a 19‑yard run that helped secure the win.
Over his eight‑year AFL career he compiled 1,693 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns across 86 appearances, while also catching 56 passes for 679 yards and three scores. He added 20 field goals and 75 extra points, showcasing his versatility.
After five seasons in Dallas, the Texans relocated and became the Kansas City Chiefs, but Spikes’ impact endured as he later suited up for the Houston Oilers and the Buffalo Bills before retiring.
His contributions were honored in 1978 when he was inducted into the TCU Athletic Hall of Fame, a testament to a career that spanned college, professional, and historic moments in football history.
The upcoming season opener, scheduled for August 29 in Dublin, Ireland, will see the Horned Frogs face North Carolina, a matchup that promises to echo the legacy of players like Spikes who have shaped the program’s rich tradition.