FORT WORTH, Texas—TCU probably has to do more than just win if it wants to finally become a BCS buster.
With the first Bowl Championship Series standings of the season coming out at the end of this weekend, and a trip to BYU coming up next, the 12th-ranked Horned Frogs could use a momentum-boosting lopsided victory Saturday against Colorado State.
At a quick glance, it doesn’t seem like that should be too difficult a task.
The Frogs (5-0, 1-0 Mountain West), one of only eight unbeaten teams remaining, are a three-touchdown favorite at home, where they have won 11 in a row and 17 of 18. The only loss in that span was by a touchdown two years ago against Utah, the original BCS buster.
Colorado State (3-3, 0-3) has a three-game losing streak after giving up 21 unanswered points over the final 19 1/2 minutes at home last week against No. 24 Utah.
But listen to TCU coach Gary Patterson, and realize he is indeed talking about Colorado State, not looking ahead to next week’s trip to No. 18 BYU.
“This is really a tough, tough matchup. We’ve got a lot of work to do to win this game,” Patterson said. “Putting everything together, this is probably the most formidable opponent that we’ve had.”
Plus, Patterson remembers what happened last season, when the Frogs gave up an early touchdown and scraped their way to a 13-7 victory over Colorado State, their only win in the regular season by less than 17 points. That was a week before beating BYU 32-7 to end the Cougars’ 16-game winning streak.
“Last year was a hard-fought game until the end. We were lucky to pull that win out,” linebacker Daryl Washington said. “We’re ready to stay focused and try to get a more effective win than we did last year.”
There are two significant differences this time. Third-year starting quarterback Andy Dalton will play—Colorado State was one of two games he missed last season with injury—and this will be at Amon Carter Stadium instead of chilly Colorado.
TCU is halfway through its regular season schedule after this game. They were one of only two FBS teams that waited until Sept. 12 to play its opener, before games on 12 consecutive Saturdays.
Colorado State’s losing streak has come against a trio with a combined 14-3 record—BYU, non-conference Idaho and Utah. The Rams led Utah 17-3 late in the third quarter.
“We are at a stage now in our program where it’s on us to win a game like that,” coach Steve Fairchild said.
While disappointed by their recent stretch, the Rams aren’t intimidated by TCU.
“They have played some pretty darn good football and certainly were a darn good team when we played them last year,” Fairchild said. “We know we can play in this game. Just knowing we can win it is a different story. And until we do it, the burden of proof is on us.”
TCU is coming off a 20-17 victory over Air Force, winning on the road in an icy mist and bitter wind last Saturday night.
When the latest Associated Press poll came out the next day, though, the Frogs had dropped two spots after having made it into the Top 10 during the season for only the second time in 50 years.
Since the AP poll doesn’t factor into the BCS standings, that won’t affect the Frogs. In the human polls that do, TCU is eighth in the USA Today coaches poll and 10th in the Harris Interactive poll. TCU trails Boise State (6-0), coming off an close 28-21 victory Wednesday night at Tulsa, in all the polls.
“People ask me about the BCS. Our kids, really, we haven’t had much time to think about it,” Patterson said. “When you practice as hard as we do, you don’t have time to think about it. When you go to school and do all the things you’re supposed to, you don’t have time to think about it.”
