LARAMIE — Right outside Gary Patterson’s office hangs a picture of Texas Christian’s last national championship football team. It’s from 1938, back when TCU wasn’t just the scourge of the Southwest but the most powerful program in the country.
Heisman winner Davey O’Brien swept the Horned Frogs to an 11-0 record — two years after TCU’s Slingin’ Sammy Baugh turned the forward pass into a deadly weapon.
It’s 71 years later and modern observers swear this year’s 11-0 Horned Frogs could have their picture next to O’Brien’s. They’re that good.
“I told everyone if we could win out and go undefeated, there would be 136 guys in 71 years who could say they were undefeated at TCU and had a chance to win a championship,” Patterson said after his Horned Frogs’ methodical 45-10 win here over Wyoming on Saturday.
Unfortunately for Horned Frog faithful and anyone who believes David’s slingshot can truly conquer all, TCU likely won’t get a chance to win a championship.
With two weeks left in the regular season, the Bowl Championship Series is taking shape. Six teams remain undefeated with two, top-ranked Florida and No. 2 Alabama, meeting for the Southeastern Conference title Dec. 5. Unless No. 3 Texas loses to either Texas A&M this week or unranked Nebraska in the Big 12 championship game on Dec. 5, fourth-ranked TCU will settle for its first BCS bowl, likely the Fiesta. It’s a lucrative spot, with the Fiesta’s $17 million payout.
Yet, what will TCU do with more money? Last year the school added the $13 million Dutch Meyer Athletic Complex, named for O’Brien’s and Baugh’s coach. In 2007, it opened the Sam Baugh Indoor Practice Facility. A renovation of 79-year-old Amon G. Carter Stadium is in the works.
Maybe the Frogs can buy more picture frames. They may put up a picture but not a national championship trophy, barring a Texas loss.
“At this point in time, if we get a chance to play in a BCS game, if they would just be mentioning TCU (in terms of) a national championship, that’s already a victory,” Patterson said.
Patterson’s humility is commendable but unfortunate. If last season’s Utah team can mop up the Sugar Bowl with Alabama, this season’s TCU team could win a national title.
“In my five years as a head coach,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said after TCU’s 55-28 rout earlier this month, “that’s the best team I’ve faced.”
Strong statistics
These Horned Frogs can do it all. And they do it well. Ranked fourth in total defense (238.82) and fifth in total offense (472.64), the only team in the top 14 in both. They’re fifth in rushing (261.45), scoring (39.73) and pass-efficiency defense (95.04), and sixth in rushing defense (86.91) and scoring defense (12.64).
Tainted numbers from the non-BCS Mountain West? Wrong, Longhorn Breath. TCU has defeated three teams — BYU, Utah and Clemson — in the Top 25. Texas has defeated one: Oklahoma State.
“They’re as good as anybody. I really believe that,” said former Colorado State coach Sonny Lubick, who voted TCU fourth in the Harris Poll, one of three elements in the BCS rankings. “I’m tempted to put them two, but how can I do that? It’s hard to push them ahead without justification, but if you watch them play, I wouldn’t feel guilty doing that.
“I didn’t have the courage.”
Saturday’s win wasn’t a prime-time showing. TCU had four turnovers. However, the Horned Frogs’ foundation was as clear as Wyoming’s surrounding mountains. The big, fast, hard-hitting defense held Wyoming to five first downs and without an offensive touchdown, the sixth time it has held an opponent to one or fewer.
“The whole defense is athletic,” said senior linebacker Daryl Washington, a Butkus semifinalist. “We have so much speed and so many weapons at every position, there’s no weakness.”
Offensively, third-year starter Andy Dalton, the eighth- ranked passer in the nation, ran for 88 yards and threw for 168, backing Matthew Tucker’s game-high 134 yards. Three different running backs have rushed for at least 600.
“They are a great football team,” said Wyoming coach Dave Christensen, whose Cowboys lost to Texas 41-10 on Sept. 12. “I would like to see them play Texas. It would go down to the wire.”
Texas-sized talent
Added Wyoming quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels: “My childish opinion is that their defense is a lot stronger than Texas’. They weren’t as successful against our defense in the first half, but our defense is strong. What they were able to do defensively was a lot more than Texas.
“They are the fastest team we have played all season.”
A Texas-Texas Christian national championship? Dream on. It won’t happen, but can you imagine? Patterson doesn’t. He’s a fan of the bowls. He does not want a playoff.
“I’ve never seen it work,” said Patterson, whose Frogs must still beat 1-10 New Mexico at home Saturday to stay on track. “Half the people were disappointed in their actions when they went out and started honking their own horn. I’ve still got to be able to sleep at night.”
Somewhere, Davey O’Brien and Sammy Baugh are sleeping well. Their Horned Frogs are back on top. Almost.
Wyoming correspondent Lindsay Korsick-McKissick contributed to this report.
Big-bowl predictions
Denver Post college football writer John Henderson gives his Bowl Championship Series projections with two weeks left in the season.
BCS CHAMPIONSHIP Nos. 1 vs. 2
Projection: Texas vs. Florida
Comment: Texas needs to get past rival A&M, then Nebraska. Florida faces FSU and Alabama.
SUGAR
SEC title game loser vs. Big East
Projection: Alabama vs. Pittsburgh
Comment: Cincinnati plays at Pittsburgh on Dec. 5 for conference title.
FIESTA
At-large vs. at-large
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Texas Christian
Comment: Two-loss OSU likely gets in if it beats Oklahoma, even over undefeated Boise State.
ORANGE
ACC winner vs. at-large
Projection: Georgia Tech vs. Iowa
Comment: Iowa a strong candidate for Fiesta if Oklahoma State loses to Oklahoma.
ROSE
Pac-10 vs. Big Ten
Projection: Oregon vs. Ohio State
Comment: Oregon State vs. Oregon Civil War in Eugene on Saturday determines the Pac-10 representative.
