FORT WORTH, Texas — Coach Gary Patterson and third-ranked TCU find themselves in an uneasy situation now, even after one last victory at home to remain undefeated.
After rallying from an unusual two-touchdown deficit early and then holding off a late comeback attempt by San Diego State for a 40-35 victory, the Horned Frogs have to wonder how an odd Saturday will affect their national title hopes.
Or at least being able to stay ahead of Boise State in the BCS standings for a shot at going to the Rose Bowl.
TCU (11-0, 7-0 Mountain West) had its closest game of the season a week after a 40-point win at then-undefeated Utah, a victory that strengthened the Frogs’ hold on third place in the BCS standings.
“I can’t do anything about the polls. I would say we found a way to win in a conference game. We played a big game and we didn’t play as well as we needed to the next week,” Patterson said. “It’s not the final score we would have liked to have had, but the bottom line, it falls under my category of (to win) by one point.”
There will be plenty of uncertainty for the Frogs, who are off next week before closing the regular season Nov. 27 at New Mexico. Utah lost again Saturday — 28-3 at Notre Dame. And Boise State had already posted another lopsided victory.
Andy Dalton threw for 240 yards and four touchdowns, three to fellow senior Jeremy Kerley in their last home game, as the Frogs rallied for their 20th consecutive home win to clinch at least a share of the Mountain West title. The Frogs, behind Oregon and Auburn in the BCS standings but ahead of Boise State, won their 24th consecutive regular-season game.
San Diego State (7-3, 4-2), riding its first four-game winning streak in 12 years, led 14-0 less than 6 minutes into the game. A 49-yard flea-flicker set up Brandon Sullivan’s leaping 1-yard run and Jerome Long recovered a fumble in the end zone after Dalton was sacked.
It was the Frogs’ first two-touchdown deficit in more than two years. They had trailed for only nine minutes, 19 seconds combined their first 10 games.
Though it took the Frogs nearly 21 minutes to erase their deficit against San Diego State, a missed extra point after the second touchdown extended their time behind, before finally going ahead to stay.
The Aztecs scored three touchdowns in the final 16 minutes of the game, getting within 40-35 when Ryan Lindley threw two TD passes to Vincent Brown (33 and 35 yards) in less than two minutes. But after the final score with 4:50 left, Dalton and the Frogs ran out the clock.
