September 8, 2007
TCU: Once more unto the breach
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
-- Henry V, William Shakespeare
The TCU Horned Frogs find themselves on the road in yet another Big XII stadium, a sight that has become familiar to the consensus Mountain West favorites. But the Big XII no longer strikes fear over the Frogs, who hold recent wins over Oklahoma, Baylor, and Texas Tech.
But this isn't Oklahoma... or Texas Tech... or Baylor. This is Texas.
Texas and TCU first played in 1897 - the year Bayer aspirin was invented. And 80 times since that game, the Frogs and Horns have gone at it.
You have to go back to 1984 to find a TCU-Texas game where both teams are ranked, as they are tonight. It has been 12 years since the two teams last played, and 25 years since TCU last beat Texas.
But tonight's game is not just about the past, it is about the future - for both teams.
A win for TCU means a stamped ticket to the BCS, provided they don't have an epic crash a la last years SMU game and can finish off the MWC undefeated. A loss for TCU means... well, most people expect TCU to lose, so it likely only ends the Frogs BCS bowl hopes.
A win for Texas adds validation to their season - with TCU ranked in the top 20 - and makes last week's awful performance disappear. A loss for Texas (and it is completely within reason, mind you) means that UT is likely to fall to the bottom of the Top 20 and faces the task of winning the Big XII outright to see a BCS game.
While this game may receive little national attention, it is one of the most anticipated games of this season in the Lone Star State.
TCU... Texas... without question or hesitation, the eyes of Texas are upon you.
Comments:
Bobby said:
posted on September 8, 2007 10:24 AM — 198.147.139.184 — link — abuse?
No doubt, this game will speak volumes on were these teams are at. I give the edge to Texas because the TCU offense is so weak. Not to mention they are without Brown this weekend. It's a shame TCU doesn't have the offense to go with the defense otherwise they would be a very serious contender. Tony Hills better buckle his chin strap extra tight because Blake is gonna bring it all day.
Bobby said:
posted on September 8, 2007 10:35 AM — 198.147.139.184 — link — abuse?
Zac, I think if TCU runs the table they might have a better chance than Boise St. My reasoning is because TCU has more consistently or recenly strung together winning seasons. Before the '05 and '06 seasons Boise St. was little known. TCU has been making noise for 5 years now, climbing in the polls then falling out. If it came down to USC,LSU,TCU being undefeated, no doubt TCU would be the next Auburn. I just don't think TCU can go undefeated with their offense. IMO they will lose 2 games. Patterson is a good coach and those boys bring it regardless of how good they themselves or others think they are. I think Franchione can attest to how good Patterson is.
Tomcat said:
posted on September 8, 2007 11:16 AM — 70.245.207.167 — link — abuse?
Kevin I beleive it was in 05 that SMU beat TCU, the same year that Baylor beat SMU. Last year TCU lost to BYU and Utah.
Zac good post. I honsestly dont beleive that either of these teams goes undefeated.
This is a huge game for both programs.I havent seen the tape of the UT vs Ark St game. I watched the TCU vs BU game, and both teams looked slopy.The BU offense without Bell kinda reminded me of the Miss st offense.Seemed like they were overthrowing the receivers all the time and when the QB threw one a little lower it was a INT. The BU defense had a lot of trouble with tackeling as well. TCU won 27-0 after BU threw 3 INT's they got the win over BU.
This week they come into Austin. This aint BU this is UT.They should improve after last weeks game against Ark St. That game was a wake up call for a team, that needs to make a statement this week against a top 25 opponent.
This looks like a great matchup and The Horns will need to step it up a knotch. I hope that Coach Davis will get crazy and throw some wild stuff at the Frogs. If they try to be too conservitive and predictable then the Frogs defense will give them a hard time.
I'll give the Horns the edge in this great game.
Hookem-HornsJT said:
posted on September 8, 2007 1:55 PM — 71.213.229.218 — link — abuse?
As I posted in another thread, "The fact of the matter is that if TCU is 12-0 in December, and there is only 1 (or no) other unbeaten team, they better get the National Title game they deserve. The crap that happened to Boise State last year is for the birds. Congratulations to the Broncos, the real, undefeated 2006-07 national champions. Florida deserved a shot at Ohio State like Nebraska deserved to play Miami in 2001-02."
While I don't know if this Frog team has it in them to run the table, remember the Florida State football of 1998-99. There were at least 4 FSU teams with arguably better talent than the '98-'99 team ('87-'88, '92-'93, '93-'94, '96-'97, '97-'98), and only one of those teams won a title...which Auburn deserved. The '98-'99 FSU team just didn't lose.
Zac said:
posted on September 8, 2007 4:20 PM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?
Friends, Romans, Countryman lend me your ears!!! (Hmm, lets see. No friends, we're not in Italy. Countryman? Well, 1 out of 3 ain't bad.)
I come to bury Caesar, not praise him. (OK, why are we taling about salad? I thought this was a CF blog, not the Galloping Gourmet.)
The evil men do lives after them. (Oh, I get it, somebody got a penalty. Now we're talking.)
The good is oft intered in their bones. (Burying them, eh? Good blocks, good tackles, I like it.)
So, let it be with Caesar. (There's that salad man again. Maybe he's special teams.)
I don't know. I think Shakespeare works. He's probably a CUSA type guy. That...or maybe he went to Duke.
Bobby said:
posted on September 9, 2007 11:14 AM — 198.147.139.184 — link — abuse?
Lennie, UT will run the table, a whip ou in the NC! I'm messin' with you. I bet you thought you'd bait a UT fan into that one huh? Hey..c'mon UT looked alot better all the way around, we also lost two key players CRAP!!!! I think the Horns should stay in the top 10. Alot of top teams have played some flat games against poor opponents, so why should they get any less love than any others? They dominated a top flight defense in the second half. Spurrier has publicly said he'd like to play TCU because of their D. Like I said earlier, UT is still not a real contender IMO, they need to string along some good wins and show they've finally gotten over the K-State loss.
Bobby said:
posted on September 9, 2007 11:22 AM — 198.147.139.184 — link — abuse?
No Justice, so are you saying that if TCU would have had Brown you would have beat UT? Then I say had UT had Orakpo, UT's defense would have dominated TCU even more. C'mon man injuries are apart of the game, leave the excuses at the door.
Bobby said:
posted on September 9, 2007 12:40 PM — 198.147.139.184 — link — abuse?
David man I wish I could share the same sentiments as you. They have just been so up and down sense
K-State. I hope this game keeps the fire lit, because each game they will be better and better. I will keep my enthusiasm until after K-State, but last nights game made me feel alot better.Lennie Collins said:
posted on September 9, 2007 3:37 PM — 68.93.134.47 — link — abuse?
Did I call it or did I call IT. I knew ut fans where going to come out the closet and start acting arrogant! Who is this David? ut played 2 good (You fill in the blank) quarters and ut fans think ut should be ranked #1. OU will win by 28 points!
Bobby said:
posted on September 9, 2007 6:36 PM — 70.112.114.73 — link — abuse?
Lennie, UT top ten yes...#1...not so fast boys. Earlier posts..no insult intended. Lennie 28 points? Two touchdowns I can agree on...4 I can't agree with that. We will have Orakpo back by then along with Kindle as well. Now if we play like we did Arkansas St. yeah 28 is about right. But I'm going by how they look now.
Lennie Collins said:
posted on September 9, 2007 7:27 PM — 68.93.134.47 — link — abuse?
Hey Bobby, I cannot speak for all OU fans but I am gone take a break. OU does not have another decent game until they play the Bisons. I know they are called the Colorado Buffaloes but their logo is a bison. Ralphie is actually a cow. Yeah...female bisons are a lot smaller and calmer than the males. Because of PETA they cannot...well you know to da bulls! The insurance company won't cover CU university bison handlers if they use a male. But anyways OU plays Utah State which they should win by 50+ points then they play Tulsa which they should win by 30+ points. ut plays Central Florida which they should win by 30+ points followed by Rice a 50+ point win! So I am only gone respond to da intelligent ones! USC at Nebraska is the game that is the biggest of the BIG 12 non-conference games. It will give love for sure to the Big 12 if not let all fans who got BIG 12 teams go out and get some jock straps and ....Take care.
Lennie Collins said:
posted on September 9, 2007 7:39 PM — 68.93.134.47 — link — abuse?
I thought you were trying to sneak some insults in but after I went back and reread all the threads it was not so. So I was wrong and I apologize to you. So if you try to send me some burnt orange jock straps? Take care!
David said:
posted on September 9, 2007 8:02 PM — 66.69.219.144 — link — abuse?
I don't think Texas should be ranked #1. I would put us equal to OU though... Right around 4-5. Texas has beat a top 20 team with a top 5 defense... OU has yet to play a ranked team and won't play a ranked team until they play Texas in October. We will find out who's the better team that day, but I think that Texas playing real opponents before that game will give us the advantage.
I, unlike many of my Longhorn brethren wasn't jumping off the wagon after last week. We played a bad game and I knew it. I also knew we would rebound and beat TCU.
Some food for thought:
TCU hasn't allowed a 100 yard rusher in 21 games... Jamaal Charles rushed for ~134 yards for 6.1 ypc
Texas held TCU to 43 yards rushing for 1.3 ypc
JT said:
posted on September 9, 2007 9:20 PM — 71.213.229.218 — link — abuse?
Help me understand the AP, please. Boise State, who was ranked lower than TCU, loses at unranked Washington. TCU was running one quick play (after the eventually overturned McCoy "fumble" when the score was 10-7) from possibly leaving with a win at #7 Texas. Given the disparity in quality of opponents, and the fact that TCU had been ranked higher, how the hell can you explain the votes below??
From the AP Top 25: "OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Auburn 131, South Florida 115, Missouri 65, Washington 60, Texas Tech 53, BOISE STATE 47, TCU 41, Alabama 34, Iowa 19, Arizona State 18, Brigham Young 10, Kentucky 9, Miami (FL) 3, Wyoming 3, Maryland 2, Cincinnati 2, Purdue 1."
Lennie Collins said:
posted on September 9, 2007 9:33 PM — 68.93.134.47 — link — abuse?
Hey JT are you just now figuring out the AP & BCS polls are foolish? USC did not look GREAT in their win against Idaho yet LSU play SUPER in their win against then #9 Virgina Tech but still ranked behind USC! I can't stand texas but they did beat a 19 ranked TCU at the time yet still ranked behind Florida who has beaten Western Kentucky and Troy? To be honest with you I am suprise the USC fans haven't attacked with insults yet! I agree that if you win the national title in any college sport you should be ranked #1 in the preseason poll but after week 1 forget it if the team does not play well.
Bobby said:
posted on September 11, 2007 9:40 PM — 70.112.114.73 — link — abuse?
David #21 I am a Longhorn fan to the bone, but since last years loss to K-State even when Colt came back UT did not look like themselves. You can't deny that. So I didn't jump ship,I'll be behind them no matter what but I have to be real. UT has struggled finding an identity on offense but I think it's coming together. I hope this slump makes UT better and I believe they are gonna give ou a fight for big 12 champs.
You play in mountain west for a reason said:
posted on September 14, 2007 7:38 PM — 69.6.175.213 — link — abuse?
HAHAHAHAHAH TCUs great football team can't even beat a crappy texas team, then turn around and get beat by Air Force!? This is too much. Crawl back into your 1 acre campus den and don't ever gripe about not getting media attention for your football team. The spotlight was on you and you choked, leave the football to the rest of the country.
Lennie Collins said:
posted on September 14, 2007 7:49 PM — 68.93.134.47 — link — abuse?
Hey ut fans...TCU gave up 138+ years to Air Force rushing. That streak that ut ended last week does not look that impressive any longer. I still pick TCU to win the Mountain West! I ain't go change my pick cause they lost!
Lennie Collins said:
posted on September 16, 2007 9:00 PM — 68.93.134.47 — link — abuse?
Bevo Boy TCU joining the Big 12? It seems like conferences' expansion are waiting to see what Notre Dame is going to do. Why the Big East, Big 11, and ACC want Notre Dame...Only they know. TCU right now does not look like a good team. It is PLENTY, PLENTY of football left. I am not going to put any team and that includes Oklahoma has the clear cut favorite to win it all. I will say it again YES I PICK NEBRASKA TO BEAT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I was wrong but I am not going to crown USC the champions like some on the webpage is doing. Iowa State joining the Big 11? Hey anything is possible.
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Zac said:
posted on September 8, 2007 10:17 AM — 64.12.116.136 — link — abuse?Pure & simple: The game's in Austin; that favors the Long Horns. If they play to their potential, TX wins. Now, TCU didn't exactly own Baylor. But, if TX plays TCU like they played AR St, TCU romps. Make no mistake. TCU is coming to play.
What interests me is the idea of TCU getting a BCS bid if they can go undefeated the rest of the way.
TCU plays at Air Force & San Diego St. They also include BYU, CO St, Utah, and Wyoming (destroyed VA) on their schedule. Even NM & UNLV can be tough.
Here's my issue. If TCU goes undefeated, would they, or should they, be considered for the NC? If so, they will have accomplished no more this year than Boise St did last year. So, how could that be? Just a thought.