Creature vs. Creature: TCU Is No Hoax and Will Prove It Against BYU in Provo

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

I have as much love and appreciation for BYU football as I do for TCU football or even USC football.  With personal connections to all three schools, I have followed them in good times and bad, but BYU football really stands out.

This season, I have enjoyed and celebrated the Cougars victory over Oklahoma.  I was saddened by the disaster against Florida State.

I approach this year’s edition of the BYU-TCU rivalry with the same divided loyalties that I have experienced every year. 

For me, this is a no-lose and no-win situation.  One of my teams will lose and one must win, so I just hope that it is good game and that the best team wins.

Unfortunately for BYU, the best team this year is really TCU.  With the help of Mark Welling, b/r Featured Columnist for BYU football, we have entered into a little Creature vs. Creature Point/Counter-Point preview of the upcoming game.  Find his companion article here.

Last Year’s Game Showed That BYU Is Really Over-Matched by TCU

Last year, BYU came to Fort Worth with a Top 10 ranking and looking for its third consecutive win against TCU.

Instead, BYU was completely dominated in a game that was basically over by the end of the first quarter.

BYU QB Max Hall looked frightened and jittery as TCU DE Jerry Hughes sacked him four times and forced two fumbles. 

TCU held BYU’s high-powered offense to under 300 yards in total offense.  TCU forced four turnovers and sacked Hall a total of six times.

On offense, TCU hit close to its season average, reaching over 400 yards in total offense.

While the final score read 32-7, the game was nowhere near that close, as TCU Coach Gary Patterson called off the dogs in the second half.

Some may say “that was last year.”  To them, I respond, the two teams are largely the same, but BYU is without its experienced offensive line or its playmaker Austin Collie, now starring on Sundays with Peyton Manning.

TCU this year is better on offense than last year and the defense, while not as experienced, is more talented and athletic.

Counter-Point

Historically BYU struggles against extremely athletic teams; however, BYU’s struggle last season against TCU was compounded by their overconfidence. 

BYU was untested last season going into the TCU game, and had a false sense of confidence.  As a result the Cougar players admitted they looked past TCU (which still seems like an extremely irrational thing to do). 

This season BYU has already suffered an embarrassing loss at home to Florida State, which served as a wake-up call.  Plus, the memory of last year’s loss to TCU will serve as motivation to help the players prepare for the Horned Frogs. 

In addition to being better prepared, BYU is also a better defensive unit than last year.  There were serious holes in BYU’s defense last season, and Gary Paterson put together a great game plan to exploit those holes.  This year BYU has a more balanced defense which is better able to play against the spread offense of TCU. 

Not having Austin Collie might be the best thing to happen to BYU.  Max Hall forced too many passes last season to Collie, leading to costly turnovers.  Hall has more targets this season in the offense, and more support on the ground from Harvey Unga and Manase Tonga.

As proven in the Oklahoma game BYU has the talent to play with athletic teams and win.

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