BCS Rankings Week 3: Why TCU Is Better Than Boise State
BCS Rankings Week 3 is upon us, and I am here to break down the three and four spots.
The latest iteration of the BCS rankings flipped the third and fourth place teams. But why? Here I will delve into the reasons that TCU is better than Boise State, at least for now.
Not much has ever separated these two programs. They have a lot in common. Both are offensive juggernauts from smaller conferences.
In order to dissect their differences we must delve deeper. Here we will do just that.
10: Penalties
1 of 10
While both teams are known to beat up their lesser opponents quite handily, more difficult games like those of the BCS ilk, or the kind TCU is about to play against the Utes, come down to a matter of inches.
A great team becomes so a yard at a time. Many times a team can hurt themselves with a lack of discipline or patience. This is where penalties come into play.
The fact is, TCU simply gets flagged less than Boise State. They are only called for a penalty five times a game for an average of 40 yards. Boise State on the other hand is flagged close to seven times for an average of over 60 yards a game.
When the time comes for these two teams to play meaningful games, they are going to want those 20 yards.
9: Special Teams
2 of 10
Punt Returns
While Boise State likes to share the love, TCU has given the punt returns job to one lone senior. Jeremy Kerley has not only carried the load, but he has surpassed anything that Boise State has done. He gains two more yards per return than the entire Broncos average.
Kickoffs
It helps to have some consistency on kickoffs and punts. TCU has had a consistent kicker in each of these situations, whereas Boise State has chosen from five players to take on these jobs.
Field Goals
This is where TCU surpasses the Broncos. Ross Evans has yet to miss a field goal this season. Boise State has missed two.
8: Red Zone Offense
3 of 10
A good indicator of a great team is their ability to punch the ball in when they have to. When you are deep into enemy territory, you need to take advantage. Too many teams allow a good thing to pass them by. Whether it is getting stopped inside the 20 or settling for a field goal, TCU is simply better in the red zone.
TCU has only been stopped five times in the red zone this season. They have punched it in for 37 touchdowns in total. But what really has me siding with TCU is they have more attempts. This is great for a team that is set to play Utah and more than likely a similarly tough opponent in a bowl game later this year.
Touchdowns will not always come easily. It is nice to have a bit more practice from 20 yards on in.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7: Wide Receivers
4 of 10
Both teams tout highly efficient wide receivers. TCU, however, relies heavily on their receiver corps for their production. While Boise State has spread the ball in the air to tight ends and running backs, TCU has had to rely heavily on their wide outs with star tight end Logan Brock out for most of the season.
They have answered the call and then some. Led by a promising freshman in Josh Boyce, the Horned Frogs have destroyed their opponents through the air. In just his first year, Boyce has lit up the stat line with 25 receptions for 395 yards and four touchdowns.
6: Pass Defense
5 of 10
Defense is what TCU has been lacking for the past couple of years. They have shored that up and have bypassed Boise State in the department.
TCU has one more interception on the year and one more defensive touchdown at three. But where I really gave the edge to TCU was in tipped balls and broken-up plays. The Horned Frogs edge out the Broncos in two valuable categories: passes broken up and fumbles forced. It is these types of hustle plays that can be the difference in a big game.
5: Offensive Line
6 of 10
On the surface this looks like a wash, as most of their key areas do. While TCU has allowed a couple more sacks, they rarely have their quarterback hurrying to release the ball. But for this winner, I looked to the production of the run game.
TCU has had enormous success at running the ball. The Horned Frogs have some of the quicker linemen in the conference to aid that part of their game. They are led by Marcus Cannon, a right tackle for TCU that is bound to make a name for himself in the NFL.
4: Running Game
7 of 10
While both teams can air it out with the best of them, it is TCU that can kill you on the ground. The team averages over 270 rushing yards a game, and sophomore Ed Wesley is a big reason for that success.
Wesley is the kind of weapon teams dream of having in their backfield. He is explosive and hard to find. He slips around the offensive line, and just when you think you have spotted him, he has picked up the first down—or a touchdown. Wesley has ten of those so far on the year.
3: Quarterback
8 of 10
Both Andy Dalton and Kellen Moore are great quarterbacks. There is no denying that. Both are top ten in the nation, and they help their teams stay afloat in the National Title hunt weekly.
But there is an edge for one QB here, an edge that every program is now clamoring for: It is a QB that can run. Kellen Moore is a prolific gunslinger, but a runner he is not. He has nine attempts for negative yardage.
Dalton wins this one with his versatility. Besides throwing for close to 2000 yards, he has also run for over 400. He has also broken away from the line for five rushing touchdowns.
2: Coach
9 of 10
Chris Petersen and Gary Patterson are both fine coaches. They have the one thing that you need from a head coach: trust from their players. Both teams buy into their coach's plans because they believe in him. There is no denying that fact for either program.
Gary Patterson edges out the Boise State head coach in two ways. One is tenure. Patterson has not only been sculpting his craft much longer than Petersen, he has been at the same spot for over 10 years. He started with TCU in 1998 as a defensive coordinator.
This brings me to my second argument which is completely subjective. I feel that defensive-minded coaches fair better in the long run. Defensive coaches are able to better pace the game the way they would like to. When a team is working the game on that side of the ball, they are very tough to beat.
1: Tougher Schedule
10 of 10
Until this week Boise State has had the tougher road. But that all changes this weekend as TCU takes on No. 5 Utah.
While Boise State has had their fair share of Top 25 games, they boast nothing like the test TCU is about to encounter. While I have been hard on TCU and their lack of strong opponents, this Saturday goes a long way to answer that argument.
If they happen to leave from that game unscathed, they will no doubt have been taken to the limit more than their Bronco counterparts.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
