TCU Football: Do They Have a Shot at the BCS Championship Game?
The TCU Horned Frogs are ranked third in the Week 13 BCS rankings. They are 12-0 and have demolished their Mountain West competition.
If Oregon or Auburn, the two teams ranked higher than TCU, slip up this weekend people will call for TCU to get into the BCS title game.
So, do they deserve a shot to play for the title?
It's hard to argue with Oregon and Auburn as the top two teams, but if one of them lose, it would definitely be smart for the BCS to invite TCU to its title game.
Here are five reasons the Horned Frogs deserve a shot at the national title game.
5. Schedule
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No, their schedule does not come close to Auburn's or Oregon's, but it is not as weak as many people think.
TCU has beaten Oregon State, Utah, San Diego State, Baylor and Air Force this year. Those are quality wins.
I'd rather have any Big East team's schedule than TCU's schedule, yet the Big East is guaranteed a BCS berth. But that will change starting in 2012 when TCU joins the Big East.
Then a 12-0 season will definitely warrant a national championship berth, no matter how weak their opponents would be.
4. Leadership
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The Horned Frogs are led by Andy Dalton, their senior quarterback who has improved every year he's been at TCU.
Plus, Dalton has experience in big bowl games. They played Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl last year.
Though TCU lost, the experience they gained will play a big part in making them a better bowl team this year.
3. Rushing Attack
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Ed Wesley has led the TCU offense to the ninth best rushing attack in the country this year.
While Andy Dalton and the passing game get most of the attention, the running game averages 261.2 yards per game.
Wesley has been a big part of that with 1,065 yards and 11 touchdowns on the year.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
2. Offense
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Jeremy Kerley has 50 catches for 517 yards. Not too impressive, but one out of every five catches he has goes for a touchdown.
Andy Dalton has been very effective this year, despite only having the 54th best passing attack yardage-wise.
The Horned Frogs have been scoring very efficiently though, as they own the fourth best scoring offense in the country at over 43 points per game.
1. Defense
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As good as the TCU offense has been, the defense has been better.
In fact, it has been the best in the country this year.
TCU is allowing only 11.4 points to their opponents on average. They had two shutouts on the year and seven times held their opponents to under 10 points.
Defense wins championships, so the question becomes whether or not the TCU defense should get a shot to prove themselves in a championship game.
Will They Get There?
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LaMichael James and Oregon will probably win this weekend against Oregon State.
Cam Newton and Auburn will probably win the SEC Championship game against South Carolina this weekend.
If those things happen, there's no way TCU makes it to the BCS Title Game.
But, if Oregon loses, the Ducks will likely fall out of the championship chase, opening the door for the Horned Frogs.
If Auburn loses though, they still have a shot at being the best one loss team and making the title game.
If that happens, I'd put TCU in the championship game, but the BCS has shown they don't like the non-BCS conference schools.
This is probably all a moot point though, as I don't see Auburn or Oregon losing this weekend. TCU will make a BCS bowl game, but it won't be the championship.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
