Auburn vs. TCU: Who Would Win?
After the No. 1 Auburn Tigers beat No. 2 Oregon Ducks in the 2011 BCS Championship Game, 22-19, we at Bleacher Report couldn't help but think of the No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs, a team that went undefeated this season and beat No. 5 Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.
If given the same schedule as Oregon, could they have made it to the title game to face the Tigers?
Or was their 25-1 record in the last two years just based on a weak schedule?
How would the Horned Frogs match up to the Auburn Tigers?
And, above all, who would win if they faced each other?
In the following slides, I'll compare each team's position players, offense, defense, special teams, intangibles, and coach, and give you my conclusion as to who would win at the end.
Thanks for reading.
Quarterback: TCU Horned Frogs
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Senior Andy Dalton led the No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs to a perfect 13-0 record this season, culminating in the 21-19 win over the No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl.
During the season, Dalton passed for 2,857 yards and 27 touchdowns to six interceptions.
He passed for 219 yards and a touchdown against the Badgers.
Dalton is widely considered a top quarterback in college football, and is virtually a lock to be selected in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Quarterback: Auburn Tigers
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What is there to say about Auburn's Cameron Newton that hasn't already been said this season?
The Heisman winner led the No. 1 Auburn Tigers to a perfect 14-0 record this season, including a 22-19 victory over the No. 2 Oregon Ducks in the BCS Championship Game.
He's what a dual-threat should be, not only a threat with his legs (1,473 yards, 20 touchdowns), but with his arm as well (2,854 yards, 30 touchdowns).
He's projected to a top 3 quarterback in the NFL Draft, and he could even be selected No. 1 by the Carolina Panthers.
Advantage: Auburn
Running Back: TCU Horned Frogs
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The Horned Frogs had two sophomores step up big for them this season, Ed Wesley and Matthew Tucker.
Wesley rushed for over 1,000 yards on 6.5 yards per carry and 11 TDs and Tucker rushed for 709 yards and seven TDs.
Even freshman Waymon James got into the action, rushing for 513 yards.
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Running Back: Auburn Tigers
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Anybody that watched the BCS Championship Game knows the Tigers have a star in the making in Michael Dyer.
The freshman rushed for 143 yards on 22 carries in the title game, including a 37-yard run to set up the game-winning field goal for the Tigers.
Not to mention Onterio McCalebb, who rushed for 810 yards and nine touchdowns.
Based on strength of schedule, I have to give the game ball to the Tigers in this matchup, whose running game was overshadowed by Cam Newton.
Advantage: Auburn
Wide Receiver: TCU Horned Frogs
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Four receivers had over 400 yards receiving for the Horned Frogs this season.
Josh Boyce had 646 yards receiving and six touchdowns.
Jeremy Kerley had 575 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Both were strong weapons for QB Andy Dalton to throw to and helped the Horned Frogs move the chains.
Wide Receiver: Auburn Tigers
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Three receivers had over 500 yards receiving for the Tigers this season.
Darvin Adams was Cam Newton's most trusted target, finishing with 963 yards and seven touchdowns.
He set a SEC title game record with 217 yards receiving against South Carolina, all in the first half.
Terrell Zachery and Emory Blake followed, with 605 and 554 yards respectively.
Blake had a touchdown in the BCS Championship Game.
Adams is the difference-maker here for me. He showed what he could do on a big stage against South Carolina.
Advantage: Auburn
Defense: TCU Horned Frogs
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The Horned Frogs were first first in the nation in points allowed this season, giving up 12 points per game.
Despite a weaker schedule than the Tigers, this can't be ignored.
They gave up 19 points to the No. 5 Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl, the lowest output for the Badgers all season.
Although they didn't have a lot of sacks or interceptions, they did return three interceptions for touchdowns, and it was their ability to keep teams from scoring points that made them a great defense.
Not to mention linebacker Tanner Brock, who led the team with a whopping 106 tackles.
Defense: Auburn Tigers
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The Tigers defense did have one weakness, the secondary.
But its defensive line was absolutely dominant and was a big reason for their dominance at the line of scrimmage.
Defensive tackle Nick Fairley was the star of the line, collecting 11.5 sacks during the season.
Not only that he played even better against tough competition, with seven sacks in four games against LSU, Alabama, South Carolina, and Oregon.
I'm going to give this one to TCU, based on a better secondary and their stifling of Wisconsin, which I thought was more impressive than Auburn stifling Oregon.
Advantage: TCU
Special Teams: TCU Horned Frogs
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The Horned Frogs were in the top 10 in the nation this year in yards per kickoff return (25.9) and yards per punt return (14.8).
They also made 11 of their 13 field goals.
Special teams was a big part of a very balanced team.
Special Teams: Auburn Tigers
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There really isn't a contest here.
The Tigers didn't rate very highly on average per kickoff return (23.5) or average per punt return (6.2).
They also had a worse percentage kicking field goals (77 percent).
They did have a kickoff return for a touchdown though, by Demond Washington.
Advantage: TCU
Intangibles: TCU Horned Frogs
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You don't go 13-0 without having some intangibles working for you.
Collectively, this team was strong across the board.
They didn't have many star players, but as a unit they may have been second to none.
Offense, defense, special teams, everything was at work for this team.
They were very much like Boise State, but proved to be better.
Everyone was on the same page, and they did what they had to do to win.
In their biggest test against the Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl, they passed with flying colors.
They had undeniable team chemistry.
Intangibles: Auburn Tigers
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This team's intangibles start with Cameron Newton and Nick Fairley.
Both players were unbelievable during the season, consistently playing at an elite level and stepping up against tough competition.
The Tigers beat South Carolina twice, Arkansas, LSU, Alabama, and Oregon.
How's that for tough competition?
Not only did this team bring it, they brought in a loaded SEC conference.
Can't take "intangibles" away from the college football champions.
Advantage: Auburn
Coach: TCU Horned Frogs
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Gary Patterson has done a masterful job with the Horned Frogs as coach, going 98-27 in his 10 full season with the team.
He's led the Horned Frogs to 11 wins or more in five of the last six seasons.
His last two seasons he's led a team with little star talent to a 25-1 record.
He doesn't get enough credit for what he's done, despite being in a weaker conference.
Coach: Auburn Tigers
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Gene Chizik has done everything that's been expected of him since taking over two years ago.
After leading the Tigers to the Outback Bowl last year, he led them to a 14-0 record and a national championship this year.
He's been just what the doctor ordered for the Tigers, after controversy surrounded his hiring two years ago.
But...I know this is going to be an unpopular pick, I'm going to go with Gary Patterson here.
He's had way less talent than Chizik, and he didn't have anyone in the Heisman discussion, while Chizik had a Heisman winner in Cam Newton and one of the top defensive lineman in the country in Nick Fairley.
I'm not taking anything away from Chizik, he had a great season obviously, but I think it's time we gave Patterson his due.
Advantage: TCU
Conclusion
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All told, I would still give the Auburn Tigers the win over the TCU Horned Frogs, although I believe TCU deserved a chance to play for the BCS Championship Game.
Cameron Newton and Nick Fairley were two of the biggest game-changers at their respective positions in college football this year.
After 14 games, no one ever found out how to stop Newton.
Although I think TCU possibly could have been a better match for Auburn, I can't see anybody beating them this year.
They rolled over everyone.
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