TCU's Schedule Strength

[Pony in SA]

Good discussion on ESPNU last night about Boise vs. TCU and both schools playing in weaker conferences where really only challenged in 1 or 2 games in conference. For Boise they said Fresno State or Nevada on road, for TCU they said Utah or BYU. Analysts said this year both playing Oregon State but Boise went across country to play Virginia Tech and TCU played Tenn. Tech and botton Big 12 team (Baylor) at home so they all 3 gave edge to Boise.

Reality is TCU is still seen as behind Boise at this point. TCU is a very, very good football team but when you look at their schedule if you are objective there are only a handful of teams that they should not beat easily in conference (UNLV, New Mexico, and others aren't that good at all). TCU needs wins over other more competitive teams and needs SMU to be more competitive to help them. Patterson has a great record and is a good coach, but he racks up 6 or 7 wins per year automatically being in an easy conference just like Boise's coach.

TCU is probably 3 TDs better than us at this point, but they should be. We have sophmore QB and only 3 seniors on our top 22 and JJ's kids have only really been here little over a year. However, TCU beating us 100 to nothing like some of their fans claim will not help them or us -- it will only hurt them. They need a more competitive game which I think will actually help their perception across the country, especially if SMU plays well rest of the year.

A well played game by both with TCU winning by couple of TDs would be best for both of us. That and no major injuries to either team's key players. Like it or not we need each other since neither one of us is in a power conference.

[RE Tycoon]

Even if we win out and are ranked, it behooves them to beat us by as much as possible. A blowout win against a ranked opponent helps them more than a close win against a ranked opponent.

[Undercover Frog]

I'm not too worried about our strength of schedule this year. Oregon St. and Utah will be ranked by season's end, as well as possibly Air Force or SMU. I think attrition will take its toll on the other teams at the top, especially Ohio State and maybe even Boise. Fresno and Nevada are a lot better than most people give them credit for. I think this is one year where if we just focus on winning our own games, we'll be fine.

Which is why we need SMU to do well, this year and for the future. We're all hoping that y'all can win C-USA and bring some national meaning to this rivalry.

[NickSMU17]

Nevada is great!

[SmooPower]

Nevada is great!

I love me some Nevada.

[Dutch]

was thinking along the same lines when seeing this...

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?page=bottom10100922

two of their conference games are against teams in the bottom 10. Colorado st (0-3) and New Mexico (0-3) & UNLV (0-3).

and yes, i'm aware we play a few folks either on the list or in-waiting, but at this point in rebuilding our program, we're shooting for wins, not worrying about strength of schedule.

[Pony Soup]

TCU is a good football team. However, I am tired of the ongoing rant about how unfair college football is to them (see school paper, our fan board, FWST, etc).

And you should be worried about your SOS. Your schedule is among the easiest in the country TCU should not get a chance to play for the title this year in the current system, even if undefeated.

I know, I know. You frogs want a playoff system to take it out of the hands of the biased voters. Let's see who would take the title on the field. Right? Even without a playoff system, we do settle it on the field in the regular season. Voters notice who you play. If 3 beats 1, 3 often becomes 1.

Looking at the top 25 polls, 24 of the teams play more difficult schedules this year than TCU. That's right, every other ranked team has a more difficult schedule than you. In fact, 92 teams play schedules this year that were rated more difficult than TCU's prior to the season. Somehow, though, the NCAA and all of the big conferences conspire to shut you out. Right?

I am not surprised you are on my board and hoping that Ohio State and other ranked programs get worn out by their schedules and dont finish undefeated. Yeah, keep pumping up the Nevada and Fresno States too. BIG GAMES. A 12-0 TCU does not earn a BCS title berth in my book this year. You really wow-ed college football fans with a blowout at home over a bad Baylor team as well as going on the road to Oregon State and getting the W...18.6 miles from your own stadium. I wont even touch Tennessee Tech. I know you are stuck with your conference schedule, but come on. San Jose State's NC games blow yours out of the water. Wait, their whole schedule does. Look it up - there's a reason they arent the # 5 team in the country...There is a reason ESPN doesnt talk about you, and it ain't because your conference is broadcast on another network. You want some respect? Then shut up, play some real football games, and let someone else do the talking for you. Because where you come from, it's still Hook 'Em Horns.

[PonyTime]

TCU is a good football team. However, I am tired of the ongoing rant about how unfair college football is to them (see school paper, our fan board, FWST, etc).

And you should be worried about your SOS. Your schedule is among the easiest in the country TCU should not get a chance to play for the title this year in the current system, even if undefeated.

I know, I know. You frogs want a playoff system to take it out of the hands of the biased voters. Let's see who would take the title on the field. Right? Even without a playoff system, we do settle it on the field in the regular season. Voters notice who you play. If 3 beats 1, 3 often becomes 1.

Looking at the top 25 polls, 24 of the teams play more difficult schedules this year than TCU. That's right, every other ranked team has a more difficult schedule than you. In fact, 92 teams play schedules this year that were rated more difficult than TCU's prior to the season. Somehow, though, the NCAA and all of the big conferences conspire to shut you out. Right?

I am not surprised you are on my board and hoping that Ohio State and other ranked programs get worn out by their schedules and dont finish undefeated. Yeah, keep pumping up the Nevada and Fresno States too. BIG GAMES. A 12-0 TCU does not earn a BCS title berth in my book this year. You really wow-ed college football fans with a blowout at home over a bad Baylor team as well as going on the road to Oregon State and getting the W...18.6 miles from your own stadium. I wont even touch Tennessee Tech. I know you are stuck with your conference schedule, but come on. San Jose State's NC games blow yours out of the water. Wait, their whole schedule does. Look it up - there's a reason they arent the # 5 team in the country...There is a reason ESPN doesnt talk about you, and it ain't because your conference is broadcast on another network. You want some respect? Then shut up, play some real football games, and let someone else do the talking for you. Because where you come from, it's still Hook 'Em Horns.

Amen Pony Soup! Pretty sad that with each passing week they could actually drop in the polls - regardless of a W or L . . .

[froglicious]

TCU is a good football team. However, I am tired of the ongoing rant about how unfair college football is to them (see school paper, our fan board, FWST, etc).


You want some respect? Then shut up, play some real football games, and let someone else do the talking for you. Because where you come from, it's still Hook 'Em Horns.

Amen Pony Soup! Pretty sad that with each passing week they could actually drop in the polls - regardless of a W or L . . .

We will try to earn some respect Friday night. And tell your girls to go easy on the make up. I remember taking a shower with one (Chi Omega I think) a few years back on a road trip and, once the water hit, her face melted faster than the wicked witch of the west. And she looked like said witch as well. Couldnt wait to get back to the Fort and true hottness.

[PonyTime]

And just to clarify for Froglicious - when I mentioned "dropping in the polls" - I was not referring to your mom's dancing gig at the local Fort Worth gentlemen's club.

[SmooBoy]

"Your Mom goes to college."

[froglicious]

"Your Mom goes to college."

Are you suggesting I could be Pony Time's Father? It was a few years ago and he sounds like he is 12. If his face looks like an inside out catchers mit it could be true. After all the makeup ran off and clogged the drain that is what she looked like. I will never trust the looks of SMU coeds again.

[TCUownstheBig12]

I think people need to tap the brakes when they say that Boise State's schedule is tougher than TCU's this year. At the beginning of the year, I would have agreed with you 100%. However, if a) Virginia Tech does not rally into an ACC contender and if b) BYU defeats Nevada this week in Provo, I think TCU will have a slightly stronger resume.

-Oregon State is a wash (unless Boise beats them by 30...which could happen)
-TCU playing @ Utah--who should be undefeated and in the Top 10--would be the top win for either program
-Air Force should be ranked when they come into Fort Worth (they are close to the Top 25 now after an impressive performance in Norman)
-if BYU, the 4th best team in the MWC, can defeat (actually "upset") Nevada--Boise's 2nd or 3rd toughest game (depending on how you view Va Tech)...then TCU will have @Utah, BYU, and Air Force--which should trump @ Va Tech (assuming the continued meltdown), Fresno State, and @ Nevada.

As you can see, there is still a ton of football to be played.

With all that being said, I think BYU gets dismantled against Nevada and undefeated TCU ends up in a BCS game again--but not the national championship. Boise State did beat us in the Fiesta Bowl and I can totally understand how voters would (and should) keep them ahead of us until they lose.

If you question whether or not TCU "deserves" to be in the national title game if we are undefeated (and assuming Boise loses), then I think that we are despite a lackluster schedule. Texas had wins over 2 ranked teams last year...we could duplicate that this year. The major difference is that where Texas plays BAD teams (Baylor, etc.), we play REALLY BAD teams (New Mexico, UNLV, etc.). I think it is more fair to look at your BEST WINS and not examine the entire schedule since I don't think New Mexico being 0-12 or 3-9 should be a determining factor on who plays for a national title. Also, I think the fact that the AP Voters (evil media) and the political charged Coaches Poll both have us in the Top 5---I think they believe we are a Top 5 team--and that has to count for something.

Also Ponies, you can "rip" us for dropping in the polls each week when we win...but that is a much better problem than not appearing in the polls at all.

[Pony ^]

nevada hahah

[GeorgiaMustang]

Lets just beat them and take the debate out of the issue.