TCU drops to #5 in the AP after close win over Bye Week

TCU continues to pile up the wins while sliding down the polls in 2015. After opening the season at #2, close wins on the road and the failures of their conference opponents to do much of anything in Big XII play have cost the Frogs three spots in the Associated Press poll, as they find themselves in the fifth spot heading in to their eighth game of the year.

Ohio State reclaimed the majority share of first place votes after pummeling Rutgers behind newly reinstated starter JT Barrett, as the Buckeyes now hold 39 number ones and a 49 point lead over the number two Bears. Baylor, who was closing the gap after last week, struggled in the second half with the Cyclones yesterday, and news of Seth Russell's potentially season-ending injury have voters spooked. Clemson is third, and trail BU by only a single first place vote with six, while the fourth place Tigers and fifth place Frogs have five and three respectively.

Rounding out the top ten is 8-0 Michigan State, one-loss Crimson Tide - who's escape act against Tennessee was apparently impressive - a suddenly dangerous Stanford squad, Notre Dame, and undefeated Iowa. Big XII teams Oklahoma State and OU check in at 12 and 14 respectively, and Justin Fuente's blemish-free Tigers move up two spots to 16. Florida State plummeted from nine to 17 after they lost to Georgia Tech in one of the craziest finishes of the year, while undefeated mid-majors Houston (18), Toledo (20), and Temple (21) remain in the Top 25. No other Big XII teams received votes this week.

In the Coach's Poll, the Frogs have somehow remained at #3, behind Ohio State and Baylor. LSU, Michigan State, Clemson, Alabama, Stanford, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma State (!!!) make up the rest of the top ten.

The Frogs will take on West Virginia Thursday night, who are coming off a devastating loss in Waco. While a win over the 3-3 and winless in conference Mountaineers won't do much to impress those outside the conference, TCU still controls their own destiny when it comes to the Big XII championship - and, to a degree, post-season goals. Meanwhile, the Bears will have 12 days to figure out the ramifications of Russell's injury or to get true freshman Jarrett Stidham ready for the stretch run. The Sooners, after drubbing Texas Tech, will get a bye week against Kansas Saturday.

Do remember, as Felts noted on Twitter: polls do not matter until December.