TCU News: Frogs’ Defense Stifling, ‘Battle Stories’ Inspire the Team

Football:

Week 7's Top 10: Multiple Major Upsets Bring a Plethora of Changes | Sports Illustrated

Not a lot of fireworks, but the Frogs have proven they can win ugly this year. Back to back weeks full of distractions, but the Ws keep coming.

4. TCU: It was a looong day for the Horned Frogs at Kansas State, where they endured one three-hour lightning delay and another one that lasted almost an hour before TCU left with a 26–6 win. Kenny Hill was solid and Gary Patterson’s D was stingy, limiting K-State to 216 yards and a 2-for-15 mark on third down. TCU has two very good wins on its resume in Oklahoma State and West Virginia.

TCU Horned Frogs control own destiny to College Football Playoff | Heartland college Sports

The revenge tour keeps rolling through the Big 12.

Now, as TCU continues through the rigors of this Big 12 schedule, they control their ability to make the College Football Playoff. The SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12 are the Power 5 conferences remaining with an undefeated team. The Pac-12 blew itself up over the weekend thanks to losses by Washington and Washington State. Therefore, those teams left undefeated in the Power 5 conferences, Alabama, TCU, Penn State, Georgia, Wisconsin and Miami don’t need any help to make the College Football Playoff. If they keep winning, they’re in. Of course, that’s not going to happen. It never does in college football.

But for Gary Patterson, who has had a chip on his shoulder since his Horned Frogs, along with the Baylor Bears, were both left out of the inaugural College Football Playoff in 2014, this can be a season of redemption.

Big 12 power rankings: TCU is on top, but are the Cowboys gaining on the Sooners? | Tulsa World

TCU fans should be excited about the run Oklahoma State is on. We really need the Cowboys to keep winning.

2. Oklahoma (5-1, 2-1): Just when it looked as if OU was headed for Red River doom, Baker Mayfield made a big throw and the OU defense remembered how to get stops. The Sooners are ranked No. 9, but still full of flaws heading into next week at Kansas State.

3. Oklahoma State (5-1, 2-1): The Cowboys had a big resurgence as they dominated Baylor 59-16. This week they travel to Austin, and with a good showing against Texas, it wouldn’t be impossible for the Cowboys to jump the Sooners

Not the poll that matters, but TCU cracks college football’s top four | The Star-Telegram

The pundits are starting to respect TCU, though the misperception of the strength of the Big 12 still remains. If the Frogs keep winning, though, they’ll stay relevant in the big picture.

TCU will meet Oklahoma on Nov. 11 in Norman.

The Frogs have made a fast climb in the rankings.

They entered at No. 23 following their season-opening win against Jackson State, moved to No. 20 after winning at Arkansas, then 16 after a victory against SMU and into the Top 10 at No. 9 after a victory at Oklahoma State.

Why ‘battle stories’ have helped TCU football in its unbeaten start | The Star-Telegram

Good lord, THANK YOU LSU for John Diarse. What a gift that kid is.

But he said players such as junior safety Ridwan “Ray” Issahaku can pass on the lessons of outstanding seasons like 2014. And players such as fifth-year senior running back Kyle Hicks can talk about losing seasons like 2013.

“It’s guys like Ray who have been here for a while and been through the ups and downs of a 4-8 season to last year to the Alamo Bowl, the Peach Bowl,” Diarse said. “We have the team we need. We’ve got everybody that we need to do what we’re trying to do. So just keeping everybody on that same page has been a lot easier, just from guys having experience, guys having battle stories and just understanding the bigger picture.”

TCU’s defense has stifled the opposition through 6 games | DieHards

Anytime you keep a Big 12 team out of the end zone, on the road, you’re doing something right.

TCU opponents: points scored vs. season average (as of Oct. 15)

Jackson State: 0/13.2

Arkansas: 7/28.7

SMU: 36/43.8

Oklahoma State: 31/48.8

West Virginia: 24/44.2

Kansas State: 6/31.7

The 17-point differential remains true for Arkansas, Oklahoma State and West Virginia despite the Razorbacks, Cowboys and Mountaineers having played games since their meetings with TCU.