TCU 47, Utah 7. TCU couldn't have written a better script for its postseason when it rolled out of bed this morning than what actually transpired: Act One: The Horned Frogs move to 10-0 by incinerating undefeated, fifth-ranked Utah in the grisliest possible fashion in one of the two most high-profile games of the day, outgaining the Utes by 337 yards and shutting out the No. 3 scoring offense in the nation for the first 48 minutes, at which point TCU already led 40-0.
Act Two: At the same time, LSU knocks off the No. 6 team in the BCS, Alabama, in the other high-profile game, eliminating any possibility that the Horned Frogs will be jumped by the two-loss Crimson Tide down the stretch. LSU remains a distant threat to move in front of the Frogs, as well, because the Tigers would need back-to-back losses by Auburn against Georgia and Alabama just to get into the SEC Championship Game.
Act Three: One-loss Big 12 frontrunners Nebraska and Oklahoma proceed to struggle (the Cornhuskers narrowly escaped an upset bid at Iowa State, 31-30) and lose (Oklahoma fell at Texas A&M, 33-19), respectively, eliminating the Sooners as a threat to TCU's status in the BCS and at least delaying Nebraska's climb up the ladder.
From a strictly on-field standpoint, TCU is now exactly what it was this time last year, after it pounded the Utes by four touchdowns in Fort Worth. Then, as now, the Horned Frogs were 10-0 with no significant challenges in the last two games. Then, as now, they possessed the No. 1 total defense in the nation, as they also did in 2008. Then, as now, they were averaging upwards of 40 points per game offensively. Then, as now, they were in the process of laying waste to each and every last outpost of the Mountain West, with five straight wins by at least four touchdowns.
What's different this year is the legitimate opportunity in front of them to crash the BCS Championship Game. There are only two teams in front of them, Oregon and Auburn, each of which has potential land mines directly ahead. And after today's attrition in Baton Rouge and College Station, there's only one team that has a prayer of catching the Frogs from behind: Boise State.
The Broncos spent the afternoon quietly racking up 738 yards of total offense while holding the No. 1 passing offense in the nation – the same attack that lit up USC for 36 points on 588 yards in the season opener – to a single garbage-time touchdown in 42-7 rout over Hawaii, a 7-2 outfit that came in averaging well over 40 points over the course of a six-game winning streak. For most of the year, we've contemplated the great Boise State debate. As of today, we're one loss by Oregon or Auburn away from embarking on the debate to end them all in this most bizarre season: If you have one slot to fill in the BCS title game, who ya got?
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Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.
Broc Hepler Rob Herring George Holland Jeremy van Horebeek Kent Howerton
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