The Texas Christian Horned Frogs and Utah Utes compete for the conference crown
In a welcome change of pace, this week’s most important game will like be played outside of one of college football’s power conferences. The Mountain West Conference (MWC) match-up between the undefeated No. 3 Texas Christian Horned Frogs (9-0, 5-0 MWC)
and No. 5 Utah Utes (8-0, 5-0 MWC) on Saturday 6 November will not only determine how the league plays out, but likely have major implications in this year’s national championship race.
For the first time in the conference’s history, two teams ranked inside the Bowl Championship Series’ (BCS) top-10 will face off against one another. And, whoever comes away with the victory will not only have a great opportunity to capture the conference crown,
but also have a shot at crashing the BCS party.
Under the current format, college football’s top-two teams are automatically invited to the BCS National Championship Game. After that, each of the champions of a BCS conference receives a BCS bowl bid. However, because at least six of those 10 spots are reserved
for the members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac-10, and Southeastern Conference (SEC), it becomes rather difficult for a non-BCS school to nab one of the four remaining at-large invites to a BCS bowl.
Furthermore, because only one school from a non-BCS conference is eligible to join in on the post-season fun, Saturday’s match-up holds that much more significance. The contest has heavy implications, as a victory will surely catapult the winning squad into
the national championship discussion.
A number of players have had their eye on the calendar all season.
“I’ve been taking it one game at a time, but honestly we all knew when the day was,” Utah Utes sophomore quarterback Jordan Wynn said of the marquee matchup. “It’s going to be a showdown.”
Fans can only hope so after last year’s much-anticipated competition in Fort Worth, Texas, turned into a blowout. Texas Christian, who was ranked No. 4 in the BCS at the time, manhandled the then-No. 16 Utes, winning 55-28.
Still reeling from that loss, and back on their home turf at Rice-Eccles Stadium, a number of the Utes hope that this year’s result will turn out a bit differently. “We’ve got to get back to them from what they gave to us last year,” said Greg Bird, Utah’s
junior safety. “We’re going to bring it to them.”
Although Utah players were allowed to speak freely after last Saturday’s 28-23 win over Air Force, Texas Christian’s coach Gary Patterson did not allow his squad to address the media after their most recent triumph, a 48-6 win over UNLV. Part of the logic behind
that decision may have been that Patterson felt as though his team underperformed, while some might assume that he’s trying to keep his team’s focus and attention on what lies in front of them.
“I didn’t think we played that well,” the head coach said of his team’s performance against the lowly Rebels. “We did what we needed to do. We understand what we have got ahead of us.”
Still, Patterson knows what’s at stake when his players take the field this weekend. “People know about Utah and people know about TCU,” he told reporters. “You wouldn’t want it any different. You always like it when you’re playing for a championship. We understand
what kind of football team they have and how talented they are.”
With all the anticipation surrounding the match-up, something’s got to give, as BCS bowl dreams will be dashed.
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