As well all know (or should know), TCU is a very trendy pick to make it to this season's college football playoff. You cannot deny Gary Patterson's success at TCU, but is the team good enough to win the Big XII outright and get into the playoff over schools with conference championships? TCU always struck me as that team that can beat just about anyone on any given day and then they could blunder a game as well (case in point last year). Take a look at last season's games:

TCU - 48 Samford -14
TCU - 30 Minnesota - 7
TCU - 56 @ SMU - 0
TCU - 37 Oklahoma - 33
TCU - 58 @ Baylor - 61 (Blunder - TCU was up 21 with 11 minutes to play)
TCU - 45 Oklahoma State - 9
TCU - 82 Texas Tech - 27
TCU - 31 @ West Virginia - 30 (last second field goal to avoid upset)
TCU - 41 Kansas State - 20
TCU - 34 Kansas - 30 (TCU was down 10 in the 3rd quarter to a horrendous 3-9 Kansas team).
TCU - 48 @ Texas - 10
TCU - 42 Mississippi - 3

As you can see, TCU had 1 colossal blunder with Baylor, was blow to blow with Oklahoma and West Virginia, and in a dogfight against lowly Kansas.
------------------------------------------------

Looking at the 2015 schedule:

TCU @ Minnesota (8:00 ESPN primetime game)
TCU vs. Stephen F. Austin
TCU vs. SMU
TCU @ Texas Tech
TCU vs. Texas
TCU @ Kansas State
TCU @ Iowa State
TCU vs. West Virginia
TCU @ Oklahoma State
TCU vs. Kansas
TCU @ Oklahoma (Saturday)
TCU vs. Baylor (Friday)

Not too daunting of a schedule. The very first game at Minnesota could be interesting. I fully expect TCU to win, but given that it is in Minneapolis, a prime time game, and the first game of the year...who knows. The game at Stillwater should be interesting as well.

And then, you have the final two back to back games (within 6 days I should add). Going to Oklahoma and then turning right back around and having to play Baylor on Friday. I'm just not so sure they can run the table and win the conference outright.

This post was edited on 6/30/15 at 10:49 am

4 ...

Report Post

Posted by hoopsgalore

Chicago, IL

Member since Nov 2013

8640 posts

Posted on 6/30/15 at 10:51 am to Forkbeard3777

Minnesota is going to have a very good defense that should keep them in striking distance. Offensively, however, Minnesota is a gigantic question mark. Their only weapon from a season ago is now with the Titans and Mitch Leidner has shown he is, at best, below-average through the air.

It really depends on the Minnesota offense, but I just can't buy it at this juncture.

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by Billy Mays

Member since Jan 2009

25277 posts

Posted on 6/30/15 at 10:55 am to Forkbeard3777

They should run that schedule fairly easily. The road games aren't that bad - Norman isn't exactly a house of horrors recently, and KState is in rebuild mode, Okie St. is interesting and should be better this year.

The TCU D will probably take a small step back tho - could be more shootouts on the horizon.

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by double d

Amarillo by morning

Member since Jun 2004

16419 posts

Posted on 6/30/15 at 10:56 am to hoopsgalore

TCU could very well run the table with Boykin back as QB. Texas will be better but still not as good as TCU, OU is a question mark. Last game of the season could decide TCU's fate for the playoffs.

0 ...

Report Post

Posted by Baloo

Formerly MDGeaux

Member since Sep 2003

49645 posts

Posted on 6/30/15 at 11:07 am to Billy Mays

TCU loses 6 of their top 7 tacklers. I don't think their defense plummets to the depths of the earth or anything, but I do think they take a step back.

They won some close games last year, and their luck might turn... also, I think everyone is sleeping on Texas. Texas' offense will still be challenged, but I think they will have the best defense in the conference. Also, TCU has to travel outside of Texas five times this year instead of just twice, and I think the travel will play a role, especially late in the year. I think OU beats them.

1 ...

Report Post

Posted by Chef Leppard

Member since Sep 2011

11739 posts

Posted on 6/30/15 at 11:12 am to Forkbeard3777

Hiring doug meacham was a great move by patterson. with boykin having another year in that offense they'll score a ton of points this year. definitely one of the teams ill watch all season

0 ...

Report Post

Posted by Bags of Milk

The Sunny Beaches of Canada

Member since Feb 2013

3322 posts

Posted on 6/30/15 at 11:27 am to Forkbeard3777

They've got a few games that scare me -

vs Texas - Charlie Strong will have the longhorns looking for their first marquee upset, especially after getting embarrassed last year
@ Kansas State - Can't bet against the Wizard
@ OU
@ Okie State - going to be tough to take both wins in Oklahoma this year

I think they have to run the table to make it into the playoff. No conference championship game really hurts the Big 12 teams

0 ...

Report Post

Posted by Billy Mays

Member since Jan 2009

25277 posts

Posted on 6/30/15 at 1:32 pm to Baloo

quote:
They won some close games last year, and their luck might turn... also, I think everyone is sleeping on Texas. Texas' offense will still be challenged, but I think they will have the best defense in the conference. Also, TCU has to travel outside of Texas five times this year instead of just twice, and I think the travel will play a role, especially late in the year. I think OU beats them.

TCU also has the hype/pressure/target-on-back. Intangibles can often be overrated but TCU certainly has everyone's attention.

Agreed on Texas - their offense last year was so terrible it was constantly putting their defense in terrible game states. If they can just be serviceable on offense they will be a tough out.

OU is the ultimate troll team - they can impress or just plain no show. I think they should be better than last year, however.

Page 1