Will TCU Make College Football Playoff?
The closing statement has been heard in Fort Worth. Now, after clinching a share of the Big 12 crown with a 55-3 victory over Iowa State, the No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs await the final verdict.
Given how the College Football Playoff committee has operated each week, Gary Patterson's team should start preparing itself for good news.
Earlier this week, the 12-person board elected to have the Horned Frogs leap over an undefeated Florida State squad in the rankings-an unforeseen move that also showed how TCU has become the committee's darling.
Playoff chairman Jeff Long cited FSU's struggles with lesser opponents. After all, the 'Noles needed second-half rallies during their last three contests to outlast teams with a combined 19-16 record.
Laura Keeley of the Raleigh News & Observer objected, supplying a voice of reason amid the surprising shift.
What did TCU do with Kansas?!? RT @schadjoe Jeff Long says FSU is very close to TCU but they've struggled w unranked opponents.
- Laura Keeley (@laurakeeley) December 3, 2014
With that being said, while the 34-30 win over Kansas raised a few questioning eyebrows, it was really the only time TCU had a lapse against an inferior foe. The Horned Frogs hammered Oklahoma State by 33, Texas Tech by 55 and Texas by 38.
Plus, Patterson and Co. earned a trio of victories over the Big 12's top teams, defeating No. 4 Oklahoma 37-33, No. 20 West Virginia 31-30 in Morgantown and No. 7 Kansas State 41-20. TCU's success in those conference battles impressed the committee more than a three-point loss to Baylor hurt the Frogs.
And then, Iowa State happened. The No. 3 team's closing statement wasn't particularly convincing early on.
The Horned Frogs, favored by five touchdowns per OddsShark , stumbled into a 17-3 halftime lead, with seven points resulting from a perfectly executed double pass.
In Florida State's defense, each first-half struggle was opposite a program that has qualified for bowl season. None of Miami, Boston College and Florida is especially dangerous, but each is not terrible, either.
TCU, on the other hand, hobbled by Kansas-the second-weakest Big 12 foe-and Iowa State through 30 minutes. The lackluster performance in the latter game nearly sparked a debate: Are the Frogs simply a big-game team that encounters difficulty bringing the same intensity level to matchups they're expected to dominate?
The second half against the Cyclones, however, answered that question. Scratch that, a 31-point third quarter reminded the nation what TCU was capable of doing.
Plenty of #gamecontrol from TCU in the second half. Strong performance after a sloppy first half.
- Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) December 6, 2014
With more than 12 minutes remaining in the final frame, the Horned Frogs held a dominating 55-3 lead and provided little reason to be downgraded in the polls.
How exactly can the committee drop TCU behind FSU-and ultimately playoff-following such an impressive day? They propelled the Frogs over an undefeated Florida State team prior to the final outing, so it's borderline unreasonable to think Baylor can jump both TCU and the 'Noles.
Additionally, the question of whether Baylor deserves the spot continues to linger, though that answer may appear completely obvious following the Bears' matchup with Kansas State. Nevertheless, Baylor's head-to-head win seems to carry little relevance at this point.
'We just believe (TCU is) an improving football team,' Long said. 'We believe TCU's a better football team at this point in time.'
- Dr. Saturday (@YahooDrSaturday) December 6, 2014
Ultimately, the Frogs must let that chip fall where it may. In coach speak, TCU controlled what it could control, which was its on-field performance during the regular-season finale.
It's clear that right now, the Horned Frogs are playing better football than Baylor, and the four-team playoff is intended to showcase the best football.
TCU has seemingly proven itself worthy of a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff, considering the committee's recent track record. The Frogs just need to hear the final verdict, and it will likely be a positive one for the co-Big 12 champions.
Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.
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