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Provo » When asked if TCU has been overlooked by football voters this season, receiver Jeremy Kerley sort of shrugged. His answer would have pleased his coach Gary Patterson.
"No," he said. "You get what you deserve."
After the 10th-ranked Horned Frogs dominated No. 16 BYU on its own turf Saturday, 38-7, no one should overlook them the rest of the season. The remainder of the schedule plays out perfectly for TCU, which still has road games at San Diego State and Wyoming.
Utah, the only potential trouble maker for the Frogs and their BCS dreams, visits Fort Worth, Texas, Nov. 14. The Utes are the second of what Patterson called the Mountain West Conference's "big two."
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Read Jay Drew's TCU had no trouble with the first team on Patterson's list. The Frogs (7-0, 3-0 MWC) rolled up 412 total yards. Of BYU's 298, more than 100 of that came in the final quarter when the outcome had long been decided.
"We have some tough games left," Patterson said. "There will probably be seven feet of snow when we get to [Wyoming].
"Hopefully this game counts for something. I don't have control over [BCS voting]."
Patterson's caution about the future comes from hard experience. In 2005, the Horned Frogs beat Oklahoma only to give away the next game at home against SMU.
"I've not won that high or lost that low," Patterson said.
Last year, TCU had Utah all but beaten. Two missed field goals
Potential upsets aside, Saturday's win makes you think this might be TCU's year. Patterson acknowledged that the bulls-eye is on his team's back. Patterson also felt, in a college season without too many good teams, there could be room for more mid-major conference teams to enter the BCS mix.
"If there was ever a year for two teams," he said, mentioning Boise State and TCU, "this is the year it might get done."
TCU, known for its ground attack, displayed a well-rounded attack against BYU. The Frogs gained 127 rushing yards. But they also shredded BYU's secondary for 298 yards.
Quarterback Andy Dalton completed 13 of 24 attempts for 241 yards and three scores. This included a beautiful, arching 75-yard rainbow to Antoine Hicks in the third quarter that put TCU in front by 31-7.
The Horned Frogs also broke into their book of tricks with a play that Patterson stole from Boise State. It was a razzle-dazzle performance in the first quarter that saw Kerley throw his first pass of the season from deep in TCU's end of the field for 44 yards to Bart Johnson to set up the team's second score.
"I've told this team it's just as hard to handle success as it is to handle disappointment," Patterson said. "In some cases I think success is probably harder to handle."
No question, TCU has played for success. Only time will tell if it gets what it deserves.
Remaining TCU schedule:
Oct. 31 UNLV
Nov. 7 at San Diego State
Nov. 14 Utah
Nov. 21 at Wyoming
Nov. 28 New Mexico
