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In 2008 against Utah TCU quarterback Andy Dalton had a rough day, going 16 of 37 for 251 yards and two interceptions. He was also sacked four times in Utah's 13-10 win.

Last year, the TCU quarterback was 17 of 29 for 207 yards, an interception and a touchdown pass. He was not sacked during the Frogs' 55-28 win.

No surprise, given his quarterback's play in those two games, that TCU coach Gary Patterson is stressing how important the leadership of his fifth-year senior is for Saturday's game.

"We need Andy to play at a high level for us to have a chance to beat Utah," he said. "They give us a lot of looks, are physical and come from everywhere. For us to win, he needs to make the right plays and avoid making the bad plays."

Dalton is second in the MWC in pass efficiency (158.7) and total offense (254.6). The 23-year-old is completing 65.9 percent of his passes, has 16 touchdowns and has thrown five interceptions. He has been sacked just five times.

His best game of the year was against Baylor when he went 21 of 23 for 267 yards and two touchdowns.

While there has been a lot of talk of Jordan Wynn's improvement, Dalton has improved too, said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham.

"I've seen steady improvement the last four years," Whittingham said. "He does a great job running the offense and making decisions. He's a great fit for their scheme."

What if?

The winner should be in a great position for a BCS game, but what about the team that loses?

Patterson said he wouldn't necessarily push for a one-loss MWC team to go a BCS game when asked.

"There are a lot of good football teams in the top 20, top 10," he said. "We just have to see how the game goes. If one team blows out another and loses by a large margin, then I'd say 'No.' But if it's a three-point game or a close ball game all the way down like it was in 2008, it would be interesting to see what people think."

Rise and shine

What if ESPN's "College GameDay" was here but nobody was there? The Utes hope to avoid that situation and are encouraging fans to show up early for the broadcast, which starts at 7 a.m. Saturday. Fans are encouraged to arrive at 6 a.m. Saturday with general parking available in the Huntsman and Merrill Engineering lots.

The Guardsman lot will open at 3 p.m. Friday and overnight tailgating is allowed.

Fans will also be allowed to camp in other areas and outside of Rice-Eccles Stadium by the southwest corner ticket office after 5 p.m. Friday.

All camping gear must be removed by 5 a.m. Saturday. Entrance to the 'pit' area for "GameDay" will begin at 5:30 a.m.

In addition to "GameDay", ESPN's radio show will broadcast from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday on the lawn by the Eccles Tennis Center.

lwodraska@sltrib.com Twitter: @lyawodraska