TCU clearly favored to win league title

TCU earned a lot more respect the second time around.

The Horned Frogs left this year's Mountain West Conference meetings as favorites to repeat as champions with five players on the preseason all-league team.

Funny what an 11-1 season will do. A year ago, MWC media picked TCU to finish sixth.

Oops.

The Horned Frogs responded with victories over every team in the conference, going 8-0 and earning a berth in the Houston Bowl. If it weren't for a 21-10 slip at SMU, which followed a stunning 17-10 upset of Oklahoma in Norman, they would have reached the Bowl Championship Series.

TCU coach Gary Patterson acknowledged the setback taught his team a valuable lesson — come to play every week.

"You can't look ahead," said Patterson. "You have to take it one game at a time."

The message has apparently already gotten through. The Horned Frogs have won 10 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak in the nation.

With 10 returning starters on offense and seven on defense, there's reason to believe an extension may be in the works.

Patterson, however, isn't taking any solace in it.

"We've got a lot of work to do," he said while noting that there is no easy road through the Mountain West.

A tough early schedule featuring non-conference games against Baylor and Texas Tech looms as a challenge. So, too, are league opening contests against BYU and Utah.

"Hopefully we've got enough good kids back to contend for the title," said Patterson.

Quarterback Jeff Ballard is a proven winner and a trio of talented tailbacks in Robert Merrill, Lonta Hobbs and Aaron Brown are among the league's best.

Defensive ends Chase Ortiz and Tommy Blake are also extreme talents.

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TCU HORNED FROGS

2006 MWC MEDIA PREDICTED FINISH: First

2005 RECORD: 11-1 (8-0, first in MWC)

RETURNING STARTERS: 10 offense, 7 defense.

KEY OFFENSIVE PLAYERS: Senior quarterback Jeff Ballard threw for 1,801 yards and 13 touchdowns in 10 games last season. Senior lineman Herbert Taylor made the preseason all-conference team.