No. 4 TCU keeps winning, but isn't moving in polls

FORT WORTH, Texas — Teams from BCS conferences keep leapfrogging TCU in polls, and the Horned Frogs don't seem to care.

One of last year's BCS busters, TCU held steady at No. 4 in The Associated Press poll on Sunday. The Horned Frogs were passed this time when Auburn jumped from a spot behind to TCU to a spot ahead after knocking off LSU in a battle of Southeastern Conference unbeatens.

"We just go out and try to play the best game we can," safety Colin Jones said after the Horned Frogs dispatched Air Force 38-7 for their school-record 21st consecutive regular-season win Saturday night. "If we keep doing that, everything will work out."

TCU (8-0, 4-0 Mountain West) keeps winning, but isn't moving even though a top 5 team has lost each of the past three weeks. The AP ranking matches where TCU stood after the first weekend of the regular season. The Frogs later dropped a spot after trailing SMU briefly in the third quarter of a 41-24 win, one of only three times they've trailed this season.

The Frogs regained the No. 4 spot after a 45-0 win over Wyoming, and they stayed there last week when Oklahoma jumped from No. 6 to No. 3 after blowing out Iowa State while TCU fiddled around with BYU for a half in a 31-3 win.

TCU, which did improve a spot in the BCS standings to No. 4 on Sunday night, figured to be the only ranked team in the Lone Star State again after Texas lost at home to Iowa State and dropped out for the second time this season. But Baylor moved in at No. 25 after becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 1994 with a win over Kansas State.

Those are the same Bears who never had a chance in a September visit to Fort Worth, falling behind 35-3 by halftime in a 45-10 loss to TCU.

So, are the Frogs the best in Texas, home to four teams from the Big 12, a BCS darling?

"I don't know," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "Right now we're trying to be the best team in the Mountain West Conference."

The Frogs figure to be heavy favorites at UNLV on Saturday night, then visit No. 8 Utah in a game that will eliminate one BCS-busting hopeful.

"If it was easy, anybody could do it," Patterson said.

TCU made it look easy in the second half against Air Force, which was ranked before a loss to San Diego State the week before coming to Texas and lost by just three at Oklahoma early in the season. TCU running back Ed Wesley outgained the nation's leading rushing offense, 209-184, and scored twice while quarterback Andy Dalton compiled 278 total yards and two touchdowns.