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Dick Harmon: TCU in good hands with Dalton at QB

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Howard S. | 8:38 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009
Re: Number 5:

TCU lost to Utah last year because they didn't have a team good enough to beat Utah. If they had a better team they would have scored touchdowns instead of field goal attempts... but they didn't.

If they had a better field goal kicker they may have won... but they didn't.

Utah scored a touchdown when they needed to and snuffed out the last TCU drive when they need to. Utah proved themselves to be the better team.

The truth is that Dick and the rest of the Cougar nation are petrified that Utah just might beat the mighty Frogs on the road. They would then have to live with the cruel reality of what that would say about the state of their football program.
Horned Frog Fan | 8:40 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009
Nice article on the Frogs. It is certainly the biggest game in the school's modern history, but I'm not sure I would go as far to say it is the biggest game in school history. You would have to sit down with Dan Jenkins and talk about those games from the 30s-50s that were for national titles (TCU-SMU was once considered game of the century) including Jim Swink taking out Jim Brown and Syracuse in the '57 Cotton Bowl. I'm just a pup, but I can appreciate the rich football history at TCU and the fact that these Frogs are literally on the same field that Amon Carter helped build. This is the same man that made sure TCU could afford to send Davey O'Brien to collect the Heisman Trophy in NYC. If there is anything that this team embodies, it is the spirit of 12 Mighty Orphans. The Fort Worth Masonic Home Mighty Mites were the football version of Seabiscuit. If TCU beats Utah and can be in the conversation for a title, you have to think America roots for the little school playing big time football in today's Great Recession.
Tired of U | 8:41 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009
Go TCU....show the utes how to play football all 4 quarters!!!!
Comments continue below
To Howard... | 9:29 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009
The Cougar Nation being petrified that Utah might win TCU is humorous. Utah will get it handed to them and TCU will show everybody that Utah is far over-ranked. Utah will lose and then all we will hear about from Ute fans, again, is BCS this, BCS that.

Looking forward to the last game of the season.
To Utes: | 9:31 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009
Prove yourselves on Saturday, then talk your smack.
Re: @ 9:29 p.m. | 10:09 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009
Don't tell me Cougar Nation isn't nervious about the outcome of the Utah/TCU match up. Why else would Harmon be writing about UTAH's opponent. Except for BYU, when was the last time that happened. Uhhhh... NEVER.

Utah may not win, in fact they probably won't. But it would be BYU's nightmare if they did, and Cougars are a little worried about that.
Re: Horned frog fan @8:40pm | 10:15 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009
very nice comments!!
You should be a writer.
Bob in line | 6:36 a.m. Nov. 12, 2009
About the TCU-Utah game last year. I agree with the comment that Utah just beat them. No excuses, to include the kicker missing two field goals. That's part of the game and if we count it that way BYU should be undefeated right now. They only lost to Floriday State and TCU by 6 or 7 plays. OK, each went for a touchdown but....you get my point.

And let's remember that the team that barely beat TCU last year thrashed the crud out of Alabama and finished #2 in the Nation. Last years Utah team was for real! And they just barely beat TCU, meaning TCU was quite solid last year.

I hope TCU hammers Utah this year, which is likely. Utah 2009 is good but no 2008 team, and TCU is better than last year.

I hope TCU gets into the National Championship game and does it like Utah last year. Then, sadly, the winner of the Utah-BYU game gets stuck in the Vegas bowl.

Exciting time for MWC football! 13-0 TCU, and BYU and Utah looking to have 11 wins! Dang solid football!

And of course, GO BYU! Beat Utah!
Uh, 10:09 Poster... | 8:35 a.m. Nov. 12, 2009
... care to refresh my memory about the nature of the nightmare for BYU should Utah beat TCU? As part of this (largely mythical) "Cougar Nation" you speak of, I'm a bit perplexed about how I'm supposed to think it's the end of the world for BYU in that scenario.

What IS true is that I think a TCU win is what's best for the MWC. We need another conference BCS buster besides the Utes to show that we're a strong group, or at least just as good as the Big Least and Awful Coast Conference. It was good for the MWC that the Utes busted through in '04 and '08, but it's another team's turn now.

So even though it'd be bad for the MWC if Utah won, big deal in terms of BYU. We'll still beat the U's inconsistent offense and decent-but-not-great defense on Nov. 28, one way or the other. So what's the nightmare?
TCU | 8:42 a.m. Nov. 12, 2009
has something u don't have. A quarterback! TCU will run circles around u!

I'm smelling the Humanitarian bowl for utah!
BYUTCUTAH | 9:55 a.m. Nov. 12, 2009
"TCU lost to Utah last year because they didn't have a team good enough to beat Utah."

WRONG. I understand what matters is the numbers on the scoreboard at the end of the game, and Utah won that game. but to say TCU didn't have a good enough team to beat utah is just plain wrong. Missing 2 field goals (or chip shots) did cost TCU the game, but like you said it shouldn't have come down to that anyway because TCU beat Utah in every other part of the game. 2 field goals aside, lets look at the stats and see who was the better team:
TCU Utah
TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS 416 275
NET YARDS RUSHING 165 45
NET YARDS PASSING 251 230
FIRST DOWNS 20 17
Average Gain Per Play 5.5 4.2
Possession Time 31:44 28:16

Still don't think TCU was good enough to beat Utah?
Dalton best in MWC | 10:38 a.m. Nov. 12, 2009
Dalton is the best QB by far in the MWC. A combination of a good arm, plus great scrambler makes him the best overall QB in the league and I think one of the better QB's in the west.
Ernest T. Bass | 11:13 a.m. Nov. 12, 2009
If Utah plays as well as BYU did against TCU, Utah just might have a chance.
to Dick | 11:56 a.m. Nov. 12, 2009
Ummmm, TCU did not lose to Utah because of two missed filed goals. TCU lost to Utah because Brian Johnson drove the field at the end of the game for a Utah score. Utah won the game.
RE: BYUTCUTAH | 12:15 p.m. Nov. 12, 2009
Stats don't play the game - teams do. Utah 13 - TCU 10. No Yning or crying chnages the score. If TCU was good enough to beat Utah they would have. Give it a rest.

To TCU Fan, nice history lesson but who cares. That's yesterday's news - just like the Yners 1984.
N.AZ UTE | 12:57 p.m. Nov. 12, 2009
Our men are tough and are practicing full contact this week. We are just as fast, not as experienced or consistent, but the Utes will prevail by 5.
BYUTCUUTAH | 1:26 p.m. Nov. 12, 2009
I get that. A win is a win is a win. all Im saying is the claim that TCUs team was just not good enough to beat Utah is not right. Last year was a great game to watch with two great teams who were evenly matched. however, you cant deny that if that game was played 10 times, TCU would win 5 to 7 of them (see stats). I am happy Utah had the season they did because it helped the MWC so much, but the fact is it was two very good teams and Utah happened to walk away with the win that day. Thats football. Sometimes teams get lucky (Utah), loose every aspect of the game yet walk with a win.

anyway, none of this matters this year as Hughes is going to be using Wynn as his toilet paper and Utah will want to run away with their tails between their legs by the second half. Utah does not have the team is had last year and TCUs is twice as good. Given that, TCU almost won at Utah last year with a blackout stadium with a worse team. this year?? Over before it began.
Texas Cougar | 1:28 p.m. Nov. 12, 2009
This game must really mean something if Harmon is writing about it. I may watch this game instead of the Cougars and Lobos.

I'm surprised at how touchy last year's game is for Utah fans. So many fans seem bent out of shape, trying to prove that Utah won the game instead of TCU losing it. Face it...Utah was lucky last year (just like BYU was lucky when Kaneshiro clanked the winning field goal in 1998). It doesn't mean they didn't seize the opportunity when it came at the end of the game.

Undefeated teams need both luck and skill to stay that way (just ask Urban Meyer). The good ones (which Utah 2008 definitely was) put themselves in a position to capitalize on others' mistakes. But so many fans on this board seem to be suggesting that missed field goals had no impact on the game whatsoever!

Now...I know I'm an uneducated fan (just ask Bronco), but failing to acknowledge the potential of six points (especially when both kicks were taken from short distances) is the height of fan delusion (or insecurity).

I'm looking forward to a good game this week!
West Jordan Blue | 1:45 p.m. Nov. 12, 2009
Who is Kennen Moore ha ha? Check your facts its Kellen Moore. Oh well everyone makes mistakes.
RE: Texas Cougar | 3:20 p.m. Nov. 12, 2009
Agreed 100%: Utah didn't win last year's game as much as TCU lost it. Had TCU capitalized on their opportunities on both sides of the ball (making those field goals AND stopping that late 4th quarter drive), they would have beat the Utes and we'd all be having a WHOLE different conversation right now. Good insights.
Re: Texas Cougar @3:20 p.m. | 6:26 p.m. Nov. 12, 2009
If BYU could just get the BCS to recognize "ifs and buts" victories maybe the Cougars could get invited to a BCS bowl game.
Anonymous | 11:37 a.m. Nov. 13, 2009
Hopefully it's angels in he endZone part two his weekend for my utes!!
stats vs. W's | 4:14 p.m. Nov. 13, 2009
I don't know what it is about the Utes winning the game, but losing the stat game. It has happened much this year too. I keep thinking they are going to fold big time, but they always seem to pull it out in the end lately. AFA shoulda beat them. Wyoming had them on the ropes. Etc.

My prediction is that the miracles are over. Vegas has TCU by 16. I'm betting double that. Ute team last year was impressive (yes, I'm a Coug) and I rooted big time for them against bama. But I can't believe that they are anything close to last year based on stats. W's look good, but maybe it is over.

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Will Powers, Associated Press

TCU's quarterback Andy Dalton will get a tough test this Saturday against Utah in a big MWC battle.

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