Wednesday, November 26, 2003
The Horned Frogs can still set a school record for wins in a season.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- The phone calls offered little comfort for TCU coach Gary Patterson.
"There aren't any good words," Patterson said Friday.
A day after a 40-28 loss at Southern Mississippi, the 10th-ranked Horned Frogs (10-1) went through their normal postgame routine: a team meeting and a review of game films.
But this was a normal postgame.
That one loss will keep the Horned Frogs from finding out whether they would have become the first team from a non-BCS conference to play in one of the four big-money bowls.
No perfect season, no Bowl Championship Series and maybe not even a share of the Conference USA title.
"You go out on that branch for that best apple, and sometimes the branch breaks and you fall," Patterson said. "It's a lot better than hugging the core of the tree and not ever letting go. Then you never find out how sweet the apple is."
Plenty to play for
TCU finishes the regular season Saturday at winless SMU, but can still make a little school history.
No other TCU team has won 11 regular-season games, and the Horned Frogs will play in their sixth straight bowl, another first.
"It's harder probably today," Patterson said. "You have a little time off and are starting to get ready for SMU, then you start playing the 'what-if' game. We still have a lot of things to play for."
The BCS idea ended after a furious comeback fell short. TCU trailed 31-6 in the fourth quarter, but pulled within a field goal with seven minutes left before their fourth turnover sealed the game.
"We always knew that if we lost, it'd all be over," defensive end Bo Schobel said. "We just have to rebound and win our next game."
TCU made it as high as sixth in the BCS rankings, a spot which would give them an automatic BCS bid. Patterson said his team stood a good chance to gain a BCS spot if it finished with a perfect record.
"I think we would have had an opportunity for one simple reason, just the attraction of people finding out if we could or couldn't," Patterson said. "I have to believe somebody out there really would have said we have to do this."
While there is great disappointment at TCU, Patterson reminded his team of its incredible BCS ride.
"We're excited that we got a chance to be part of it," he said. "It's kind of like being a pilot on the jet. You don't own the jet, but it takes you above the clouds and you get a chance to live up there. But pretty soon you have to come back and get out of the jet."
Wait and see
Southern Mississippi (8-3, 7-0 C-USA) can clinch the outright league title and Liberty Bowl invitation by winning its season finale at East Carolina next Saturday.
The Frogs just have to wait and see which bowl game they will get.
If Southern Miss loses, Liberty Bowl officials get to chose from co-champions. Last year, TCU went to the Memphis game instead of Cincinnati, which had shared the title and beat the Horned Frogs during the season.
The other likely options are the GMAC Bowl and Fort Worth Bowl, a first-year game that will be played on the TCU campus.