TCU has particular CFP route after rout of ISU in twelfth recreation

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Third-ranked TCU has a particular path to the playoff after another regular season-ending rout of Iowa State. That’s a lot completely different from 2014, when the Horned Frogs acquired not noted.

“I do know the historical past with TCU and Iowa State, and massive victories, and it didn’t work out significantly properly in 2014,” first-year Frogs coach Sonny Dykes after their 62-14 win over Iowa State on Saturday.

A day after a 55-3 win over the Cyclones eight years in the past, TCU was not noted of the inaugural four-team Faculty Soccer Playoff even after going into that recreation ranked within the prime 4.

TCU (12-0, 9-0 Large 12, No. 4 CFP), which moved up a spot from fourth in the new AP Top 25 launched Sunday and sure will do the identical Tuesday evening within the subsequent CFP rankings, is in a a lot better scenario this time.

The Frogs are one among solely three remaining undefeated groups, with No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Michigan, after being the primary Large 12 crew since Texas in 2009 to complete the common season with no loss. And so they nonetheless have the Large 12 championship recreation subsequent Saturday against No. 13 Kansas State (9-3, 7-2, No. 12 CFP).

Dykes believes a lot is completely different since 2014 in school soccer, the CFP choice committee and the way individuals view the Large 12.

“It’s a gauntlet. I feel folks that know, actually research the sport, know the way good the league is,” Dykes mentioned. “So to have the ability to undergo this factor undefeated, to have the ability to win the street video games that we did, to grind by way of a number of the robust ones we needed to grind by way of, I feel reveals that now we have a great soccer crew.”

Earlier than the lopsided end, none of TCU’s earlier seven wins had been by greater than 10 factors. The Frogs needed to overcome double-digit deficits after halftime in back-to-back video games in October, together with a 38-28 win over Kansas State after being down 28-10 within the second quarter.

One other win over Ok-State subsequent Saturday will go away no questions on TCU changing into the primary Large 12 crew apart from Oklahoma to make the four-team playoff.

However the Frogs may not even need to win that rematch to get into one of many nationwide semifinal video games after everything else that happened on the final day of this regular season. Beforehand undefeated Ohio State (No. 2 CFP) misplaced 45-23 at house to Michigan, and Clemson (No. 8) additionally misplaced earlier than TCU had even kicked off Saturday. LSU, fifth within the CFP rankings even with two losses already, misplaced once more Saturday evening, as did Oregon (No. 9).

There was no Large 12 championship recreation in 2014, when TCU was third within the CFP rankings going into what was the ultimate weekend of its convention’s common season whereas different leagues performed title video games.

So a day after overwhelming Iowa State at house, the Frogs dropped to sixth within the ultimate CFP rankings, a spot behind one-loss Baylor, the one crew to beat them that season in a 61-58 thriller. Ohio State, after a 59-0 win within the Large Ten championship recreation, moved as much as fourth and went on to win the nationwide title — a ultimate recreation performed at AT&T Stadium, solely about 20 miles from the TCU campus.

The Cyclones had been a two-win crew that season, with that finale being their fifth loss by no less than 20 factors.

Iowa State (4-8, 1-8) entered Saturday’s recreation with the Large 12′s finest protection, permitting 16.5 factors a recreation. Solely two opponents had scored greater than 24 factors, essentially the most being 31, and its seven losses had been by a mixed 38 factors — or lower than 5 1/2 factors per recreation.

TCU had 17 factors on its first three drives and led 24-0 on the finish of the primary quarter after the primary of two interception returns for touchdowns. Max Duggan threw TDs to a few completely different receivers and Kendre Miller ran for 2 scores, his thirteenth consecutive recreation with a speeding landing.

“We confirmed the true crew that we actually have,” mentioned fourth-year cornerback Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson.

Duggan mentioned, “It was in all probability our most full recreation.”

On the good time within the season to make a robust assertion.

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