TCU has a chance to take another step vs. OU

TCU has a chance to take another step vs. OU

Published Nov. 27, 2012 1:28 p.m. ET

The TCU Horned Frogs made a huge splash nationally in 2005 when they went to Norman and beat a top-10 ranked Oklahoma team 17-10.

Since then the Frogs have won conference titles, a Rose Bowl and become a national power.

But that might not have been the case without that victory.

"Looking back it was probably the jump start of what's happened since then," TCU head coach Gary Patterson said.

Seven years later the Frogs have another chance to make another splash against Oklahoma by capping a successful first season of Big 12 play by beating the Sooners again and dashing their Big 12 title hopes in the process.

Betting against the Frogs (7-4, 4-4 in Big 12) isn't wise. TCU already has conference victories at West Virginia and Baylor. They are coming off a road win at Texas that eliminated the Longhorns from Big 12 contention.

That win over Texas was the statement game for TCU so far. But the season's not over yet.

"For us it got us to 7-4 and means we can sure have a winning season," Patterson said of the 20-13 win on Thanksgiving night. "I think it proves we can play and every seven days we can be the best team on that Saturday. If you listen to all our guys talk after the game and listen to me, for us we're trying to get to eight wins."

It won't be easy against an OU team (9-2, 7-1) that still has plenty to play for. The Sooners can clinch a share of the Big 12 title with a win and can clinch a BCS berth with a victory over TCU and a Kansas State loss to Texas.

No one has to worry about the Frogs being in awe of Oklahoma, especially coming off the stretch of games TCU has played. The last four games for the Frogs have been against Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Kansas State and Texas, with TCU going 2-2 in those games against teams that have all been nationally ranked at some point this season.

"There are a lot of people that would have thought we'd be 0-5 in that five-game swing and right now we're 2-2," Patterson said.

Beating Texas and OU in consecutive weeks would be a huge feather in their Big 12 cap for the Horned Frogs.

"Beating anybody in the Big 12 on a daily basis is a positive thing for us," said Patterson, whose team last played Oklahoma in 2008 (a 35-10 loss). "Everybody said that when we were on the recruiting trails before were in the Big 12 was they (the Horned Frogs) win ballgames but they don't play good competition every week. Now we've been in every ballgame and we've won our share of ballgames. Before the season we heard now they're here but I don't think they can win ballgames. Now we've proven we can have huge crowds with a new stadium and also win ballgames."

Just like the Frogs showed in 2005.

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