The TCU Horned Frogs are 4-0, ranked No. 16 in the country and off to a 1-0 start in
Big 12 play.
Good numbers for sure, but that doesn't mean head coach Gary Patterson is exactly sure what he has with his team yet.
"It depends on the day," Patterson said in the weekly Big 12 conference call. "You saw Virginia (which TCU beat) score 38 points last weekend against a pretty good La. Tech team. It just depends on the day. You just got to be a point better than everybody else on the day that you play them. I think that's the key. Are we as a defense as good as the 2008 defense? No. Has the offense played as well as the Rose Bowl offense? No. But the key to it is on the games we have to we've been better."
The Frogs will have another chance to see where they stack up Saturday when they host Iowa State (3-1) at Amon G. Carter Stadium. The Cyclones lost their first game last weekend to Texas Tech, which is now undefeated and ranked nationally.
And while Patterson said his team's defense might not be as good as the 2008 squad, Iowa State will face one of the best the Big 12 has on paper. TCU ranks third nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 7.2 points a game. That's the best in the Big 12. TCU also leads the Big 12 in rushing defense, third in pass defense and second in total defense. That could make for a long day for Iowa State quarterback Steele Jantz, who threw for just 73 yards against Texas Tech and was intercepted three times.
Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads knows that won't do against TCU.
"We're concerned," Rhoads said. "We scored six points (on offense) and were under 200 yards and you can look at a number of statistical categories and be upset and be embarrassed. I've got a lot of faith in our kids. I've got a lot of faith in our staff. I know they'll put together a great plan for TCU."
Patterson also knows that just because the defense has been solid so far doesn't mean anything Saturday.
"We've been good enough to get through the first four ballgames and now we have to be better here in Game 5 against our first home Big 12 opponent which really plays well on defense," Patterson said. "They've very physical and don't make mistakes. For us, we've got to put ourselves in a position where we don't either."
