I can’t imagine anyone doubting TCU’s legitimacy now. It’s ranked No. 4 in the BCS rankings and only has one obstacle standing in the way of the program’s first BCS bid8212;the Utes. As with last year’s matchup, the battle Saturday in Texas will not only have BCS implications, but it will also decide an outright conference leader.
Statistically speaking, TCU is Goliath and Utah is David. Of the 17 main statistical categories, the Frogs are ranked in the top ten nationally in ten categories and in the top three in total defense, passing efficiency and kick-off returns. Utah has zero. How then could Utah stand a chance this year? The answer is simple and lies with two of the team’s most dynamic players, senior free safety Robert Johnson and junior running back Eddie Wide.
Key matchup number one: RoJo vs. Dalton
TCU runs the ball twice as much as it passes it, and with a team average of 5.1 yards per game, the Horned Frogs are good enough for a national ranking of sixth in rush offense.
“TCU has a very mature quarterback,” said safeties coach Morgan Scalley. “He’s the first threat in their running game. We’ve got to match speed with speed.”
Even if the Utes manage to match TCU’s speed, they still have a big problem to deal with8212;Andy Dalton’s arm. The junior quarterback has grown into an incredibly efficient passer, ranked No. 4 nationally. He has 16 touchdowns and only three interceptions with a completion percentage of nearly 64 percent.
“This is my third year playing against Dalton,” said Johnson. “He’s got a strong arm, and he passes the ball as well as the team runs it.”
TCU’s offense doesn’t have many weaknesses this year, but if Utah stacks the box and forces the Horned Frogs to throw more than they normally do, the Utes’ 13th-ranked pass defense might have a shot at slowing down TCU’s ball movement.
“In watching film, I got some good keys off the offensive lineman about either if it’s a pass or run,” Johnson said. Johnson ranks sixth in the country with five interceptions.
Key matchup number two: Wide vs. “The Box”
Utah’s offense has seen ups and downs so far this season. It has two starting quarterbacks, two starting running backs and an overall offense ranked No. 34 in the country with 411 yards per game. Yet both Wide and senior receiver David Reed have emerged into offensive powerhouses for Utah and are having career years, with 6.2 yards per carry and 14.1 yards per reception, respectively. So, with them in your arsenal, which beast do you try to attack? The seventh-ranked rush defense with Wide or the third-ranked pass defense with Reed? You have to look at it as determining the lesser of two evils. If the Utes decide to use a passing attack, they risk All-American left defensive end Jerry Hughes, who already has 10 sacks on the year. If they decide to rush, they’ll face a stingy defensive line and a fast set of linebackers led by senior Daryl Washington. Their defense is horrifying to anyone trying to move the ball on them. Ask Harvey Unga. Ask Max Hall.
“You do have to be patient with running against TCU,” Wide said.
The Frogs have a potential weakness in that the team is a dismal 77th in the country in tackles for loss. They get the tackles, but it usually comes off the forward side of the line of scrimmage. If Wide can manage to gain ground on the Horned Frogs, the Utes might have a shot at moving the ball and putting some points on the board.
“I love the challenge and am looking forward to it,” Wide said.