Division I’s longest winning streak now belongs to two teams. The No. 1 ranked, national championship contending Oklahoma Sooners and the Horned Frogs from Texas Christian.

Following last Saturday’s 13-10 win over South Florida, No. 16 TCU has won eight consecutive games, and at 6-0, it is one of five remaining undefeated teams in Division I.

Though ravaged by key injuries on offense – including injuries to starting quarterback Tye Gunn, running back Lonta Hobbs and wide receivers Quentily Harmon and Bruce Galbert – TCU continues to win consistently close games. Led by an aggressive defensive plan and several unexpected offensive contributors, TCU doesn’t win big, it just keeps finding ways not to lose.

‘They do a really good job,’ Alabama-Birmingham coach Watson Brown said, ‘of not beating themselves.’

One player who has remained healthy is defensive end Bo Schobel. The cousin of TCU graduates and current NFL players Matt and Aaron Schobel, Bo Schobel has collected 9.5 sacks and 15 tackles for a loss.

Schobel had 2 of TCU’s 10 sacks last Saturday, ending South Florida’s 21-game home winning streak.

‘They are a good defense,’ South Florida coach Jim Leavitt said. ‘They have a very good front four. They were very active. I bet they (finish with) a ton of sacks this season.’

After winning the Conference USA championship last season on their way to a 10-2 record, including a victory over Colorado State in the AXA Liberty Bowl, the Horned Frogs were expected to be strong again in 2003. But few in Fort Worth, Texas, ever believed the Horned Frogs would find themselves in the Top 20 this late in the season.

‘It’s something for our kids to be proud of,’ TCU head coach Gary Patterson said. ‘I know that 50 percent of the people out there don’t think we should be (ranked). It serves as a motivation to prove people wrong.’

Unlike fellow small-conference unbeaten Northern Illinois, which is ranked No. 16, TCU hasn’t generated attention from the national media because none of its wins have come against a big-name opponent. The Horned Frogs have two wins against major-conference schools this season, but they are each against perennial conference basement dwellers Vanderbilt, from the SEC, and Arizona, from the Pacific 10 Conference.

Patterson said he knows TCU’s weak schedule will probably send it to a non-BCS bowl game, no matter how many games the Horned Frogs win this season. But he stresses the BCS is out of his control and is only about what conference a team plays in.

He said that in his mind, it matters less who you play, as long as you continue to find ways to win.

‘People have been saying (TCU doesn’t play a tough schedule) for a while,’ Patterson said. ‘But who is a nobody? How you match up is the most important thing. It comes down to what people traditionally think about a school.’

As TCU keeps winning, it has surpassed traditional Longhorn State football powerhouses in the national rankings. After Texas’s loss to Oklahoma on Saturday, 65-13, TCU is now the highest-ranked team in Texas.

‘It doesn’t happen very often,’ Patterson said, ‘that TCU is ranked higher than Texas and Texas A&M. But we’ll take it when we can get it.’

With six games to go in TCU’s Conference USA schedule, and with an offense still decimated by injuries, Patterson admitted that it will be a difficult feat to go undefeated.

‘Defensively, we’re going to give points up,’ Patterson said. ‘It’s the law of averages. That’s why we need to get our great players back on offense. If not, it could catch up with us eventually. I just hope as a coach, that doesn’t happen.’

A Long Time Coming

Last Saturday at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo., Missouri did something that many fans believed would never happen – it beat Nebraska.

In front of a national television audience, quarterback Brad Smith led the Tigers to a 41-24 win over the Cornhuskers, their first since 1978.

‘I’ve told some people that our program will eventually beat some people,’ Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said.’ I was getting tired. I was really frustrated because I’m not very patient. But it’s nice to get this first one.’

The game showcased Smith, who ran for a school record three touchdowns and threw for another – as well as executing two successful trick plays (a fake field goal for a touchdown and a fake punt) from the Missouri’s special teams – in the win.

Nebraska led, 24-14, early in the third quarter. But Smith led Missouri to score the game’s final 27 points, causing fans to tear down both goal posts. The Tigers are now tied for first in the Big 12’s North Division.

Teams to watch for

Wisconsin – Saturday, the Badgers became the first team to beat Ohio State, 17-10, in two seasons despite losing quarterback Jim Sorgi in the third quarter after being violently chocked by Buckeye linebacker Robert Reynolds.

Wisconsin has won four straight since its lone loss to UNLV and possesses one of the nations top running attacks with Dwayne Smith, Anthony Davis and Booker Stanley, each having gained more than 400 yards on the ground this season.

Texas Tech – Without a strong defense, the Red Raiders have relied on an explosive passing offense for their 5-1 record.

Texas Tech has scored at least 42 points in every game this season and has reached 50 three times in 2003.

Quarterback B.J. Symons is on pace to slash NCAA records for yards, attempts, completions and touchdowns, a product of playing in coach Mike Leach’s spread offense, which features four- and five-receiver sets on almost every down.

Big Numbers

286

Total yards passing by both teams in Auburn’s 10-3 victory over Arkansas on Saturday. The two-team total is less than Texas Tech’s B.J. Symons personal passing numbers in any game in 2003.

31

Fourth-quarter points by Michigan in its 38-35 comeback victory over Minnesota. By winning, Michigan keeps the Little Brown Jug for another season, now dating back to 1986.

The Nobody wants the Heisman Rankings

1. Jason White, QB, Oklahoma – The leader of the top-ranked team in the nation vaults to the top of the race thanks to his 20 touchdown passes against only three interceptions.

2. Virginia Tech’s special teams – With nobody taking the clear lead, why not split the trophy between Frank Beamer’s unit that continues to dominate games.

3. B.J. Symons, QB, Texas Tech – The numbers are unbelievable – 2,954 yards passing with 27 touchdowns. But any player in such a pass dominated system doesn’t deserve to be in the top two spots.

Say What?

‘I think (we) wanted to win, but we just weren’t playing like we were lighting our hair on fire, just absolutely getting after it. That’s the way I like to play football.’

– Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel, commenting on the Tigers’ lack of aggression in their 35-14 loss to Kansas.

Published on October 14, 2003 at 12:00 pm