No. 4 TCU blasts ISU, finishes 'gauntlet' at 12-0

After closing retired his archetypal regular play astatine TCU with a 62-14 triumph implicit Iowa State to decorativeness 12-0 connected Saturday, Sonny Dykes believes his squad has proven that the Horned Frogs are worthy of their lofty ranking and a imaginable spot successful the College Football Playoff.

In 2014, No. 3 TCU bushed Iowa State 55-3 to decorativeness 11-1 lone to get passed by Ohio State connected the past play of the rankings and were near retired of the playoff.

"I cognize the past with TCU and Iowa State and large victories," Dykes said. "It didn't enactment retired peculiarly good successful 2014. I cognize that. I deliberation it's different. I deliberation assemblage shot is different. I deliberation the committee is different, I deliberation the Big 12 is viewed otherwise than it was then."

At the time, the Big 12 didn't person a title game, a large information for the committee aft Ohio State won the Big Ten. Dykes said this year's Big 12, with 8 bowl-eligible teams and nary divisions wherever you mightiness get a "good draw" and miss immoderate of the league's amended teams, is different.

"It's a gauntlet," Dykes said. "I deliberation radical who truly survey the crippled cognize however bully the league is. To get done this happening undefeated, to beryllium capable to triumph roadworthy games, grind done immoderate of the pugnacious moments we had to grind through, I deliberation shows we person a bully shot team."

TCU's 12-0 play is the archetypal successful the Big 12 since Texas successful 2009.

The Horned Frogs' 62 points came against an Iowa State squad that was eighth nationally successful scoring defense, allowing 16.5 points per game, and had lone allowed 1 team, Baylor connected Sept. 24, to people much than 30 points. The Cyclones lone allowed 3 different teams to apical the 20-point mark.

Dykes said backmost Max Duggan, who was 17 of 24 for 212 yards and 3 touchdowns connected Saturday, has had a elder play worthy Heisman Trophy consideration. Duggan, who didn't commencement until the 2nd crippled of the season, passed for 3,070 yards, 29 touchdowns and 3 interceptions and rushed for 5 more. Baylor's Bryce Petty successful 2013 is the lone Big 12 backmost successful past with much passing touchdowns (32) and less than 5 interceptions.

"I deliberation anybody that's watched america this year, y'all cognize what helium means to our shot squad and program," Dykes said. "He surely is precise deserving of an accidental to get to New York."

Dykes, who took implicit for legendary TCU manager Gary Patterson, who parted ways with the schoolhouse amid a 5-7 decorativeness past play aft 21 years arsenic caput coach, tin present crook his team's attraction to the Big 12 title crippled aft astir a period of clinching a spot successful the game.

He wrapped up a historical debut by earning his 83rd vocation win, surpassing his precocious father, erstwhile Texas Tech manager Spike Dykes, who retired successful 1999 with 82 victories. But he's not acceptable for this play to extremity yet.

"I'd similar to play arsenic galore games arsenic we tin with this radical due to the fact that I deliberation we'll fig retired a mode to triumph 'em," Dykes said.