Live Blog: TCU Gives Utes the Horns

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The atmosphere is electric and Amon G. Carter Stadium is packed to overflow capacity for what is arguably the biggest game in decades at TCU.

Should the fourth-ranked Horned Frogs (9-0, 5-0) make it past No.16 Utah (8-1, 5-0) tonight they will not only have a strong edge in the Mountain West race but will also keep them in step for a BCS bowl bid and possibly a berth into the national title game. Should the Frogs, who are ranked fourth in the BCS standings, make it to Pasadena, Calif. they will become the first non-BCS conference school to compete in the BCS title game.

(Follow Terrance Harris' game blog after the jump)

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The possibility of making it to a national title game has generated never before seen excitement around the Horned Frogs program. Painting yourself purple seems to be the thing to do these days in Fort Worth and the surrounding area.

Let's just see how impressed the reigning MWC champion Utes will be with all the hype TCU has garnered for tonight's game.

FIRST QUARTER

The Horned Frogs don't waste much time in getting on the board and getting the crowd even more amped as they march 87 yards on eights plays to go up 7-0. Running back Matthew Tucker broke through the middle of the line and raced 41 yards to the touchdown with 11:33 left in first.

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This may or may not mean much, but the Frogs seem to be having trouble in the kicking game during the early going. Place kicker Ross Evans has missed a 26-yard chip shot attempt and punter Anson Kelton just shanked a punt that gave the Utes the ball at the TCU 43.

It will be interesting to see if these problems continue throughout the night.

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The Frogs problem in the kicking game has come back to bite them. Four plays after Kelton's shanked punt, running back/quarterback Shaky Smithson ran in from 10 yards to help the Utes tie the game 7-7 with 4:48 remaining in the first quarter. Smithson, who came in to run the Utes' version of the Wildcat on a couple plays during the series, now has his first touchdown of the season.

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Let's give TCU receiver Ryan Christian the play of the night and yes, we are still in the first quarter. But the touchdown play was nice. Christian took a swing pass from Andy Dalton then sidestepped a tackler before racing down the sideline for a 14-yard touchdown reception that put the Frogs up 14-7 late in the first quarter

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So much focus so far has been on the TCU offense, but the Frogs defense, led by defensive end Jerry Hughes, is playing an unbelievable game. In the final series of the first quarter, the unit recorded two negative yardage plays courtesy of Hughes and then blocked a punt to hand the offense the ball at the Utah 23.

SECOND QUARTER

Someone might want to explain to the Utes that the Horned Frogs don't need any help scoring. After spotting the Frogs on the 23 because of the blocked punt, the Utah defense then commits two mind-less penalties, an illegal substitution and then offsides on back to back plays to position TCU at the 3. That made it easy for Jeremy Kerley to barrel into the end zone from three yards to open up a 21-7 TCU lead with 14:11 left to play in the first half.

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Okay, this one is looking like a rout in the making. Antoine Hicks just raced 1-yard for a touchdown to put the Frogs up 28-7. They've scored 21 unanswered points to separate themselves from the Utes. The last touchdown was set up when returnman Jeremy Kerley burst around the corner for a 39-yard punt return to the Utah 29. And on the first play from scrimmage, Dalton hit receiver Jimmy Young on a perfectly placed slant pass for a 28-yard pickup to the 1.

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TCU is just putting on one of the most complete performances imaginable. The Frogs have used offense and speical teams to help put up points, now the defense has gotten into the act. Middle linebacker Carder just returned an interception 10 yards for a pick six that put the Frogs up 35-7 early in the second quarter. So much for the great battle.

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Utah coach Kyle Whittingham has to be completely beside himself at this point tonight. Not only is his team getting smashed 38-14 in the first half, but they are being hammered by penalties. Illegal substitutions on the defense, offsides, and unsportsmanlike conduct calls have all gone against the Utes in the first two quarters. TCU hasn't been penalized nearly as much so far.

HALFTIME

Okay, who will admit they expected such a lopsided game between the Frogs and Utes to this point? Nothing about their recent past would have suggested TCU would be holding a commanding 38-14 lead at the intermission.

On paper, they seemed to be pretty evenly matched with TCU maybe holding the edge on defense and a slight advantage on offense and special teams, But so far, the Frogs have been dominant on all phases.

Dalton has been his efficient self, completing 15 of 23 passes for 194 yards and one touchdown and one interception. Dalton has hit receiver Ryan Christian for 48 yards and a touchdown on five passes. The Frogs array of runners have amassed 115 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries in the first half.

But also give it up the Frogs' defense, which has limited Utah to just 27 yards rushing on 15 attempts and just 157 yards of total offense in the first two quarters. TCU's offense has put up 309 yards of offense.