TCU's 3-0 start might even get it noticed in Texas

Gary Patterson needs to get to his happy place.

His TCU program just made its latest definitive statement. The program's first sellout crowd in 20 years watched the Frogs hold Texas Tech without a touchdown for the first time in six years. The nation's longest winning streak was extended to 13 games.

The Horned Frogs have to shout to get some respect in Texas. (Getty Images)

When he should have been bursting with pride, he busted the world.

"I get tired of being treated like a stepchild in this state and in this town, and my kids do, too," Patterson said following Saturday's 12-3 victory. "We've been waiting for this one for a long time. ... People have been underselling our kids for years."

Not a good time for that take, Gary. The country wants to love the kids in purple with the funny nickname. Of the nation's 27 3-0 teams, the Horned Frogs' story might be the most compelling.

That public wants to know more about the school that carries the legacies of Davey O'Brien, Sammy Baugh and LaDainian Tomlinson.

The no-respect card is dog-eared, Gary, especially for a program that last went to a New Year's Day bowl almost 47 years ago.

Underselling? Start with your own fans, who, until Saturday, have failed to fill up 44,000-seat Amon Carter Stadium for the past two decades. Or maybe blame last year's loss to SMU. TCU fell off the face of the earth a week after the earth-shaking upset at Oklahoma.

Upward mobility is fine, but chasing the dream in three conferences since 2000 tends to confuse the public. Plus, you play in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex where the Cowboys, Rangers, Stars, Mavericks and University of Texas always come first.

A little advice, Gary? Enjoy the journey.

TCU is on the brink of greatness again, ranked 15th in the only poll that counts as far as the Frogs are concerned. The coaches poll is one of two used by the BCS. If TCU finishes in the top 12 of the final BCS standings, then it gets an automatic berth in a BCS bowl.

The current ranking is the highest TCU has been ranked in mid-September since 1959.

"I've always taken the political road, and always been very humble," Patterson said upon further review on Monday. "I wasn't trying to step out of my bounds at all. I think my kids work very hard, I think they deserve more respect than what people around here have given them."

Well, Gary, it's up to you. Again. The Frogs have been here before, starting 7-0 in 2000, 10-0 in 2003 and finishing 11-1 last year.

The SMU stumble last year might have cost TCU a shot at a major bowl. With better BCS access this year, the road isn't necessarily easier, considering history and the schedule.

But win them all and TCU has a great shot at playing in the Fiesta Bowl -- the likely landing spot for a BCS outsider that qualifies.

If you really want to project, the likely opponent in that Fiesta Bowl would be Texas, one of those entities with which Patterson seems to have a problem.

"I was not mad at anything in particular," Patterson said. "I wanted to make sure everyone knew. Here, it's the NFL, Cowboys, Big 12 and everybody else.

"In six years this was the first time I could let them know, 'Let's make sure we give these kids a little bit of notice.' Another time I probably couldn't have gotten away with it."

The surprise is not that TCU beat Texas Tech. It was the method. Patterson, TCU's former defensive coordinator, mixed in different fronts, blitzes and coverages to confuse Graham Harrell, who was making his third career start.

Two redshirt freshman corners -- Nick Sanders and Rafael Priest -- were able to contain Joel Filani and Robert Johnson, who had combined to catch 38 passes before Saturday.

There is an incredible rapport between Patterson and 56-year old coordinator Dick Bumpas. The two met in 1981 when Patterson was a senior at Kansas State and Bumpas was the defensive line coach. This is their third stop and ninth year together.

Bumpas calls the defensive fronts and Patterson calls the coverages. No egos, just ebb and flow.

"That's what Mike Leach said," Patterson said. "The (defenses) that bother him the most are the ones that can do their stuff and do it well."

It's the little things. Patterson and the Frogs had seen elements of Texas Tech's offense against BYU and Baylor in the past year.

Patterson has been without his top two tailbacks -- Robert Merrill and Lonta Hobbs -- due to injury all season.

Former Cincinnati walk-on kicker Chris Manfredini has missed one of 30 field goal attempts in his career -- a perfect 19-for-19 with TCU. Manfredini accounted for all the Frogs' points Saturday with four field goals.

The two toughest remaining games are cushioned by rest. There are 12 days between Texas Tech and the Sept. 28 game against BYU. After a season-defining game at Utah on Oct. 5, the Frogs have 16 days off.

We have been led to this place before. The 2000 season was stained by a November loss to San Jose State. The 10-0 start three years ago was ruined by a loss at Southern Miss.

Get past Oct. 5 unblemished and there is another level of respect waiting. At that point, there is only one team left on the schedule (Colorado State) that has a winning record.

"One little blip cost us last year because I think you have to be undefeated to do it," Patterson said of the BCS.

Happy place, Gary. Please.

Other surprising 3-0s:

Boston College: Consecutive overtime wins at home have made the Eagles the current favorite in the ACC Atlantic.

BC, which has already beaten Clemson, gets Virginia Tech at home and has suddenly not-so-formidable trips to Florida State and Miami. Unlike the Florida teams, BC does everything well but is not spectacular in any area.

Kansas State: After consecutive last-place Big 12 North finishes, K-State needed a quick start. There were all kinds of questions about the new coaching staff.

They handled their business against weaklings Illinois State, Florida Atlantic and Marshall. We'll know a lot more on Saturday when Louisville visits.

Louisville: Take away any program's starting tailback and quarterback. Then add Miami in the third week of the season. The Cardinals have responded tremendously. Bobby Petrino is the current favorite to be coach of the year.

Michigan State: John L. Smith began the year on the hot seat. Now his Spartans are a dark horse to win the Big Ten.

Suddenly, Sparty is solid in all areas. Third in total offense. First in net punting. Twenty-second in rushing defense.

Javon Ringer leads the league in yards per rush (7.7). Drew Stanton has done nothing to ruin his rep as the draft's second-best quarterback in 2007.

We'll know more this week after Notre Dame.

Navy: The Middies are off to only their second 3-0 start since 1979. In one of the more shocking results of the weekend, Navy won by 28 on Saturday at Stanford.

Oklahoma State: OK, the victims have been cadavers Missouri State, Arkansas State and Florida Atlantic, but the point is the Cowboys won.

Mike Gundy wasn't expected to do much in his second year. His team was picked to finish fifth or sixth in the Big 12 South. Huge game this week for Okie State and the conference at Houston.

Purdue: Joe Tiller continues to squeeze all he can out of this dry well. Purdue has had to outscore Indiana State, Miami (Ohio) and Ball State. Quarterback Curtis Painter is No. 1 in the Big Ten in total offense.

Rutgers: A study in patience. The administration stayed with Greg Schiano, and now it's paying off. The Scarlet Knights should be 6-0 when they go to Pittsburgh on Oct. 21.

What will happen first: Backfield tandem of Ray Rice and Brian Leonard both end up in the NFL, or Schiano ends up as Miami's next coach?

South Florida: Three key players will miss half the season, reportedly because of a second failed drug test. The quarterback position was up for grabs.

This is when head coaching comes into play. Rookie quarterback Matt Grothe led a late drive to beat Central Florida. Now six victories don't look that far away.

Wake Forest: When is someone going to hire Jim Grobe? He's hidden at a basketball school but continues to produce.

The Deacons are off to their best start in 19 years despite losing junior quarterback Ben Mauk in the preseason. There isn't a game left on the schedule that they won't have a chance to win.

The defense is allowing 12 points per game. Micah Andrews is second in ACC rushing.