Friday Q & A

Jimmiemac from Texas provides our next question.

Q: You said this year’s opening game will be the toughest in decades for TCU. But, in the last 2 decades TCU has opened up at Lincoln twice, twice at Norman, once with OU at TCU and once against the Big-10 champ at home. OSU is not the toughest opening game in decades.

A: Notice we didn’t say "toughest opening opponent". We said "toughest opening game". There hasn't been a single time in the last 3 decades where TCU has opened up a season ranked in the Top 10 while playing their first game against a fellow Top 25 opponent. Sure, the Horned Frogs have played tougher opening opponents at times, but never has the pressure of being a preseason Top 10 team weighed so heavily on Horned Frog Players, Coaches, and fans as it will this year.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a person associated with their last National Title (1938) that is still living.
Being a former College Football Player, I can attest to the fact that Top 10 pressure on a 20 or 21 year old kid can eat away at psychology of even the best during the grueling spring and summer weeks leading up to Week 1.
Do I think that Gary Patterson will have them ready to play on Sept 4? Yes.
But, do I think that they will beat the Beavers of Oregon State? Unfortunately, no.

I hope this clears up our meaning of "toughest opening game".