Frogs can jump into BCS picture

The first hurdle was cleared yesterday when TCU climbed to No. 6 in the BCS weekly standings. That means an automatic bid for any school from a non-BCS league.

It is important since a BCS berth guarantees each participant slightly more than $15 million, which is 15 times the amount a school from a non-BCS league could make in any other bowl game.

But there is an underlying plot. TCU is a member of Conference USA, which has five schools -- Marquette, DePaul, Cincinnati, Louisville, and South Florida -- heading to the Big East as part of the reconfiguration saga that has enveloped college athletics the past several months. All the schools involved in these movements -- including Boston College -- want to leave for their new leagues next season rather than in 2005. Conference USA schools have opposed an early exit thus far, claiming financial hardship they feel can be mitigated only by exit fees.

But with the possibility of a huge payday from a BCS game, Conference USA might soften its stance -- if it is assured that TCU will get the bowl spot.

Before any of this can happen, TCU must take care of business on the field. The Frogs have three games left -- at home against Cincinnati Saturday, plus games at Southern Mississippi Nov. 20 and at SMU Nov. 29. If the Frogs win out, they will have a powerful argument -- as the only unbeaten Division 1-A team other than Oklahoma -- for inclusion in the BCS even if they drop below a guaranteed spot.

Losses last week by Florida State, Miami, and Virginia Tech all helped TCU's cause, as the list of BCS-worthy teams dwindles. Only No. 1 Oklahoma is unbeaten. No. 2 Southern Cal, No. 3 Louisiana State, and No. 4 Ohio State have only one loss. Everyone else has at least two defeats.

Aided by several of Saturday's defeats, defending champ Ohio State moved up two spots to third in the BCS standings.

The BCS has eight spots in four bowl games: Orange, Sugar, Rose, and Fiesta. Six slots are guaranteed, to champions of the Big East, Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference, Southeastern Conference, Big Ten, and Pac-10. The other two are at-large slots, open to teams the BCS feels are the most qualified. There are a few caveats, however. If any runner-up finishes No. 4 or higher in the rankings, it automatically gets a spot. And if any team from a non-BCS conference is No. 6 or higher, it is guaranteed a spot.

Right now, a projected BCS lineup -- with Michigan winning the Big Ten, LSU winning the SEC, Miami winning the Big East, Florida State winning the ACC, and TCU winning the remainder of its games -- looks like this.

Sugar Bowl (BCS title game): Oklahoma vs. USC.

Fiesta Bowl: LSU vs. Florida State.

Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Texas.

Orange Bowl: Miami vs. TCU.

The X factor is TCU. At 12-0, the Frogs can be a Cinderella story. Inclusion in the BCS also would muffle any criticism of exclusivity.

"Every once in a while, you have a chance to be a part of history, and I feel we have a chance to be part of that," said TCU coach Gary Patterson, asked about the possibility of becoming the first team from a non-BCS conference to get a BCS bid. "I think people like the Cinderella. We feel privileged to be part of it." "In the end, we're going to do what's in our best interests," said Fiesta Bowl executive director John Junker, who added he would have no problem inviting the Frogs given the opportunity.