No. 5 TCU wins convincingly at Texas

AUSTIN, Texas — Breaking down No. 5 TCU's 48-10 win Thursday against Texas:

THE BIG PICTURE: This was a role reversal: Texas as hunter, TCU as hunted. It's been that sort of season for the Longhorns, who have made clear progress under Charlie Strong but remain a work in progress. It's also been this kind of year for TCU, which has fought back threat after threat to remain in the think of the College Football Playoff race heading into the final weekend of the season.

Thursday night's victory was a convincing win — Texas has successfully forced other opponents to win ugly, at least — and it was a win on the road against a bowl team, helping to support the Horned Frogs' case for one of the top four spots in the final Playoff poll.

The case now rests with the Playoff selection committee. Did TCU play like a top-four team in the Football Bowl Subdivision? That depends on how one views Texas, which had one four of its previous five games — if the Longhorns are a solid team, this was a solid win on the road. And what of game control? TCU was in firm control throughout. We'll see how much that matters when the committee issues its final poll on Dec. 7.

WHAT WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT: Yes, TCU's Playoff résumé is complete. Among the highlights: wins against Minnesota, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Kansas State and Texas. The lowlight: that three-point loss at Baylor on Oct. 6. All that's left is a game against Iowa State to cap the regular season, but that won't have an impact on the Horned Frogs' postseason hopes — it would have a negative impact, but TCU's good work has been done.

And it's a solid – if not simply impressive – platform to put toward the selection committee. The loss to Baylor may be viewed differently than most, due in large part to TCU's overwhelming fourth-quarter lead and the Bears' home-field advantage. Through this week's Playoff Top 25, the Horned Frogs had been given the edge over Baylor by virtue of that close win and the latter's weak nonconference schedule. The scheduling edge may be thinned after Baylor plays Kansas State to end the regular season, but TCU can proudly rest its case in front of the committee.

THE DECIDING PLAY: Texas had rediscovered some of its footing in the second quarter, scoring a field goal and forcing TCU into punts on its first two drives. The Horned Frogs' final drive of the quarter was a killer: TCU went 67 yards in nine plays, capped by a four-yard touchdown pass by Trevone Boykin, to take a 20-3 lead at the break and put the Longhorns' punch-less offense in a bind coming out of halftime.

BREAKOUT PLAYER: Let's give credit for TCU's entire front six — the Horned Frogs' defense runs out of an unorthodox 4-2-5 base formation — but save specific praise for linebackers Paul Dawson and Marcus Mallett, who crashed hard into the Texas backfield to disrupt the Longhorns' running game. At halftime, running backs Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray had a combined eight yards on eight carries. Though the Longhorns had 69 rushing yards in total at the break, 27 came on quarterback Tyron Swoopes' long scramble to end the first half.

KEY STAT: TCU has now won 10 or more games for the ninth time in coach Gary Patterson's 14 full seasons with the program.

KEY STAT, PART II: Swoopes had thrown just two interceptions during Texas' 4-1 stretch heading into Thursday night. He tossed four against the Horned Frogs.

KEY STAT, PART III: Texas lost at home to Baylor and TCU in the same season for the first time since 1933.