FORT WORTH, TX - This year more than ever, schools like TCU are making a case that they belong in the national spotlight.
"The national media is still not ready to embrace the fact that they have good football players there too," says Gil Lebreton, columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "It's not just scheme, it's not just coaching tricks, they have good football players here."
The horned frogs win over Oregon State on opening weekend and Boise State's win over Virginia Tech showed that the playing field for non BCS conference teams isn't that much different.
"It's you guys that think we can't play and that there is a difference, it's not me," says TCU head coach Gary Patterson. "I keep telling you at the top of our pyramid, it says national championship. It's those out there that say we can never play for it."
After their win over Oregon State TCU leap frog both Texas and Florida this week to move to number four in the Associated Press poll, their highest September ranking since 1956. It's a simple case of a football team earning more and more national respect.
"I think winning on a national spotlight game on ESPN against a good Oregon State team that is going to win a lot of games, was really good for us in that respect," says TCU wide receiver Bart Johnson.
"It’s all about the fans. TCU and Boise State have shown up the past few years playing with the big schools, that's really where we get our respect," says TCU linebacker Tank Carder.
Since the BCS was formed, the national championship game has been all about conference members of the BCS. But if TCU and Boise State win out this year, the odds of a non automatic qualifier playing for a national title is a real possibility.
"Both Boise and us, we both started very high," says Patterson. "I don't know if we'll know that answer until we get to the end of the season."
"Don't blame Boise or TCU, blame the system," says Lebreton. "They're simply playing by the rules that have been established but I think after last year’s Fiesta Bowl, I think the world can accept the fact that one of those teams can slip into the top two."
That would certainly be a change in attitude.
