College Football Rankings, Week 5: Texas, TCU, Baylor All Ranked

The Bears moved into the poll this week, giving the Big 12 a sixth ranked team in the top 25.

Virginia Vs. TCU 2012: Frogs O' War Breaks Down the TCU Victory

In the wake of the Horned Frogs' 27-7 win over Virginia on Saturday, SB Nation TCU blog Frogs o' War found a few positives before crying havoc:

I'm glad TCU won. I'm glad TCU upped its third down conversions substantially. I'm glad Trey Boykin got more meaningful snaps, and I'm glad Olabode came back into the game after needing help up. (Any word on Jonathan Anderson?) I'm glad Joel Hasley has come to play.

But if TCU were a stock, I'd be selling, shorting, abandoning, cashing, etc. as fast as I could.

This team will be lucky even to make a bowl game this year. I say that carefully-- "this team" can still improve enough to be a better team, to be "that team" that wins 7 or 8 and is set up very well to contend for very big things next year. But this team isn't that team, and without some serious improvement-- and quickly-- this team is going to sink this season, beginning in two weeks.

Frogs o' War cited the continued fumbling as a concern, though they also praised the play of the defensive secondary and wide receiver Brandon Carter.

TCU returns to action Saturday in their annual showdown with SMU for the Iron Skillet.

For more TCU news and reaction, go to Frogs o' War.

Virginia Vs. TCU 2012: Horned Frogs Pick Up 27-7 Victory Over Cavaliers

The No. 17 TCU Horned Frogs (3-0) defeated the Virginia Cavaliers (2-2) on Saturday afternoon, 27-7, in a game that held some resemblance to the Frogs' victory over Kansas last week.

TCU's struggles inside of the red zone carried over into this week, as the Horned Frogs turned the ball over twice while inside Virginia's 20-yard line. Still, quarterback Casey Pachall and wide receiver Brandon Carter provided enough offense to lead TCU to victory.

The Horned Frogs' defense was strong as usual, creating four turnovers, keeping the Cavaliers off the board until late in the fourth quarter when Virginia backup quarterback Phillip Sims hit E.J. Scott in the back of the endzone for a 5-yard score. It was the first touchdown that TCU's defense had allowed since the 2011 Poinsettia Bowl.

In Waymon James' absence, TCU used several players to make up for the loss of rushing productivity. Matthew Tucker ran for 52 yards on 15 carries, while Trevone Boykin carried the ball three times for 51 yards.

TCU wide receiver Josh Boyce caught a touchdown pass early in the second quarter, giving him 18 touchdown receptions in his career. He is now TCU's all-time leader in that category.

Box Score Hero: While Pachall needs to be more careful with the football while in the red zone, he still had a solid outing, throwing for 304 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Carter hauled in five passes for 128 yards and a score.

Rankings Ramifications: The Horned Frogs actually dropped a spot after a similar victory over Kansas last weekend, so it will be interesting to see what happens this time. Ohio State, who is currently one spot ahead of TCU in the rankings, struggled in defeating UAB at home on Saturday. Could that sway the voters into moving TCU ahead of them?

But Did They Cover? TCU came into the game as 19-point favorites, so it barely covered. Meanwhile, the final score total didn't even come close to reaching the over/under of 54 that was set during the week.

For More On This Game: Frogs O' War is the place to go for news and analysis on TCU, while additional coverage on Virginia can be found at Streaking The Lawn.

Next Week's Schedule: TCU will travel across town to face SMU, while Virginia returns home to host Louisiana Tech.

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This story originally appeared on SBNation.com.

Virginia Vs. TCU Score Update: Horned Frogs Get 2 Field Goals To Extend Lead

The No. 17 TCU Horned Frogs lead the Virginia Cavaliers, 20-0, at the end of the third quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. Horned Frogs' kicker Jaden Oberkrom nailed a couple of long field goals to provide the only scoring for either team in the quarter.

Neither offense moved the ball a whole lot in the half, although Virginia was able to get inside the TCU 20-yard line late in the quarter, as running back Kevin Parks broke off a 49-yard run on third down. However, the Horned Frogs were able to stop the Cavaliers on fourth down, keeping their shutout intact.

Oberkrom kicked a 46-yard field goal at the end of TCU's first drive of the half. Then, after the Horned Frogs intercepted a pass from Virginia quarterback Michael Rocco, Oberkrom hit one from 47 yards out.

TCU quarterback Casey Pachall was shaken up after taking hits on a couple of different occasions during the quarter, but has been able to stay in the game up to this point.

For more on the TCU Horned Frogs, head over to Frogs O' War and SB Nation Dallas. More on NCAA football in general can be found over at SB Nation's NCAA Football hub.

Virginia Vs. TCU Halftime Update: Horned Frogs Lead Cavaliers, 14-0

The TCU Horned Frogs hold a 14-0 lead over the Virginia Cavaliers as the two teams enter the locker room at halftime in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Frogs had a chance to put another touchdown on the board as the half wound down, but quarterback Casey Pachall threw an interception inside the Virginia 5-yard line. That continued a string of redzone turnovers for TCU, as the Frogs turned the ball over three times inside Kansas' 20-yard line in an underwhelming showing last weekend.

Aside from that, the Horned Frogs looked energized and came out rolling. Pachall threw for 170 yards and a couple of touchdowns in the half, while explosive wide receiver Brandon Carter caught two passes for 111 yards and a score. The loss of Waymon James appears to have hurt TCU's running game, though, as running back Matthew Tucker has gained just 23 yards, while averaging just over two yards per carry.

Early in the second quarter, Pachall hooked up with wide receiver Josh Boyce for a 6-yard score. It was Boyce's 18th career touchdown reception, which makes him TCU's all-time leader in that category.

The Horned Frogs outgained the Cavaliers, 212 yards to 137, in the half.

For more on the TCU Horned Frogs, head over to Frogs O' War and SB Nation Dallas. More on NCAA football in general can be found over at SB Nation's NCAA Football hub.

Virginia Vs. TCU Score Update: Jennings Gives Frogs 7-0 First Quarter Lead

The TCU Horned Frogs used defense, one big play on offense and a little bit of luck to take a 7-0 first quarter lead over the Virginia Cavaliers.

Out of sync early, quarterback Casey Pachall hooked up with Brandon Carter on a 68 yard touchdown pass. Carter made an acrobatic one handed catch in stride, beating his defender to the end zone to give the Horned Frogs their one score of the quarter.

Less than a minute later, Cavaliers quarterback Michael Rocco appeared to have Darius Jennings on a deep pass when Jennings dropped a catch that likely would've tied the game. The Horned Frogs offense has been mired by penalties and a stubborn Cavaliers run defense, gaining only 11 yards on the ground in six attempts.

For more on the TCU Horned Frogs, head over to Frogs O' War and SB Nation Dallas. More on NCAA football in general can be found over at SB Nation's NCAA Football hub.

Virginia Vs. TCU 2012: Schedule, Game Time, Odds And More

Despite the loss of leading rusher Waymon James, the TCU Horned Frogs will still enter their game against the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday as a heavy favorite.

James, who was averaging 9.9 yards per carry in his first two games of the season, injured his knee in TCU's game against Kansas but only represents one piece of the supremely tough squad that the Frogs have at their disposal. In fact, they may hardly notice the loss, shifting in fellow star running back Matthew Tucker in James' absence.

Virginia will have their work cut out for them getting through a TCU defense that has only allowed 6 points in their first two games. The Cavaliers have struggled to put points on the board in their last two games, putting 17 up on Penn State and then only scoring 20 during their big loss to Georgia Tech.

TCU took a 30-14 win the last time the two teams met back in 2009.

Game time, TV channel: 11 a.m. CT, ESPN

Point spread: TCU favored by 14.5 points.

For news, discussion and more:

For more on Horned Frogs football, visit TCU blog Frogs O' War, plus SB Nation Dallas.

For more on Hoos football, visit Virginia blog Streaking The Lawn.

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Virginia Coach Calls Stansly Maponga 'An Unbelievable Talent'

The No. 17 TCU Horned Frogs defense has been dominant so far this season, allowing just six points against Grambling State and Kansas in the first two games of this season, and defensive end Stansly Maponga has been a big part of that success.

TCU takes on Virginia this Saturday, with Cavaliers offensive line coach Scott Wachenheim knowing just how tough a test his team faces against Gary Patterson's team. Wachenheim was on the same coaching staff as Patterson at Utah during the 1990s and he knows exactly how much focus that Robertson puts on the importance of at team's defense.

Along with that respect, comes the knowledge that Wachenheim's offensive line is going to be facing an incredibly tough test against Waponga. The defensive end is a preseason All-Big 12 selection, is a key part of that defense and a player that opposing coaches know they must prepare for.

"He's an unbelievable talent," Wachenheim said of Maponga. "He's an unbelievable pass rusher, has four different moves and is as good a pass rusher as we've seen."

Kickoff for TCU and Virginia is set for 11:00 a.m. CT, with coverage on ESPN.

For more on Horned Frogs football, visit TCU blog Frogs O' War, plus SB Nation Dallas. For all of your college football needs, be sure to check out SB Nation's dedicated college football hub.

TCU Vs. Virginia: Frogs Have To Limit Turnovers

TCU is 2-0 and No. 17 in the country, but they still have a lot of work to do and the first thing they have to limit the turnovers, according to an Associated Press article. Last week versus Kansas, the Horned Frogs turned the ball over four times and fumbled three times inside the Jayhawks' 20. While they did win, the Frogs know that they won't get away with such sloppy play very often.

"We can't make mistakes like that against good teams," Matthew Tucker said after fumbling in last week's win. "We just got away with a win."

For now, TCU has some margin for error. Kansas isn't very good and this week's contest against Virginia shouldn't test them too much, but the Horned Frogs' last four games of the season are all against teams in the AP top 15. By the time those games come around, TCU needs to have sorted out their turnover problems and while games like this weekend's visit from Virginia should be wins, turnovers are a good way to get upset.

For all of your TCU coverage, head over to Frogs O' War and follow along as they take aim at the Big 12.

TCU Vs. Virginia: James Injury Leaves Frogs Thin At RB

The No. 17 TCU Horned Frogs find their stable of running backs a bit thinner than they'd like after losing Waymon James to a season-ending knee injury.

James, a junior out of Sherman, Texas, injured his knee in the fourth quarter of the Horned Frogs' 20-6 victory at Kansas on Saturday. He had 17 carries for 168 yards and a touchdown in 2012, and is eligible to apply for a medical redshirt which would give him two more seasons of eligibility for the Horned Frogs.

Senior tailback Matthew Tucker is the top candidate to carry the bulk of the load for TCU's running game, while freshman B.J. Catalon and senior Aundre Dean could see time in the backfield as well.

TCU head coach Gary Patterson lamented the thinning backfield situation in a comment to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

"A year ago I had three tailbacks that had a chance to be draft choices and now you have a possibility to be down to one of them. In my profession you can't worry about the guy that goes down. It's got to be about the next guy needs to step up. Matthew had the best spring and summer of all of them. He's been a great running back for us for a while."

TCU (2-0) will will host Virginia (2-1) on Saturday at Amon Carter Stadium.

For more on Horned Frogs football, visit TCU blog Frogs O' War, plus SB Nation Dallas. For all of your college football needs, be sure to check out SB Nation's dedicated college football hub.

Waymon James Out For Season With Knee Injury

Texas Christian University running back Waymon James will miss the remainder of the 2012 season with a knee injury, according to SI.com. James was TCU's leading rusher through the first two games of the year.

James, a junior from Sherman, Texas, appeared to injure his knee at the end of a 17-yard run midway through the fourth quarter of the Horned Frogs' 20-6 victory over Kansas on Saturday. He missed out on the century mark by one yard, finishing the game with 99 yards on 12 carries.

James averaged 9.9 yards per carry while rushing for 168 yards and a touchdown against Grambling State and Kansas. Matthew Tucker, who has split the carries with James almost down the middle, will likely take over as the primary back for TCU. He has gained 100 yards on 19 carries over the first two games of the season.

For more on the Horned Frogs, be sure to visit Frogs O' War. And, for additional college pigskin coverage, head over to SB Nation's NCAA Football hub.

TCU Vs. Virginia Odds: Frogs Are 17 Point Favorites

While Virginia, an ACC program coming off an 8-5 season, should be more of a test for TCU than Grambling or Kansas, the oddsmakers don't think Frogs fans should be sweating Saturday's game too much.

After opening at TCU -14, the line for the game is now at -17.5.

For all the optimism surrounding the Cavaliers program in Mike London's third year on the job, they are coming off a 56-20 drubbing at the hands of Georgia Tech.

They were able to defeat Penn State, meanwhile, but it was on a last-second field goal in a 17-16 game where the Nittany Lions' own kicking game fell apart.

The Frogs, meanwhile, have been under the radar for the first part of 2012, but they have a chance to rack up an 8-0 record before they play the four ranked teams on their schedule -- West Virginia, Kansas State, Texas and Oklahoma -- in the last four games of the season.

The over/under for Saturday's game is 53.5, as quarterback Casey Pachall has the chance to continue his remarkable hot streak. In his first two games, Pachall has completed 84.5 percent of his passes for 536 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.

For more coverage of the game, stay tuned to Frogs O' War and Streaking The Lawn as well as the SB Nation Dallas StoryStream.

College Football 2012 Schedule: TCU Looks To Stay Unbeaten

Texas is off, giving TCU the state spotlight this weekend in college football.

TCU Vs. UVA: Frogs First Real Test Of 2012

Even if it's a respite from the Big 12 for a game, Saturday's game against the Virginia Cavaliers will provide the No. 17 TCU Horned Frogs with their first real test of 2012 as the team looks to improve to 3-0.

TCU is coming off a 20-6 win over the Kansas Jayhawks, the Frogs' first conference game as a member of the Big 12. Kansas and TCU's opening opponent, Grambling (which TCU handled 56-0), haven't exactly provided the strongest indicator of what kind team TCU has for this season.

Virginia (2-1) will be looking to bounce back from a terrible defensive showing in a 56-20 loss to Georgia Tech. The Cavaliers went 8-5 last season in head coach Mike London's first with the team, and a win over a Top 25 team will go a long way in showing the program is ready to turn the corner.

Still, TCU is a heavy favorite at home (17.5 points to open) and anything less than a win will be a disappointment.

Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on Saturday and will be televised by ESPN.

For more on TCU, check out Frogs 'o War and join the discussion, and check out more college football at SB Nation. Be sure to subscribe to SB Nation on YouTube for sports commentary and analysis:

TCU Vs. Virginia: Horned Frogs Look To Improve To 3-0

TCU hosts the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, as the Horned Frogs look to improve to 3-0 on the season.