Psychological advantage?

[SeattleUte]

I think that at the level of the TCU-Utah game psychological advantage usually carries the day. I said that vs. Alabama the Utes had one of the most gigantic psych advantages I'd ever seen. I was right. The Utes won the game with brains, intensity, and emotion. Who has it between Utah and TCU?

Edge? Factors:

For Utah:

Lower expectations
TCU's crushing burden of expectations
Whit big game record
TCU's desire for vengence/vindication(?)

For TCU:

Home game
Experience edge at QB
TCU's desire for vengence/vindication(?)



What other intangibles favor either team?

[Fiyero]

This is TCU's first sellout since 2006, and only their third in history. (Capacity 22,000). Which means this will be the largest crowd any of their starters has ever experienced cheering for them.

And TCU has their spiffy new camoflauge uniforms in honor of Veterans Week, as though they are playing for America or something.

[PaloAltoCougar]

2009 SU's prediction of a twelve-point Utah win--advantage TCU.

Sorry, just being honest.

[Fiyero]

Another thing: Utah brings confidence. I hung with the team at the fan events in Nola (and around Bourbon Street) and they were all smiles, loose, relaxed, completely confident. When I said "good luck" to Zane Beadles, I love how he said in response "they're the ones who will need luck." I'll tell you this: Whit will have the team walk on the field absolutely believing that they are going to win. Same story after halftime.

RoJo has this on his facebook: I just love how ESPN said that TCU will manhandle Utah, we will see if they can even hang with us

[old_gregg]

i think another important factor is the mugging tcu experienced in rice eccles last year. they're out for revenge, because without that loss they probably go to a bcs game (they would have been a one-loss team with their loss to the second best team in the country). i think jordan wynn's psyche is also a crucial factor in the discussion of psychology; he's going to get the beat down from a top five defense with the best defensive end in the country. it may be a long game for him.

[Fiyero]

i think jordan wynn's psyche is also a crucial factor in the discussion of psychology; he's going to get the beat down from a top five defense with the best defensive end in the country. it may be a long game for him.

Who do you suppose he's been practicing against all week?

[old_gregg]

certainly not someone who's got the go ahead to give a helmet to his earhole. it only takes a couple of big hits to knock someone just enough out of whack to screw with their game. i think this is magnified by the fact that he is a freshman.

[I.J. Reilly]

This is TCU's first sellout since 2006, and only their third in history. (Capacity 22,000). Which means this will be the largest crowd any of their starters has ever experienced cheering for them.

And TCU has their spiffy new camoflauge uniforms in honor of Veterans Week, as though they are playing for America or something.

You gotta read the whole Wikipedia article. It was built at 22,000 but now seats 44,008.

[il Padrino Ute]

The biggest psychological advantage working against TCU is that no player on that team has ever beaten Utah. None.

The seniors don't want to finish 0-career against the Utes and with a BCS bowl berth on the line, the pressure is all on them.

[cougjunkie]

The biggest psychological advantage working against TCU is that no player on that team has ever beaten Utah. None.

The seniors don't want to finish 0-career against the Utes and with a BCS bowl berth on the line, the pressure is all on them.

Of course the pressure is on them and it has nothing to do with never beating utah. It has to do with being essentially one win away from a BCS game. However Utah knows that with a win over TCU they may be able to vault in to the BCS conversation as well especially with a Boise loss. There is a ton of pressure on both teams.

[il Padrino Ute]

Of course the pressure is on them and it has nothing to do with never beating utah. It has to do with being essentially one win away from a BCS game. However Utah knows that with a win over TCU they may be able to vault in to the BCS conversation as well especially with a Boise loss. There is a ton of pressure on both teams.

I'm not sure how you can say that there is no pressure on the TCU players because they've never beaten Utah. It's there because they haven't done it.

[cougjunkie]

I'm not sure how you can say that there is no pressure on the TCU players because they've never beaten Utah. It's there because they haven't done it.

On the list of things keeping them up at night Never having beaten Utah is about 147 right behind Getting to a BCS game, winning a MWC championship, making correct reads and decisions on offense and defense during the game, passing English class, keeping girlfriends happy, and making sure toilet paper is not stuck to their shoes when they leave the bathroom.

Not having ever beaten Utah is very miniscule compared to busting the BCS and winning a MWC championship.

[statman]

The biggest psychological advantage working against TCU is that no player on that team has ever beaten Utah. None.

Well, there's actually ONE... http://gofrogs.cstv.com/sports/m-foo..._rafael00.html

[ERCougar]

Another thing: Utah brings confidence. I hung with the team at the fan events in Nola (and around Bourbon Street) and they were all smiles, loose, relaxed, completely confident. When I said "good luck" to Zane Beadles, I love how he said in response "they're the ones who will need luck." I'll tell you this: Whit will have the team walk on the field absolutely believing that they are going to win. Same story after halftime.

RoJo has this on his facebook: I just love how ESPN said that TCU will manhandle Utah, we will see if they can even hang with us

That confidence works when you're pumped up and you're playing a team that doesn't want to be there. Not so well when you're playing a team that outplayed you (national commentator's words, not mine) last year and has only gotten better.

With the exception of one, maybe two guys (if we include Dalton for his picks and leaving it at all in the hands of the kicker), these guys did what they had to do to win last year. If they do it again, they'll win. Both the Utah players (if they're smart) and the TCU players know that. TCU will be the team with the swagger.

[Fiyero]

That confidence works when you're pumped up and you're playing a team that doesn't want to be there. Not so well when you're playing a team that outplayed you (national commentator's words, not mine) last year and has only gotten better.

With the exception of one, maybe two guys (if we include Dalton for his picks and leaving it at all in the hands of the kicker), these guys did what they had to do to win last year. If they do it again, they'll win. Both the Utah players (if they're smart) and the TCU players know that. TCU will be the team with the swagger.

Funny...you just substituted "dominated" too. Did I see they "dominated" them or outplayed them? Right.

Here's why I can substitute "dominated". In SU's mind, Utah's on a different level than the rest of the league. The level where a 10-win season is beneath Utah. The level where a 1-loss Utah team with a few ugly wins can expect to go beat an undefeated TCU team that is killing people. The only way I can reconcile SU's expectation of a win, given that this Utah team is missing its all-conference QB and is headed to Dallas with a true freshman with all of 1 game of experience against a bad opponent under his belt, is to assume that he feels Utah dominated TCU last year. It's the only way the math works.

Because last year, 22 of the 23 starters for TCU outplayed Utah. This year, they're all back and better, and by your own admission, Utah has lost some key pieces. And you're on the road.

If that's not good enough for you, Sagarin calls this a 15 pt TCU win.

And FTR, I've never said TCU will blow them out.

You just described today's BYU/UNM game. With 3 minutes left New Mexico has more total yards, more first downs, better rushing average, more plays, more time of possession (no problem moving the ball)...... but the kicker cost them the game.

Next year you'll have no chance against that team who has a 0 in their won-loss record.