When TCU and West Virginia became the newcomers of the Big 12 last season, both were coming off consecutive championships in their previous conferences.
Forget a Big 12 title for now. The Horned Frogs and Mountaineers are fighting for the chance just to have a winning season.
Both take a 3-5 record into their second meeting as Big 12 foes Saturday. Each is also 1-4 in conference play.
"The Big 12 is challenging, as we are figuring out," WVU coach Dana Holgorsen said.
And that has certainly has changed the goals for each team this season. Just to get the six wins needed for bowl eligibility, TCU and WVU both would have to win three of their last four games. They have to go undefeated down the stretch to guarantee a winning season.
Horned Frogs coach Gary Patterson this week talked about preparing for a series of "four one-day seasons" rather than his team looking at the final month as a whole.
"The tweak went from trying to win the conference title to trying to get to a bowl game," Patterson said. "Right now, we just have to win one. If we win one, then we have to win two."
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TCU, which lost two in a row, has never had a three-game losing streak in Patterson's 13 seasons. The only time the Frogs finished with a losing record in that span was at 5-6 in 2004.
Before the move to the Big 12, TCU had won three consecutive Mountain West titles without a conference loss in that span.
West Virginia, which won or shared in the last two Big East titles before switching leagues, hasn't had a losing season since going 3-8 in 2001. The Mountaineers have a three-game losing streak, and now have to use bowl eligibility as motivation.
"I feel like we have a lot to play for. I think the players feel like they have a lot to play for," Holgorsen said. "What we do matters and we have an obligation to put our best foot forward, get out there, practice hard and put our best foot forward on Saturday."
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Here are five things to know when West Virginia travels to TCU for the first time:
SPITTING IMAGES: Since getting to the Big 12 together, TCU and West Virginia have the same exact record -- 10-11 overall with a 5-9 record in Big 12 games. Both were 7-6 last season, losing their respective bowl games after going 4-5 in Big 12 play. And their one head-to-head matchup was close, with TCU overcoming a 10-point deficit in the second half and winning 39-38 in double overtime.
SLIPPING AWAY: West Virginia has led after halftime in each of its last two games, only to lose. The Mountaineers led Kansas State 12-7 in the third quarter last week before the Wildcats scored the final 28 points while WVU had two turnovers its last four drives. They took a 27-23 lead into the fourth quarter against Texas Tech before losing 37-27 after managing only 33 total yards its final five drives.
SACKS AND PICKS: TCU's defense leads the Big 12 with 24 sacks and 15 interceptions. The last time a team led the Big 12 in both of those categories to end a season was Nebraska in 1996, the first year of the league. There have been 14 different Horned Frogs credited with sacks, and seven who have picked off passes. Four players have at least one of each.
CASEY'S COMEBACK: When TCU quarterback Casey Pachall broke his non-throwing arm the second week of the season, the initial projection was that he'd return against West Virginia. Pachall instead got back on the field a week earlier, taking over for Trevone Boykin on the third series in last week's storm-delayed home loss against Texas. He could provide a much-needed offensive spark for the Frogs, who are averaging a league-worst 14.2 points in Big 12 games.
WIPING THE SLATE CLEAN: The first eight games have been erased from West Virginia's board of defensive goals. Coach Dana Holgorsen said the Mountaineers "are starting over. We have four games left, so it's a new season. That's what our message was." WVU has allowed an average of 552 total yards in their five Big 12 games, and 453 yards overall.
