Here are five quick-hit thoughts on TCU’s 21-19 win over Wisconsin in the 2011 Rose Bowl.

1. Tank Carder is an absolute beast.
TCU linebacker Tank Carder isn’t a household name but after his performance in the Rose Bowl, his effort will be talked about around the water cooler come Monday morning. Every time the Horned Frogs needed a big play, it seemed like the junior linebacker was the one to make it. He harassed Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien, he blew up running plays in the backfield and he came up with the play of the night when he batted down a Badgers’ 2-point conversion pass attempt with two minutes remaining in the game. Holding a 21-19 lead, the Frogs were able to recover an onsides kick and run out the rest of the clock to preserve the victory. With the way Wisconsin was able to run the ball in the first half, it appeared as though the Badgers would hammer out a win. But Carder was one of the main reasons Wisconsin’s offense struggled mightily in the second half.

2. The Badgers missed several golden opportunities.
Wisconsin’s offense missed way too many opportunities in this game. They missed a field goal late in the second quarter that proved to be the difference on the scoreboard. They ran the ball well all night, but they abandoned their power rushing attack in the second half until late in the fourth quarter. Considering they were gaining 82 yards a play on the ground, Paul Chryst probably should have run the ball on that crucial 2-point conversion at the end of the game. Nothing can be taken away from the Frogs, but it was a night of what-could-have been for Wisconsin (which was also penalized at crucial moments throughout the game).

3. TCU’s defense stiffens up on its side of the field.
For much of the first half, Wisconsin’s offensive line absolutely manhandled TCU’s quick, but smallish front seven. It seemed as if Montee Ball was going to break a long run every time he touched the ball and it was going to be a long night for the Frogs’ defense. But until the fourth quarter when John Clay got going, TCU did its best work when Wisconsin crossed midfield. In the first half, the Badgers had six trips into Frog territory but only scored 13 points. The Badgers had scored more than 70 points in two of their final three regular-season games, but TCU tightened up on Saturday. In the end, the Frogs made plays when they needed to and the Badgers didn’t. That proved to be the difference in the outcome.

4. Andy Dalton is impressive.
I don’t know if Dalton can make the jump from the college ranks to the pros, but I’ll be rooting for him when he does. This kid was flat out impressive in Pasadena. He has good size, above average arms strength (how many times did he hit a receiver on an out-pattern to the sidelines, which is the most difficult throw for a quarterback to make?) and his accuracy is solid as well. His timing was often perfect and although he could have been intercepted on a couple of his throws, he usually hit his receivers in stride. On one of his throws, he threw an out route that hit the wide receiver out of his break and on the outside of his shoulder. It was a picture-perfect throw. Because the Mountain West is never on TV, it’s a shame that college football fans haven’t gotten to see more of Dalton. But if you were watching on Saturday night, it was hard not to walk away impressed with his performance.

5. Does this prove that TCU can hang with the big boys?
When TCU had an opportunity to prove itself last year against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, its offense fizzed and the Frogs took a backseat to the Broncos for most of the 2010 season. Even though TCU was favored against Wisconsin, many people thought the Frogs would get steamrolled by a bigger Badgers team from a better conference. But while it certainly looked like the Frogs would get run over in the first half, they held their own and proved that they could, at the very least, hang with top competition. Can they beat Auburn? Maybe, maybe not. Can they beat Oregon? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, nobody can answer “no” to either of those questions with any conviction. And thanks to the lame ducks at the NCAA, we’ll never know how far TCU could go in a playoff.

Here’s a quick and dirty look at how I see things playing out in the Big Eleven this season:

#1 Ohio State
Some believe the Buckeyes’ offense might be close to catching up to their defense in terms of dominance, which is saying something with the way OSU’s D played a year ago. The Buckeyes return all three leading rushers from 2009 in Brandon Saine, Dan Herron and quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who some believe has become a more committed teammate over the offseason. The key to OSU becoming a national title threat is Pryor, or more specifically, whether or not he’ll make opponents respect his passing game. The good thing for him and the Buckeyes on a whole is that they return four starters to a veteran offensive line that will open up plenty of holes for a deep and talented group of running backs. Defensively, OSU was a top five unit last season and could be once again this year assuming they can generate a pass-rush and the safeties can hold up in coverage. Cameron Heyward is one of the nation’s best defensive ends and Ross Homan is a playmaker at the outside linebacker spot. The secondary isn’t flashy, but cornerbacks Chimdi Chekwa and Devon Torrence are solid. From a schedule standpoint, if they can beat Miami in Columbus in the second week of the season, they should be 6-0 heading into Madison on October 16. From there, they’ll be tested by Wisconsin, Penn State and Iowa, but this is your clear favorite to win the Big Ten.

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