TCU gains most from Clemson, Washington State upsets, says ESPN playoff expert

What did the two Friday the 13th upsets college football mean to TCU?

Probably a move up into the top five of the AP Top 25 poll and a stronger resume to stack up in the drive for the College Football Playoff, provided the Horned Frogs can escape Manhattan unscathed on Saturday.

“The team with the biggest short-term gain” could be TCU, writes ESPN’s College Football Playoff reporter, Heather Dinich.

No. 2 Clemson’s loss at unranked Syracuse and No. 8 Washington State’s loss to unranked Cal not only shake up the Top 10, the reduced the number of unbeaten Power 5 playoff contenders to seven.

In the SEC, that’s Alabama and Georgia, who could meet in their conference championship game. In the Big 10, it’s Penn State and Wisconsin, who could also play in a conference title game. In the Pac 12, it’s Washington. In the ACC, it’s Miami. And in the Big 12, it’s TCU.

All are in action Saturday except Penn State, which is on its bye.

The biggest candidates for upsets, according to the oddsmakers, are Miami and TCU, each about a touchdown favorite in their games.

“That makes my job easier,” TCU coach Gary Patterson told Sirius XM Radio’s Off Campus on Friday.

TCU kicks off against Kansas State in Manhattan at 11 a.m. at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, where the home team has not defeated a Top 10 visitor since 2006 against No. 4 Texas.

Miami hosts Georgia Tech in a series where it has won seven of the last eight meetings.

This story was originally published October 14, 2017 at 9:08 AM with the headline "TCU gains most from Clemson, Washington State upsets, says ESPN playoff expert."