(07-29-2017 05:40 PM)10thMountain Wrote:  You can give credit to the new conference but the old perception is changing. I know so many folks here in FW who have adopted TCU as their team even with no affiliation. TCU gear is everywhere now and interest is growing.

I agree that there is definitely a ceiling with a small school but I also truly believe that TCU has the potential to be Texas' equivalent of Miami in terms of the private school people root for even with no affiliation. That will depend on continued FB success but Gary Patterson has already proven he can win the B12 and be in the playoff conversation

Fat chance...Miami's appeal is their location, the perception of that location (beaches and pretty women) and their teams came off as renegade outlaws. Plus, they won big almost every year for two decades and their name doesn't necessarily sound private except to really studious outsiders.

TCU doesn't have any of that and their name could actually draw backlash from anti-religious types, though that's a minor issue. Rice could do well from an underdog standpoint but no private school except Notre Dame, Miami, BYU or USC is gonna build a sizeable fanbase, at least in football.