Nov. 21, 2009

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LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) - Matthew Tucker and Joseph Turner each ran for two touchdowns, and No. 4 TCU routed Wyoming 45-10 on Saturday for the Horned Frogs' best start in 71 years.

The win keeps TCU (11-0, 7-0) in the thick of BCS contention and clinches at least a share of the Mountain West Conference crown. TCU last went 11-0 in 1938, capped off by a win over Carnegie Tech in the national championship game.

This wasn't the most polished victory TCU has turned in this season, the team turning the ball over four times. But the Frogs broke open a tight game midway through the second quarter by scoring 35 unanswered points, and have now outscored opponents 278-63 over the last six games.

Wyoming (5-6, 3-4) had just 52 yards of total offense in the second half. The Cowboys remain a win from becoming bowl eligible in coach Dave Christensen's first season.

Tucker rushed for a career-high 134 yards, while Turner, who was dinged up early in the first half, finished with 66 and scored on a pair of 5-yard runs.

Andy Dalton had a solid day, finishing 10 of 19 for 168 yards. He also threw a 45-yard TD strike to Jeremy Kerley that helped the Frogs begin to pull away from the pesky Cowboys.

Dalton was even more effective with his feet. Wyoming left the middle of the field wide open, allowing Dalton to run quite a few quarterback keepers and finish with 88 yards.

Dalton then got to sit back and watch the action in the fourth quarter. The Frogs will wrap up the regular season next week against New Mexico.

The quietly confident Dalton showed his school pride, etching "TCU" into the side of his flame-red hair. The junior then carved his name deeper into the TCU history books, too. His 28 wins are one shy of matching the school record that Slingin' Sammy Baugh set from 1934-36.

Austyn Carta-Samuels finished 4 of 10 for 83 yards and threw an interception. He eventually gave way to Robert Benjamin, who couldn't move the sputtering offense, either.

In a flash, the Frogs turned a potential scare into some breathing room.

TCU found itself tied at 10 after Wyoming's Chris Prosinski picked up a fumble and raced 98 yards for a score midway through the second half. But the tie lasted all of 16 seconds as Greg McCoy returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards for a score.

Then, minutes later, Dalton found a hole in the Cowboys zone and hit Kerley in stride. He took it from there, sprinting 45 yards for a score and a 24-10 lead.

The Cowboys played one of the top teams in the nation tough for a half, just like they did earlier in the season against Texas, who led 13-10 before pulling away for a 41-10 win.

TCU wasn't clicking on offense early. Coming off an emotional win over Utah last weekend, the Frogs turned the ball over twice in the first half. Dalton was picked off by Alex Toney at the Wyoming 2 -thwarting one drive - while Ed Wesley turned over the ball near the goal line, leading to Prosinski's 98-yard fumble return.

Tucker had touchdown runs of 3 and 48 yards for the Frogs, while Ross Evans added 28-yard field goal.