It's been nearly 50 years since Texas Christian clinched an outright conference championship. Not since 1958 had they been on top, all by themselves.

Well, the Horned Frogs, now No. 18 in the nation, got that experience Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas, as they beat Colorado State 33-6 to win the Mountain West Conference title outright.

TCU (9-1, 6-0) had shared conference titles in 1959 and 1994 in the Southwest Conference, 1999 and 2000 in the Western Athletic Conference, and 2002 in Conference USA. The conference-hopping Horned Frogs are now two games up on Colorado State (5-4, 4-2) and BYU (5-4, 4-2) with one league game to go.

Three different Horned Frogs rushed for touchdowns in the game, and the TCU defense sacked Rams quarterback Justin Holland five times.

Now the question becomes, where will the Frogs go? Naturally, they're eligible for both of the Mountain West's bowl tie-ins, the Emerald Bowl and the Las Vegas Bowl. But there's potential for TCU to go as an at-large team to another bowl. ESPN.com projected TCU would actually earn an at-large berth to the Liberty Bowl in Memphis.

Some of the MWC teams would love to see that, since it would open up bowl opportunities for them. Four different MWC teams are a win away from bowl eligibility. Colorado State, naturally is one of them. BYU is another, coming off their fourth win in their last five games after defeating UNLV (2-7, 1-5) 55-14 on Saturday. Both appear to have favorable matchups in their next two games to put them into bowl eligibility.

Utah (5-4, 3-3) is still in the hunt for a bowl game in its first year without head coach Urban Meyer. The Utes beat Wyoming, 43-13, sending the Cowboys (4-5, 2-4) to their fourth straight loss. The Cowboys are behind the eight-ball here, needing wins in their final two games to secure bowl eligibility.

The fourth team with five wins, New Mexico State (5-4, 3-3) was off last weekend. They get Utah this Saturday, and then Air Force. The Lobos have the longest bowl game streak in the conference at three years.

Bowl ties: I could see TCU getting that Liberty Bowl berth. The Horned Frogs travel well and Memphis is a day's drive from Fort Worth. That being said, I think Colorado State and BYU then get their choice of the conference's two bowl tie-ins, the Emerald and the Las Vegas bowls. If Utah and New Mexico State can get to bowl eligibility, I'm not sure there's room on the landscape for both of them as at-large teams.

Conference USA

From the outhouse to, at least, a nice corner suite at a Residence Inn. That's Central Florida this season.

From a winless 2004, the Golden Knights are now bowl-eligible, after defeating the University of Houston, 31-29, in Conference USA action Saturday.

The Golden Knights (6-3, 5-1) retained a share of the lead in the East Division with the victory, as Stephen Moffett accounted for three scores, and running back Kevin Smith scored on a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to give UCF the lead for good.

The Golden Knights then had to fend off Houston's (5-3, 3-2) late comeback, as quarterback Kevin Kolb found Donnie Avery on a 76-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to two with 6:12 left. Then the Cougars gave the ball up on downs on their next possession, ending the game.

The Golden Knights have never played in a bowl game before. They've been bowl-eligible three times (1998, 2000 and 2002) but never earned an invitation. That should change this year, as George O'Leary has turned UCF into the feel-good story of the season.

In the other big game in C-USA Saturday, UT-El Paso (7-1, 5-1 West) needed a Reagan Schneider field goal with two seconds left to outlast Tulsa (5-4, 4-2), 41-38, at the Sun Bowl.

The Miners, already bowl-eligible, put a chokehold on the West Division lead, and quite possibly the opportunity to host the first Conference USA Championship Game on Dec. 3.

Tulsa took the lead, 38-31, on a 6-yard touchdown run by Brandon Diles with 8:12 left.

Then, UTEP quarterback Jordan Palmer tied the game with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Chris Francies. Later, Palmer put the Miners in position for the field goal with a 48-yard pass to Francies.

Now Tulsa needs one more win to earn a bowl berth, and the Golden Hurricane should get it, with East Carolina and Tulane left on the schedule.

Meanwhile, Navy ripped Tulane (2-6, 1-4 West) 49-21, with this game being played in Annapolis, Md.

And, Southern Methodist (3-6, 2-4 West) defeated Rice (0-8, 0-5) 27-7. The Owls have now lost 14 straight games.

This past Tuesday, Alabama-Birmingham (4-4, 2-3) kept its hopes for bowl eligibility alive by defeating Memphis (4-4, 3-3) 37-20. Memphis' DeAngelo Williams rushed for 167 yards, but was held to 48 in the second half.

Bowl ties: With a few weeks left in the season, only Central Florida and Texas-El Paso are bowl eligible. Tulsa should be shortly, and then five teams with four wins - Southern Miss, Marshall, Memphis, UAB and Houston - will duke it out for bowl eligibility. Southern Miss and Marshall play Tuesday night, and then USM gets Houston and Memphis, so a lot of the eliminating could come out of those games.

The conference champion gets the Liberty Bowl, and that should be UTEP. Some project Central Florida for the New Orleans Bowl, but frankly Central Florida may end up in the C-USA title game, and if so, they deserve the GMAC or Hawai'i bowls. You don't send your No. 2 team to New Orleans.

The sometimes WACky WAC is finally sorting itself out. The top four teams in the standings - Boise State, Fresno State, Louisiana Tech and Nevada all won, and BSU and FSU became bowl-eligible as their matchup on Thursday night looms.

Boise State (7-2, 5-0) won its 30^th straight home game and 31^st WAC contest by beating New Mexico State (0-9, 0-5), 56-6. The Broncos, a pass-happy outfit if there ever was one, finally got a 100-yard rusher, as Lee Marks gained 112 yards. The Broncos outgained NMSU on the ground 303-61.

Fresno State (7-1, 5-0) is enjoying a dream season, improving to 7-1 for the first time since 1991 and moving up to No. 20 in the Associated Press poll after a 45-7 trouncing of San Jose State (1-8, 0-6). Paul Pinegar led the Bulldogs with 22-of-35 passing for 368 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for another score. Both BSU and FSU needed seven wins to be bowl eligible this year, because they're playing 12 games and scheduled Hawaii.

The winner of Thursday's ESPN showdown should, no doubt, be the WAC champion.

Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech (5-3, 4-1) and Nevada (5-3, 4-1) are sitting there in case they both falter down the stretch. The Bulldogs of La. Tech won their first road game this season by defeating Utah State (2-6, 1-4) 27-17. La. Tech quarterback Matt Kubik tossed a touchdown, and rushed for another score. USU's Leon Jackson threw for 372 yards in a losing effort. Kevin Robinson caught nine passes for 131 yards for the Aggies.

And Nevada's Jeff Rowe threw for 204 yards and two touchdowns in the Wolf Pack's 38-28 win over Hawai'i (3-6, 3-4). Caleb Spencer caught both touchdown passes for the Pack. Hawai'i's Colt Brennan had another gaudy game, throwing for 409 yards and three touchdowns, with Davone Bess catching 12 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown.

This conference will come down to Thursday game, but both Fresno State and Boise State are going to bowl games. Louisiana Tech and Nevada should make it to six victories, which is enough to put them in a bowl game, if someone wants them. With just two bowl tie-ins in the WAC, I have to believe at least one of these four teams won't have to work their exams around bowl game preparation.

Hawai'i is the only other team in this conference with a shot at bowl eligibility, but it must win its next three games. If it can't then it will be the first time in three years the Warriors won't play in the Hawai'i Bowl.

Bowl ties: I think Boise State will win Thursday, which will put them in the MPC Computers Bowl in their home state of Idaho. That will leave Fresno State the Hawai'i Bowl. Then La. Tech and Nevada must duke it out for any at-large bids available.

With a one-game lead over North Texas and Arkansas State, and a two-game lead over everyone else in the Sun Belt Conference, Louisiana-Monroe came into Saturday's game with Florida International needing only to win to maintain its lead.

The Indians did it, but they certainly backed into it.

Their 31-29 loss to Florida International (2-5, 1-3) blemished the Indians (3-5, 3-1) record in the SBC. La.-Monroe tried to rally late, but Ragan Walters' game-winning field goal sailed wide right, giving FIU the win.

FIU quarterback Josh Padrick went 21-of-35 for 235 yards and three touchdowns as the Golden Panthers' shotgun formation seemed to mystify the Indians throughout the game. Indians QB Steven Jyles threw 49 times, completing 32 for 384 yards.

That opened up a major door for North Texas, which started the day one game back and has Louisiana-Monroe in two weeks. It was the perfect opportunity for the Mean Green to assert itself in the conference race after a season of underachievement.

That didn't happen. Instead, the Mean Green went into Lafayette, La., and lost to Louisiana-Lafayette, 31-28.

La.-La (4-5, 3-2) got a 1-yard touchdown run from Tyrell Fenroy with 1:10 left in the game to lift the Ragin'Cajuns to victory. The Mean Green (2-6, 2-2) fumbled away an opportunity to tie, or even win, the game when Johnny Quinn fumbled on the kickoff.

North Texas running back Patrick Cobbs appears to be back to his old self, as he rushed for a season-high 197 yards and two scores.

Troy (4-3, 3-2) defeated Florida Atlantic, 28-14, behind Smokey Hampton's six receptions and 125 yards receiving. Julian Foster also threw for 271 yards and three touchdowns. FAU (1-8, 1-4) is now well out of the bowl hunt.

Middle Tennessee (3-4, 2-2) soundly defeated Arkansas State (4-4, 3-2) 45-7, a big victory for the Blue Raiders against the top-scoring team in the SBC.

The Blue Raiders had a season-high 412 yards, scored 31 points in the first quarter and saw Eugene Gross rush for two touchdowns.

Arkansas State didn't score until 8:48 was left in the game.

So, now what? Louisiana-Monroe is right back where it started, one game up on the field. But if it plays like that against the dregs of the conference, imagine what might happen when it plays North Texas in two weeks. This race is far from over, and it could come down to a team with two conference losses and a losing record reaching the New Orleans Bowl, just as North Texas did in 2001.

Bowl ties: Pin me down right now, and the one bowl berth goes to Louisiana-Monroe. Even though their loss to FIU doesn't inspire me with a lot of confidence, all the Indians have to do is win out to reach New Orleans (or Lafayette, in this case).

Miami (6-3, 4-2 East) did it by forcing eight turnovers, and getting 276 yards passing from Josh Betts, in a 54-13 win over Buffalo. The win ensured the Redhawks they would remain in a first-place tie in the division, keeping them in contention for the MAC Championship game. Also, the Redhawks clinched their 12^th straight winning season.

Western Michigan (6-3, 4-2 West) continued its amazing turnaround from a 1-10 2004 with a 44-36 win over Eastern Michigan (3-6, 2-4 West) at Ford Field, the home of the Detroit Lions.

EMU tried to steal it with a two-point conversion attempt with 6:39 to play, but EMU failed and remained down by a point. WMU then burned about six minutes off the clock before scoring an insurance touchdown.

The win as vital for WMU, which right now is tied for the lead in the West Division with Toledo, a team it beat last week.

Toledo (7-2, 5-1) rebounded from that WMU loss to beat Ohio (4-5, 3-3 East) 30-21. The loss was big for Ohio, as it dropped out of that logjam for first place in the division.

In fact, Akron (4-5, 3-3) also fell out of the first-place tie, losing to Ball State (3-6, 3-3 West) 23-17. It was the Cardinals' second straight victory.

But Bowling Green held on to that first-place tie in the East, rolling to a 24-14 win over Kent State. BG (5-4, 4-2) is still without quarter Omar Jacobs.

Meanwhile, Northern Illinois (5-4, 4-2) beat Central Michigan (5-4, 4-2 West), 31-28, bumping CMU out of a first-place tie in the West.

Bowl ties: The bowl situation is starting to heat up, simply because the MAC has two bowl ties and three bowl-eligible teams. Western Michigan holds the cards in the West, thanks to its win over Toledo. But it has two games left against Central Michigan and Northern Illinois, both a win away from bowl eligibility and holding out hope they can screw up the West race. Toledo also has Northern Illinois, and then a big meeting with Bowling Green to end the regular season.

In the East, Miami and Bowling Green should settle the East on Nov. 15 when they play each other.

As far as bowls go, the winner of the MAC goes to the Motor City Bowl. The MAC has a tie with the GMAC Bowl, but that could go to a WAC team. After that, at-large is the only way to go, and the MAC had three at-large berths last year. Don't count on that this year.