For TCU and all of Fort Worth, this Horned Frogs team is already a champion | Opinion

Whatever happens Monday night in the college football national championship game, TCU is already a huge winner.

So is all of Fort Worth.

We’ve touted before the benefits a top football program brings to our city and region. Too often, we’ve had to do so defensively, such as worries about conference realignment leaving the Horned Frogs behind.

Not anymore. By stunning the world with a victory over Michigan in their playoff game, the Frogs have unlocked a new level of success that brings an unprecedented spotlight to Fort Worth and all that the university and city have to offer.

Americans love an underdog. And suddenly, millions who may not have given TCU, the Big 12 or Fort Worth much thought are learning all about them, thanks to the tremendous achievements of these under-Frogs.

TCU officials say they’ve already seen an uptick in student applications and online traffic. Economic impact for the broader area is harder to measure, but the value of exposing Fort Worth to so many more potential visitors, investors and workers can only compound. We know that when people see what Fort Worth has to offer, they like it. The more who do, the better.

It helps that the team is fun to watch and carries a compelling story. The Frogs’ explosive offense and opportunistic defense make for games full of highlights. Quarterback Max Duggan has won national acclaim for his toughness, overcoming adversity again and again to become a Heisman Trophy finalist.

And the close nature of so many of TCU’s wins, dismissed by some analysts who seem to think only three-touchdown blowouts make a team worthy of notice, have made for an entertaining, if heart-stopping, ride all year for fans. Reaching such heights under a first-year coach only adds to the intrigue.

In terms of athletics and prestige, the championship chase puts TCU where it has longed to be since the breakup of the Southwest Conference three decades ago. It’s the first private university to make the championship game in the playoff era, placing it closer to the upper echelon of universities such as Notre Dame or Southern California.

A good comparison may be Gonzaga University, the small, Catholic school in Washington state that was never known for much other than famous alumnus Bing Crosby — until a Cinderella-basketball tournament run brought it national acclaim. It has parlayed that into status as a perennial championship contender.

That kind of fate can await TCU if things break right. Success draws better recruits, more fans, more media exposure. This doesn’t have to be a one-time magical run for the Frogs.

Something else important comes with that: Texas bragging rights. It’s not the University of Texas, A&M or Baylor to be the first Lone Star playoff team. It’s TCU. Forever.

Fort Worth gave the Frogs a raucous sendoff Friday as they headed to California. When they return, regardless of the outcome, they deserve an equally robust welcome home. The city and county should plan resolutions honoring Coach Sonny Dykes and the players.

A victory parade would be inevitable. But would a parade be out of order even in a loss? If nothing else, the Stock Show parade can honor the Frogs and all they’ve achieved.

Of course, we want the championship. We want jaws dropping when TCU defeats the odds and beats Georgia. We want the Frogs’ odyssey to culminate in the ultimate prize, to forever mark in the history books what they’ve achieved.

But for what they’ve already done for their university and city, these Frogs need no more accolades.