FORT WORTH, Texas — Gary Patterson has always felt he has a better chance of competing for a national championship at TCU than at some other places with automatic BCS access.

With his No. 4 Horned Frogs set to play in a Bowl Championship Series game — and perhaps a national title, depending on this weekend's games — it might be hard to argue with him. And with his name being mentioned for the Notre Dame job, Patterson agreed yesterday to a new contract intended to keep him at TCU through 2016.

"Like all of us, you always like to prove people wrong. A lot of people thought that TCU, because of where we started 12 years ago, we couldn't do this," Patterson said. "We've achieved something that all those other people talk about because they're part of a conference and yes, they have the access right now, a little bit quicker than we do. ... We've now jumped over a hurdle being able to get to a BCS game."

Patterson has led TCU to five 11-win seasons the past seven years. TCU just completed its first undefeated regular season since 1938, when it won its only AP national championship.

"Like I've said many times, I don't think people understand what kind of place TCU and Fort Worth is," Patterson said. "This was my first head coaching job, but it also, now going into 12 years, it's my home."

TCU (12-0, 8-0 Mountain West) will find out Sunday which of the big-money BCS games it will play in. The Frogs are fourth in the BCS standings, the highest ever this late in the season for a team from a conference without an automatic bid.

"We don't feel like our work is done," Patterson said. "We feel like we have a mountain to climb, a championship to win."

Patterson has an 85-27 record in his ninth season at TCU. His contract had been through 2014, and the revised deal includes pay raises for him and his assistant coaches. The private university doesn't release financial details.

Patterson, 49, came to TCU as a defensive coordinator with coach Dennis Franchione after the 1997 season, when the Frogs were coming off a 1-10 season. He was promoted when Franchione left three years later for Alabama, though the school did a national search before making that move.

AWARDS

MCCOY IN CAMP FINALS

Colt McCoy has a chance to repeat as the Walter Camp Football Foundation's player of the year.

The Texas quarterback was among five finalists announced yesterday. The others are quarterbacks Tim Tebow of Florida and Case Keenum of Houston, running back Mark Ingram of Alabama and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska.

The award is voted on by coaches and sports information directors. The winner will be announced Dec. 10.

McCoy has thrown for 3,328 yards and 27 touchdowns; Tebow has 17 TDs passing and 13 running; Keenum has 4,992 yards and 38 TDs; Ingram has run for 1,429 yards and 12 TDs; and Suh has 70 tackles, 7 1/2 sacks and three blocked kicks.

OBITUARY

FORMER PITT COACH FAZIO

Foge Fazio, who succeeded Jackie Sherrill as the football coach at his alma mater Pittsburgh and later was a defensive coordinator for the NFL's Vikings and Browns, died last night in Pittsburgh following a lengthy battle with leukemia. He was 71.

Pitt athletic director Steve Pederson confirmed Fazio's death while attending the Pitt-Duquesne basketball game last night.

Pitt basketball coach Jamie Dixon also knew Fazio and called the Panthers' 67-58, double-overtime win over Duquesne as "bittersweet" because it came on the night Fazio died.