FORT WORTH, Texas - If this isn't the bottom, Wyoming can at least see it clearly.

The Cowboys were beaten badly in every phase and invented more ways to give up points.

They missed blocks, coverages and a field goal.

And even though the Cowboys sprung a minor upset by putting some points on the scoreboard, TCU overpowered them in virtually every way in a 54-7 thrashing at Amon G. Carter Stadium on Saturday night - sending a drowning program even closer to the bottom of the well.

Unless it's already there.

"It can't (get worse)," defensive end John Fletcher said. "We've got four more games left, and all we can do is fight to keep our coaches' jobs.

"You know, all you can do is go out there and play. It's going to be tough to keep doing that when you're going out and getting beat by 40-some points every game. What can you do? You've just got to go out there and play."

The Cowboys showed up to do it and didn't back down early from the No. 15 Horned Frogs, but a somewhat encouraging start was accompanied by a collapse that was complete in every way

The new Outlaw formation worked early and produced Devin Moore's 42-yard touchdown run to make it 14-7 in the second quarter.

But the blazing Horned Frogs adjusted to slow it down, and on one occasion stood and watched as the Cowboys tripped over each other in the backfield.

The defense largely bottled up the TCU running game and didn't allow anybody to rush for more than 25 yards total for the game.

But the Horned Frogs repeatedly found receiver Jimmy Young wide open in the same seam in the UW secondary and the sophomore cruised to 226 yards through the air and three touchdowns.

The special teams didn't have many positives to point to, but the punt unit helped cap off the disaster by giving up another block - though the football mercifully rolled out of the end zone for a safety.

"No doubt, we really hung tough in the run, then just (touchdown) strike, strike, kickoff return," UW coach Joe Glenn said. "They just had too much speed, too much athleticism for us.

"They did a great job, that's a very talented football team and they make you look bad on offense, make your defense look bad and they make you look bad on special teams. It's speed, they had way too much speed for us. We couldn't block them, couldn't tackle them. They beat our best guys."

Aside from Young's repeated dominance of the secondary, the Horned Frogs essentially took turns beating the best the Cowboys have to offer.

Quarterback Andy Dalton accounted for five total touchdowns.

Aaron Brown took the baton with an untouched 85-yard kickoff return to turn the momentum after UW's lone scoring drive.

And seemingly the entire TCU defense had at least one opportunity to punish the Cowboys - though linebacker Robert Henson clearly crossed the line with a hit that knocked out a sliding Karsten Sween in the third quarter.

The thorough beating does little to strengthen TCU's bid for the BCS, but it definitely appeared to have taken both a physical and mental toll on UW.

"What I told the kids after the game, this game's over," Glenn said. "If we sit here and sulk and worry about this game, we won't get ready for next week. Luckily for us we have a game next Saturday and we'll get ready for that game and go try hard to win a football game.

"We all need to taste the fruits of victory badly and it's been a long five weeks. We'll fight to that end, our kids are together, our coaches are together, we've just played some really good football teams and got rocked. Maybe we'll have a chance next week against a team (San Diego State) that's probably a little more our caliber."

That's a humbling admission after a conference game.

But after a Cowtown Stampede, it was obvious the Horned Frogs weren't in their league.

Contact sports reporter Austin Ward at (307) 266-0634 or austin.ward@trib.com.

Cowboys Tracker

SATURDAY: TCU 54, Wyoming 7.

RECORDS: No. 15 Horned Frogs (8-1, 5-0 Mountain West Conference); Cowboys (2-6, 0-5 MWC).

ATTENDANCE: 30,103.

NUMBERS GAME: The Horned Frogs responded immediately after giving up a UW touchdown in the second quarter with a kickoff return for a score - and scored the final 40 points in the rout.

HE SAID IT: "Maybe we'll have a chance next week against a team (San Diego State) that's probably a little more our caliber." - UW coach Joe Glenn.

UP NEXT: The Cowboys return home for a conference date with lowly San Diego State on Saturday at noon.