In order to validate that, I pulled the NCAA stats for 2010 TCU through week 9 and the stats for 2009 TCU through week 9.  Here they are.  2009 raw number first, followed by national ranking in parenthesis then 2010 raw number followed by ranking.

OFFENSE:

Rushing Offense: 233.38 (7); 270.89 (9).  This is interesting.  40 more yards per game but two rankings down.

Passing Offense: 213.63 (65); 214.78 (60).  Pretty close.

Total Offense: 447.00 (12); 485.67 (11).  Again, 40 more yards but actually up one spot.  Basically the offense in these three categories is about equal to last year.

Scoring Offense: 35.25 (11); 40.78 (9).  5 more points, only two spots up.  Still, pretty similar.

Passing Efficiency: 162.15 (4); 158.62 (13).  This one is interesting too.  I'd have thought Dalton would have improved by a few points, but he's dropped a few.  Still, basically the same.

Sacks Allowed: 1.13/gm (21); .56/gm (9).  Pretty good.

DEFENSE:

Rushing Defense: 89.38 (8); 98.33 (9).  Again, pretty close.

Passing Defense: 146.38 (6); 119.00 (1).  A little down this year, but still great.

Pass Efficiency Defense: 96.80 (9); 94.53 (4).  A little up this year, pretty much the same.

Total Defense: 235.75 (1); 217.33 (1).  Same ranking, but 20 yards better.

Scoring Defense: 11.13 (3); 8.67 (1).  Pretty close.

Sacks: 3.13/gm (9); 2.22/gm (46).  This is a big one.  No Hughes, no Washington, lose almost a sack a game.

Tackles for Loss: 5.63 (69); 6.33 (42).  The only category where TCU isn't outstanding, and it's getting into the backfield.

Turnover Margin: -.13/gm (66); +.56/gm (27).  Significant improvement.  Dalton not giving it away as much.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Net Punting: 35.00 (74); 36.81 (58).  Average both years.

Punt Returns: 15.62 (12); 13.50 (19).  Pretty good, but not quite as good as last year.

Kickoff Returns: 29.76 (4); 25.90 (10).  A little worse than last year again.

So, it appears I was very slightly right, TCU is a little tiny bit worse this year.  But it's not as big of a change, statistically, as I was thinking it was.  Luckily, Utah is a lot better than we were last year.  Let's hope it's enough.