ESPN

FORT WORTH -- TCU quarterback Andy Dalton definitely doesn't have the stereotypical temper or stubbornness you'd expect from most redheads -- although there was that one teacher in high school that jokingly said Dalton had a "red rage" when he'd lose in cards to the teacher during study hall.

Deep down inside is a competitiveness that is evident in Dalton's 23-6 record as a starter for the Horned Frogs. But it's his cool demeanor in his third year starting that is a key component in the Frogs' No. 12 ranking. TCU is one of only eight undefeated teams in the country after its 44-6 win over Colorado State on Saturday afternoon at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

Dalton completed 15 of 23 passes for 211 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions and no sacks against the Rams. He is now tied for second in the TCU history books for career wins by a starting quarterback (23), and he's just six shy of tying legendary QB Sammy Baugh's 29 career wins.

TCU (6-0, 2-0 Mountain West Conference) started out slowly against Colorado State, gaining only 37 yards in the first quarter while CSU (3-4, 0-3) built a 6-0 lead. Still, Dalton never wavered.

"That's what he's supposed to do, he's the quarterback, he's the leader," wide receiver Jeremy Kerley said. "He's supposed to keep his composure, and seeing that, it kind of gets us going."

Starting at about the 5½-minute mark of the second quarter, Dalton's poise may have been at its best.

Tailback Joseph Turner scored on a 2-yard run, and during the drive, Dalton had a big 22-yard completion to Kerley to set the Frogs up with a first-and-goal. The Frogs led 17-6 at halftime after Turner's TD followed by Kerley's 69-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Then Dalton and the Frogs were all business to start the second half, scoring on all four of their third-quarter drives. Dalton was 8-of-10 for 143 yards and two touchdowns -- a 47-yard pass to Curtis Clay, then a 39-yard pass to Ed Wesley -- in the third quarter alone.

On TCU's third third-quarter TD -- an Antoine Hicks 3-yard run -- Dalton rushed twice for 28 yards and completed a 24-yard pass to Bart Johnson. Dalton's fiery side came out on one of those gains -- a 12-yard run that put TCU at the 3-yard line -- because he lowered his head and dove head-first with nothing but the end zone in sight even though he was stopped just short. It was evident he really wanted to score.

"Yes I did," Dalton didn't mind admitting.

Dalton has come a long way in 2½ seasons since he was the first TCU quarterback in the Gary Patterson Era to make his collegiate debut as a starter. He was TCU's bowl game MVP the past two seasons (Houston Bowl and Poinsettia Bowl), he's adjusted to having new co-offensive coordinators after Mike Schultz left for the same position at Illinois before this season, and yet he's still got TCU in the BCS hunt for the second straight year.

But Dalton's almost quietly gone about doing it because of the style of play the Frogs ask for with their quarterback. In Saturday's win over Colorado State, it was TCU's 30th straight win when attempting 34 or fewer passes.

"My first job is to manage the game," Dalton said. "That'll always be the first job for me. Now that I'm older, I think that I can try to make some more plays, not necessarily do stupid things. I think I know what I can do."

And a big part of that is being the encouraging and calm guy whose fire comes through at just the right times, kind of like it did Saturday.