FORT WORTH, Texas -- TCU and Michigan State have spent all season hearing about what they're lacking.
They've lacked polish in their normally pristine defenses. They've lacked dominance against teams many think they should clobber. They've lacked players, as injuries and other issues have decimated both teams' depth charts. They've lacked the look of a top-five team, which they both were at the end of last season.
But here's what TCU and Michigan State aren't lacking: wins. Both teams are 7-0 and very much alive for the College Football Playoff. Their ability to win amid dramatic personnel issues underscores how far they've come in their climb up college football's food chain.