The 7-5 overall and 4-5 conference record did not faze fans for TCU’s first football season in the Big 12.

Senior strategic communication major Skyler Mathis said the team has been able to come back no matter what knocked it down, and the team’s ability to overcome obstacles on and off the field meant a lot to her.

Mathis said the moment in the season that stood out the most to her was when former quarterback Casey Pachall was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and left the team and school to seek treatment.

“[Trevone Boykin] did great and needed some experience,” Mathis said. “In the next game, we had another win so it was a really big growing moment.”

At the beginning of the football season, junior political science major Neimann Nichols said he thought the team was going to put up a fight but he was not sure how well it was going to perform in its first year in the Big 12.

“I’m very impressed by the results we’re getting from the team,” Nichols said. “I think we’re having a pretty good year with a few upsets.”

TCU’s four conference wins are from road games at Kansas, Baylor, West Virginia and Texas.

Director of intercollegiate athletics Chris Del Conte said it was a great opportunity to be in the Big 12 and play in-state rivals like Baylor and Texas as conference opponents that have been part of TCU’s history for years.

“That rallying point in the Baylor game, I said, ‘Wow, this team is talented,’” Del Conte said. “That game was the turning point where young people said, ‘You know what, we’re just as good as anybody in the conference. We just have to believe in ourselves.’”

Del Conte said the season could not have gone any better considering what the program has been through.

“We’ve had a significant impact in the community and the Horned Frog nation has come out in full force,” Del Conte said.

Fans have not only noticed the team’s performance on the field but how the TCU community has changed since entering the Big 12.

“Because of our struggles, I think that all [the team] needed was support, and I would say the TCU community backed [the team] up in one of [its] lowest moments,” Mathis said. “After last year’s troubles and this year’s, we’ve just really all come together and really showed the support.”

TCU would finish its 2012 season against Michigan State at the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl on Dec. 29 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.