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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- TCU and West Virginia share somewhat of a kinship as the two youngest members of the Big 12. Their head-to-head series has been close, too.Three of their four meetings since joining the league in 2012 have been decided on the final snap. Two went to overtime.We really have a lot of respect for each other, said TCU defensive end Josh Carraway. Theyre going to battle their butts off, just like they know were going to go out there and battle our butts off.No. 12 West Virginia (5-0, 2-0) is off to a surprising start but still has to face the conferences traditional heavyweights, starting Saturday with the Horned Frogs (4-2, 2-1). There are showdowns later against No. 9 Baylor and No. 16 Oklahoma, which are tied for first place at 3-0.TCU edged the Mountaineers 31-30 in 2014 and 39-38 in double overtime in 2012 after making the 1,200-mile trip to Morgantown, so coach Gary Patterson has a formula for beating West Virginia on the road.Score one more point, he said.TCU is the underdog this time and will face a West Virginia team coming off its best game of the season, a 48-17 win last Saturday at Texas Tech .West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said he told his team the next day that if you like the feeling that youre having right now, then youve got to prepare. If you dont prepare, then were not going to be in position to be able to win. Then everybodys going to tell you that you suck again. Then youre going to be in a bad mood. Its reality.TCU is 31-9 on the road since 2009. Lately, though, the Horned Frogs have struggled anywhere they play, losing to Arkansas and Oklahoma at home and barely winning at Kansas .On the road, its just about finding your comfort zone, bringing your own energy, said TCU wide receiver John Diarse. Thats tough, depending on the place. West Virginia does have a reputation of having a hostile crowd. Weve just got to go in and be confident in what we do, be comfortable in what we do and minimize the mistakes.---Other things to know about the sixth-ever meeting between TCU and West Virginia:CLOSE CALLS: Both teams have had to squeeze out some wins. TCU came from nine points down in the fourth quarter to beat Kansas on the road two weeks ago. West Virginia beat Kansas State by a point after the Wildcats missed a late field goal, and BYU nearly came from 16 points down in the fourth quarter but was intercepted on its final drive near West Virginias end zone.RB PASS CATCHER: One of the focuses for West Virginia will be stopping TCU leading rusher Kyle Hicks, who also has a team-best 27 receptions for 308 yards. Hes big. A thick kid, hard to bring down, but can still run a little bit, said West Virginia defensive coordinator Tony Gibson. Hes busted a couple big runs and he catches the ball well, so they arent afraid to use him.FACING HOMETOWN TEAM: West Virginia quarterback Skyler Howard is a native of Fort Worth, Texas. Howard has improved his passing accuracy significantly to 66 percent and is fourth in the Big 12 with 318 yards per game.SUSCEPTIBLE DEFENSE: TCU has allowed 40 or more points three times this season. Two years ago when they came here, they led pretty much every defensive category that existed, Holgorsen said. So just because theyre not, that doesnt mean that theyre not good. Theyre really good.COMEBACK FROGS: TCU overcame double-digit deficits against West Virginia in the second half in 2012, 2013 and 2014, losing only the 2013 game in overtime.---AP Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins in Fort Worth, Texas, contributed to this report.---AP college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.orgNederland Schoenen Winkels . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. Schoenen Goedkoop . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. http://www.schoenenwinkelgoedkoop.com/ Schoenen Aanbieding . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. Schoenen Heren Goedkoop . Philadelphia is 2-0 against the Senators this season and scored five goals in each victory. The Flyers recorded a 5-0 win in Ottawa on Nov. 12 and then earned a 5-2 home decision on Nov. 19. The Flyers have claimed three straight and four of the last five encounters with the Sens overall and Philly has won two in a row and three of its past four tests in Canadas capital city. LOS ANGELES -- Until about a month ago, Robbie Rogers had no interest in being one of the highest-profile openly gay athletes in the world. Rogers didnt want the pressure or attention, and he was weary of soccer itself. After coming out and simultaneously retiring in February, the former MLS champion and U.S. national team player planned to devote himself to fashion school and family, not soccer or social change. Rogers told The Associated Press he changed his mind when he realized how much he still loved his sport -- and how much good he could do by playing it instead of standing on the sideline. "I dont know what I was so afraid of," Rogers said. "Its been such a positive experience for me. The one thing Ive learned from all of this is being gay is not that big of a deal to people." Rogers joined the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer on Saturday, agreeing to a multiyear contract in another step by openly gay athletes in professional sports. The 26-year-old Rogers recently thought he would never pull on another jersey, imagining nonstop scrutiny and criticism. His concerns were eased by the strong support he received from family, fans and players, including Galaxy star Landon Donovan. Now Rogers is eager to be more than a footnote. He is determined to thrive as the leagues first openly gay player. "People are just really growing and accepting and loving," Rogers said. "Those other things are just not that important to them. I think as the younger get older and the generations come and go, I think times are just becoming more accepting." The two-time defending champion Galaxy traded top scorer Mike Magee to acquire Rogers, an MLS veteran who spent the last two seasons in England. He trained with the Galaxy in recent weeks and hoped to continue his career in his native Southern California. The Galaxy made it happen by giving up the popular Magee in a trade with the Chicago Fire, who held Rogers MLS rights. "I want to get back to soccer, which is what I love," Rogers said. "I get to do something I love, and I get to help people and be a positive role model. Im really excited to set a great example for other kids that are going through the same thing I went through. Its a perfect world for me, a perfect world." Coach Bruce Arena thinks Rogers already is in decent shape despite 18 months with little match experience. Arena figures Rogers could be a strong contributor to the Galaxy by July, but he could play in any upcoming match. "Certainly the league, and I think the fans, are going to be receptive in a real positive way," Arena told the AP. "But were not in this to pioneer social issues. Were trying to win games as a team, and were trying to produce the best team we can. Robbie has shown us that he has the potential to still be a real good player in our league, and thats what were hopeful of." Rogers is mindful of the place hell take in the culture when he steps on the field this summer, but the skilled, speedy winger is even more excited to contend for MLS titles and another chance to play the U.S. national team -- a stark contrast from his plans earlier this year when he was accepted to the menswear program at the London College of Fashion. "I had a lot of fear to come back to the game," Rogers said, remembering countless instances of homophobia everywhere from the stands to locker rooms. "I was just afraid I was putting myself in an environment that in the past had affected my mental health because I always felt like an outcast. I felt that I couldnt be myself." "But its been amazing," he added. "Its been normal, just as it should be. Im a soccer player. I happen to be gay, but Im a professional soccer player, and I have been since I was 18, 19. ... Im just really excited to go back to the game, and excited to deal with these stupid stereotypes that are out there with athletes and the gay community, just a bunch of different things." Hes certainly not alone in this movement. NBA veteran Jason Collins came out late last month, and Rogers spoke with Collins on the day of the centres announcement. U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe, who plays for Lyon in France, came out last year before the London Olympics. Shes expected to join the Seattle team of the new National Womens Soccer League in mid-June. Brittney Griner, the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury, and Seimone Auggustus of the Minnesota Lynx are among that leagues openly gay players.dddddddddddd Sheryl Swoopes, a retired WNBA All-Star and current college coach, came out in 2005 during her playing days. But any day now, Rogers is likely to become the first openly gay male athlete to play in North Americas biggest professional leagues, a fact thats still a bit surprising to both Rogers and Collins. "I would have thought more athletes would have taken that step, I guess," Rogers said. "People have seen how accepting everyone has been of Jasons and my story. I think its going to take just more time and more athletes coming out. Its all about seeing that its not something to be afraid of. Its not going to hurt your career." While MLS has a fraction of the NBAs popularity, Rogers has the potential to be more influential than Collins or featherweight boxer Orlando Cruz, who has won two fights since coming out last year. Collins is a journeyman basketball player without a contract for next season, while Rogers is an accomplished international soccer player in his prime. Rogers won an NCAA title at Maryland in 2005 and an MLS title with Columbus in 2008 while making the all-league first team. He has played sparingly over the past two years for English clubs Leeds and Stevenage after leaving the Crew in December 2011. But his workouts at the Galaxys training complex in Carson, Calif., were enticing enough, even if Rogers acknowledged hes "definitely a bit rusty right now." The Galaxy will work on getting Rogers back into top form, and theyll also support him in his conspicuous new role. "Its going to take him a little time," said Arena, also the Galaxys general manager. "Hes got to adjust to the Galaxy. Hes got to get himself in better form with the ball and his fitness. That takes time for any player, as weve witnessed with Landon over the last six to eight weeks. Its going to take some time. We hope Robbie can turn the corner quickly." Rogers is joining his leagues highest-profile team, with Donovan and Irish captain Robbie Keane leading a roster expected to contend for a third straight championship. After six years as David Beckhams home before the English midfielders departure last December, the Galaxy know all about the spotlight that will be cast on Rogers. "Theres obviously going to be attention, and I think that we are no stranger to that," Galaxy President Chris Klein told the AP. "I think the biggest piece of this is the maturity of Robbie, and were quite confident in that. Were there to stand behind him as an organization. He has shown to be a guy that has a tremendous amount of character and integrity, and I think hes going to fit our organization really well." The deal is a risk for the Galaxy, who traded a beloved fan favourite for Rogers. Magee, a Chicago native, has won two titles and scored eight post-season goals in four years with the Galaxy, and he leads the club with six goals this season. But Los Angeles is enticed by the potential of Rogers, who has played 18 times for the U.S. national team, scoring two goals. He dreams of playing for the American team at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but knows it wont happen unless he excels with the Galaxy. Rogers immediately felt comfortable training with the Galaxy and resuming his friendship with Donovan, meeting the U.S. national team star for coffee. Hes also confident his attacking game on the wing can help the Galaxy, who havent replaced Beckhams bending passes from the flank this season. "Theyve been very accepting to me and very cool with me," Rogers said. "Im just excited to get on the road with these guys and continue the season." Aware that a whirlwind of attention is approaching, Rogers plans to lean on his faith. He also hopes his decision to use soccer as a platform for tolerance and acceptance leads more gay athletes to come out, even while his primary focus is on the game he has loved since his youth. "Youre just going to be treated the same as any other athlete," he said. "Its going to take time, but its inevitable that the time will come when youre solely judged on your performance. Thats going to happen. You cant put a time frame on it, but I think its in the near future because I really have felt a shift in our society and acceptance in our sports world. I honestly think in the next few years, its not going to be an issue." ' ' '