Bowl destinations abound

I hate to tell you, “I told you so” regarding the UT game, but………..check my November 1 version of Extra Points.

Bowl games? That’s what everyone wants to know. Depending on the outcome of Saturday’s game with Oklahoma, the Frogs are probably headed to one of the following:

• Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl in Tempe at Sun Devil Stadium
• Alamo Bowl in San Antonio
• Meineke Car Care Bowl at Reliant Stadium in Houston
• AT&T Cotton Bowl in Arlington

What a football season it has been and the Frogs, and their 16 seniors have done a great job weathering a number of storms and opponents to get to 7-4. Do everyone a favor and get to Amon G. Carter Stadium early on Saturday to thank these 16 seniors and a team (who many thought was dead in the water in early October) which is going to try to put a Crimson n’ Cream cherry on top of this season. The seniors take their bow during pregame at 10:45 a.m.

I ask you: Is this Gary Patterson and staff’s greatest coaching job at TCU? It’s way up there on the list.

Have you seen the TCU pass rush lately? Also, how good is TCU safety Sam Carter playing? By the way, his interception to lock down the UT game occurred at 9:34 p.m.

Switching gears – there’s nothing wrong with Cowboys’ QB Tony Romo that a real offensive line and wide receivers who know the plays wouldn’t fix. Doug Free couldn’t block TCU’s Tommy Blake in the 2006 Poinsettia Bowl, he’s not much better now and that’s who’s protecting Romo’s blind side?

TCU guard Kyan Anderson got loose in a gym in South Padre Island last Saturday and scored 35 points in a win over UAB.  I saw it myself.  Watch this kid, he might be the key to the Frogs’ season in hoops.

TCU Women’s Volleyball dismantled the West Virginia Lady Mountaineers (is there such a thing?) last weekend to finish the season 15-14. Congratulations to head coach Prentice Lewis and her staff on their first season in the Big 12 – a tough, tough league.

The rumor I’m hearing regarding the Arkansas football head coaching position is Jon Gruden or Boise State’s Chris Petersen.   Announcement of the “lucky” winner coming this Saturday.

Kick ‘Em High!

Serious weekend for the Frogs

Now, it gets serious….

The Frogs have played eight games and are 67 percent of the way through the football season. What a BIG 33 percent the next four games represent.

As I like to say, college football is the land of opportunity, and between now and December 1, the Frogs have plenty of opportunities.

A winnable game at West Virginia tomorrow, a date with a possible No. 1 team in Kansas State a week from tomorrow (Trivia question – Who was the last No. 1 team to visit Amon G. Carter Stadium?), Thanksgiving in Austin and then it’s the Sooners to finish.

One win gets the Frogs to a bowl, two wins makes is a great year. Anything else is the cherry on top.

Scouting Report on WVU:

It’s the TCU Offense vs. WVU’s Defense – the worst pass defense in the nation – whoever has the upper hand here decides this game.

• WVU’s blitz – watch for it early as they try to rattle and disrupt Trevone Boykin.
• Geno Smith vs. the Frogs back half.  TCU’s secondary will have to be shark-like against this true talent at quarterback.
• Kicking game – TCU’s big legs need to have a big day. Field position will be a huge part of containing WVU’s offense.
• Start Fast – the Frogs need to play from ahead in this game, then they can dictate the tempo.
• Don’t forget the running game - if the Frogs can run it, thus controlling the clock, they’ll limit “at bats” for Geno Smith and the Mountaineer Machine. A huge key is ball control.

Women’s Soccer vs. Texas

TCU’s Women’s Soccer team continues its run this afternoon in the Big 12 Tournament with a 5:30 p.m. showdown with Texas. Go Lady Frogs!

Have a great weekend, everybody!
We’ll talk to you tomorrow from Morgantown at 1 p.m. CT on the TCU Sports Network.

Kick ‘Em High!

West Virginia is a bit personal

Here it is November 1st already and now things are getting interesting.  My Thursday Thoughts:

• Christmas is next month.
• Three weeks from today, you’ll be in Austin for what could be the most delicious morsel of the TCU football season – just watch.
• After next Tuesday, we don’t have to listen to the onslaught of political ads for a while. While I’m on that topic, pray for our country.
• The NBA season has started. Somebody wake me when the playoffs start.
• The World Series is over. If you blinked, you missed it.
• You can start to draw lines from the outcome of college football games to bowl bids and who gets to play for the National Championship. It’s a great month. And ponder this, Kansas State could come to Fort Worth next week as the No. 1 team in the nation.
• College basketball season starts next week. Now that interests me!
• Most underrated TCU team right now:  Women’s Soccer.  Beat No. 14 West Virginia last night in the Big 12 tournament. And they are a beat-up bunch. Maybe that’s a good omen for Saturday.
• Saturday is a bit personal for me because versus West Virginia in the 1984 Bluebonnet Bowl was the last game I played as a Horned Frog. It was also TCU’s first bowl in 19 years. Think about that. My how times have changed. The Mountaineers of 2012 aren’t much different from the 1984 version – fast receivers, huge O-Line and D-Line and the ability to score quickly. That Bluebonnet Bowl marked resurgence in the TCU program. A win Saturday in the hills of West Virginia would put a surge into TCU’s stretch drive in the inaugural Big 12 season. It would also make the Frogs bowl eligible for the eighth straight year. Weather forecast for Morgantown for Saturday is sunny and 50 degrees with light winds.

Finally, a word in memory of a TCU teammate, Billy Oliver. Billy passed away last week, way too young.   Many of you will remember the speedy defensive back from Sacramento, who wore No. 23 and was a shutdown corner on the Bluebonnet Bowl team. He was a pretty good singer, too, and filled the locker room with a great voice. God’s speed, Billy-O!

Kick ‘Em High!