Liberty Bowl Capsule
12/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
By PAUL MONTELLA
AP Sports Writer
Tuesday, Dec. 31
Liberty Bowl
At Memphis, Tenn.
ESPN
Colorado State (10-3) vs. TCU (9-2), 3:30 p.m.
Series Record
Colorado State leads 1-0.
Last Meeting
1998, Colorado State 42-21.
Bowl Records
Colorado State 4-4; TCU 6-11-1.
Last Bowl Appearance
Colorado State beat North Texas 45-20 in the 2001 New Orleans Bowl
Common Opponents This Season
Colorado State beat Louisville 36-33; TCU beat Louisville 45-31.
Coaches
Sonny Lubick, 10th season at Colorado State (84-37), overall (105-56); Gary Patterson, second season at TCU (15-9).
What To Look For
One of six Bowl games pitting conference champions against one another. TCU, the nation's best defense against the run (62.6 ypg.) and second best total defense (249.4 ypg.), meets the 24th best offense (407.8 ypg.) in the nation. The Rams average 31.1 points per game, while the Horned Frogs allow just 19.9.
Streaks, Stats and Notes
Colorado State is playing in a Bowl game for a school-record fourth straight season. ... QB Bradlee Van Pelt was named the MWC Offensive Player of the Year. ... Colorado State closed out its regular season by winning six of its last seven games. ... Lubick has guided the Rams to a 3-3 Bowl record. ... RB Cecil Sapp set a CSU single-season rushing record with 1,495 yards (17 TDs) and posted a conference-high eight 100 yard rushing games this season. ... Van Pelt ranked third in the MWC and 43rd nationally in total offense at 221.1 yards per game. He has thrown for 2,049 yards and 10 TDs and rushed for 825 yards and 11 TDs. ... WR Chris Pittman (56 rec., 774 yards, 1 TD) is Van Pelt's main target. ... TCU will be making its fifth consecutive Bowl appearance. ... A victory would mark the fifth time in school history that the Horned Frogs finished with 10 wins. ... Lonta Hobbs emerged as TCU's premier back (952 yds., 6.9 avg., 12 TDs) the last five games and capped off his surprising season with a career-high 33 carries and 287 rushing yards against Memphis. ... In eight games, QB Sean Stilley completed 98-of-176 passes for 1,230 yards, and 5 TDs. ... Adrian Madise (30 rec., 506 yards, 2 TDs) is the top receiver.
