Frogs Travel To Army Saturday
9/30/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 30, 2004
START SPREADING THE NEWS: The TCU Horned Frogs (2-2, 0-1 C-USA) go on the road for the first time in Conference USA league action in 2004, traveling to West Point, New York to face the Army Black Knights (0-3, 0-2 C-USA) at Michie Stadium on Saturday, October 2. Game time is set for 1:06 p.m. Eastern time from the banks of the Hudson River. TCU went 2-1 in non-conference action to open the season, posting wins over Northwestern and SMU before a loss at Texas Tech, then dropped their conference opener last week, a 45-44 double overtime setback at home to USF. Army, which opened the season with a pair of conference losses to Louisville (52-21) and at Houston (35-21), went out of the league last week and dropped a 40-3 decision to UConn.
A LITTLE HISTORY: The Frogs own an all-time record of 513-497-57. TCU has fielded a team every year since 1896, with the exception of the 1900 campaign. With a 39-14 record over the last four-plus seasons (2000-04), the Frogs have begun the 21st century in much better fashion than they began the 20th century, when they were 2-18-3 from 1900-1904. In fact, it took the Frogs 10 years (1896-1905) to record 11 victories - they logged 11 wins in 2003 alone!
TCU-ARMY...THE SERIES: This is the fourth meeting in the series between the two schools with TCU winning each of the three previous contests by a combined score of 111-47. The Frogs won in Fort Worth in 2001 by a 38-20 score, posted a 46-27 victory in West Point in 2002 in their only previous trip to West Point, then blanked the Cadets in Fort Worth last season by a 27-0 margin. Although neither school will be part of Conference USA after this season, the series between the two institutions will continue for another two years. Army is slated to return to Fort Worth next season on October 15 for a non-conference contest, then TCU will make the trip to West Point on September 9, 2006 for another non-conference tilt with the Black Knights.
TCU IN CONFERENCE USA ACTION: The Frogs have increased their number of league wins every year since joining Conference USA. In 2001, the Frogs went 4-3 in league play to tie for fifth place. In 2002, TCU tied for the conference title with a 6-2 record. Last season the Frogs finished second in the league despite posting a 7-1 record. Overall, TCU has a 17-7 record in C-USA play.
FROGS FALL IN DOUBLE OT: A botched extra point attempt in the second overtime spelled defeat for the TCU Horned Frogs as they dropped their Conference USA season opener to USF, 45-44, last Saturday. The Frogs wasted a four-touchdown effort from tailback Lonta Hobbs. Senior linebacker Martin Patterson was credited with a career-high 20 tackles, while senior safety Marvin Godbolt had seven solo stops, five behind the line of scrimmage including three sacks, and a forced fumble, to lead the defense. USF outgained TCU by a 407-324 margin, helped by a significant advantage on third down conversions. The Bulls were 13-of-21 on third down snaps, while the Frogs were just 1-of-12 in those situations.
HOME STREAK SNAPPED: The Frogs had their 15-game regular season home winning streak snapped by USF on Saturday. TCU had not lost a regular season home contest since October 30, 2001 when East Carolina escaped Amon G. Carter Stadium with a 37-30 win. It was a bit of a payback, as TCU ended USF's 21-game home winning streak a year ago.
UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY: TCU has suffered back-to-back losses for the first time since the end of the 2001 season (a bowl loss to Texas A&M) and the opener of the 2002 season (an overtime loss at Cincinnati). They had played 26 games between posting consecutive losses. The Frogs have not dropped three straight since losing four in a row back in 1998.
WATCHING FROM THE SIDELINES: The Frogs have been hit hard by injuries. Those who did not suit up for the USF game included quarterback Tye Gunn, wide receiver Reggie Harrell, tight end Chad Andrus, cornerback Mark Walker, defensive tackle Jarrarcea Williams and deep snapper Clif Alexander.
FOUR SCORE AND 24 POINTS: TCU tailback Lonta Hobbs reached the endzone a career-high four times against USF on Saturday, twice on the ground and twice on pass receptions. The last Horned Frog to score as many as 24 points in a game was LaDanian Tomlinson vs. Hawaii in 2000. Hobbs is currently tied for third in the nation in scoring, averaging 15.0 points per game.
EXTRA, EXTRA: The Frogs went two extra periods for the second time this season when they fell to USF, 45-44 in double overtime on Saturday. In the 2004 season opener, TCU posted a 48-45 double overtime win over Northwestern. The Frogs are 3-4 in games decided in overtime since the rule was added.
GOOD OMEN: Did you know that the last two times TCU opened the conference season with a loss, the Frogs went on to earn a share of the conference title? Ironically, in each of those games, the loss came in overtime. They opened the 1999 conference season with a 26-19 loss at Fresno State and went on to share the WAC title with a 5-2 record, then dropped the 2002 conference opener at Cincinnati by a 36-29 count and went on to grab a share of the C-USA title with a 6-2 mark.
FLAG ON THE PLAY: TCU and USF combined to draw 28 penalties, accounting for 268 yards. The Bulls were penalized 18 times for 164 yards. TCU was credited with a school record eight first downs via penalty, topping the old mark of six, set vs. Texas A&M in 1977. The Frogs had more first downs by penalty (8) than they did passing (7) or rushing (6).
LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD: TCU and its opponents have lit up the scoreboard this season, totaling three of the top eight scoring games in school history. In fact, four of the top eight highest scoring games have been posted in the last 10 contests, dating back to last year's record-setting 117 points scored in the Houston game.
MAKING A POINT: The Frogs have tallied 171 points to rank seventh in the nation in scoring offense at 42.75 points per game. The 171 points after four games is the most in school history, surpassing the 158 points scored to open the 2000 season. TCU has been held under 28 points just once in its last 10 games.
CLOSE TO YOU: After back-to-back blow-outs (44-0 win over SMU and 70-35 loss at Texas Tech), TCU resumed its usual pattern of playing close games with a 45-44 double overtime loss to USF. Since the Army game of last season, eight of TCU's 12 contests have been decided by a touchdown or less.
WHEN TCU MET ARMY: Brandon Hassell threw two touchdown passes, including a 40-yard strike to Bruce Galbert to start the second half, as the Frogs defeated Army, 27-0 on October 4, 2003 in Fort Worth. Robert Merrill rushed for 100 yards on 15 carries while Kenny Hayter added 88 yards rushing on a dozen totes. TCU, which led by just a 6-0 advantage at halftime, outgained the Cadets, 447-204.
IT'S ALL ACADEMIC: The Frogs are 7-1-1 all-time against the three military academies, including wins in each of their last seven contests. TCU is 2-1-1 against Air Force and 2-0 versus Navy in addition to being 3-0 against Army. In 2003, the Frogs defeated Navy by a 17-3 count and Army, 27-0. TCU's only loss to an academy was a 21-10 setback at Air Force in 1987. Next season, TCU will have both Army and Air Force on the schedule.
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND: The Frogs are 4-2 all-time against teams from the state of New York, including a 1-2 record when playing in the Empire State. They lost each of their first two contests in the state of New York, falling to Fordham in 1937 (7-6) and again in 1941 (28-14). They defeated Jim Brown and Syracuse, 28-27, in the famous 1957 Cotton Bowl, before topping Army three times in the last three seasons, once in the state of New York.
