Horned Frogs back on the practice field Friday
12/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 15, 2005
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Following a four-day break for final exams, the TCU football team returns to the field Friday with a 4 p.m. practice in Amon Carter Stadium.The Mountain West Conference champion and 14th-ranked Horned Frogs face Iowa State in the Dec. 31 EV1.net Houston Bowl at Reliant Stadium.
Friday will represent TCU's sixth bowl practice. The Frogs, who will take Saturday off due to graduation on campus, will also practice Sunday at 4 p.m.
TCU (10-1) is making its seventh bowl appearance in the last eight seasons and fourth in five years with Gary Patterson as head coach.
It will be the 22nd bowl appearance in the Frogs' history. TCU is 7-13-1 with three of its wins occurring since Patterson came to TCU in 1998 as defensive coordinator. Prior to his arrival, the Frogs had four bowl victories in their history.
TCU has won nine in a row for the third-longest current winning streak in the nation, behind only USC (34) and Texas (19). It's the Frogs' longest streak since winning 12 straight over the final two games in 2002 and the opening 10 contests in 2003.
TCU's last seven wins are by an average of 24.6 points.
The Frogs are one win shy of becoming just the fourth team in school history to reach 11 victories. The 2003 and 1938 teams won 11, while the 1935 squad was 12-1.
At No. 14, TCU has its highest national ranking since it was 10th in the Nov. 16, 2003 Associated Press poll.
By being the first bowl-bound team to complete regular-season play (Nov. 12), TCU has the longest layoff in the nation between games this season. When it takes the field Dec. 31 at Reliant Stadium, TCU will have gone 49 days between contests.
The Frogs' layoff is in contrast to their regular season. TCU posted its undefeated MWC championship without the aid of an open date. The Frogs played 11 consecutive weeks after beginning the campaign Sept. 3 with a 17-10 win at Oklahoma.
