No. 15 TCU To Host Wyoming in Homecoming Game
10/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 20, 2008
Game #9
No. 15 TCU (7-1, 4-0) vs. Wyoming (2-5, 0-4)
Fort Worth, Texas -- Amon G. Carter Stadium (44,358)
Saturday, Oct. 25 -- 5 p.m.
Television: The Mtn. [Rich Cellini (PBP), Jon Berger (color), Cash Sirois (sideline)]
Radio: TCU/ISP Sports Network -- 103.3 ESPN, 88.7 KTCU, GoFrogs.com, [Brian Estridge (PBP), John Denton (color), Jeff Williams (sideline)]
ABOUT THE GAME
*No. 15 TCU looks to continue the momentum from last week's 32-7 win over then-No. 8 BYU when it hosts Wyoming in the Horned Frogs' Homecoming game.
*TCU has a record of 7-1 or better after eight games for the fifth time in the last nine seasons. On each previous occasion, the Frogs went on to win at least 10 games. The Frogs have equaled their best start to a campaign since 2004.
*TCU leads the nation in run defense (21.0 yards per game), total defense (218.6), sacks (33) and fewest first downs allowed per game (11.6). The Frogs are also No. 1 in time of possession (35:53).
*Gary Patterson is 2-1 as a head coach versus Wyoming. He was 0-1 against the Cowboys as an assistant coach.
THE SERIES
*TCU and Wyoming are meeting for just the fifth time on the gridiron with the series tied at 2-2.
*The Cowboys' 24-21 win in Laramie last season was their first victory over the Frogs since TCU began Mountain West Conference play in 2005.
*The Frogs had won the previous two meetings, 28-14 in Laramie in 2005 and 26-3 in Fort Worth in 2006.
*The only pre-MWC game between the teams was a 34-27 Wyoming win in Fort Worth in 1998 when both teams were members of the Western Athletic Conference. TCU head coach Gary Patterson was in his first season as the Frogs' defensive coordinator.
DEFENDING THEIR HOME
*Since 1999, TCU is 48-6 in its last 54 home games at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
*At 29-4 (.875), the Frogs have the seventh-best home record in the nation over the last six seasons.
*In its last six home dates, TCU is allowing 20.7 yards a game rushing (0.9 per carry).
PLAYER TO WATCH
*TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes is making a strong case for Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-America honors.
*Hughes was named the Walter Camp Football Foundation National Defensive Player of the Week after his four sacks and two forced fumbles against BYU.
*Hughes tops the nation with 11 sacks while tying for the top spot in the country with four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. His 14 tackles for loss narrowly trail Penn State's Aaron Maybin (14.5) for the national lead. Hughes also has two interceptions, including one returned 24 yards for a touchdown.
*A native of Sugar Land, Texas, Hughes was a tailback in high school.
FROGS ON HOMECOMING
*TCU has won nine straight Homecoming games. In only three of those contests has the victory margin been less than 17 points. The Frogs have scored at least 26 points in eight of their last nine Homecoming games.
WINNING CLASSES
*The Frogs have recorded 37 wins over the last four seasons. With four more victories, this year's senior class will break the TCU record for most wins (40, 1932-35) in a four-year period.
*The 37 victories currently rank in a tie for fifth over a four-year stretch at TCU. The 1933-36 era is second with 39 wins. The 1930-33 and 2003-06 squads recorded 38 victories.
MAGIC NUMBER 17
*With Gary Patterson as head coach, TCU is 48-0 when allowing 17 points or less. Overall, the Frogs have won 63 consecutive games when holding the opponent to 17 or fewer points.
*The streak began after a 17-7 loss at Northwestern on Sept. 11, 1999.
FINISHING STRONG
*TCU has outscored its opponents 62-0 in the fourth quarter.
THE BCS
*TCU is 14th in the current BCS standings.
*The Frogs (21) are second behind only Boise State (27) for most appearances in the BCS standings by a school playing in a conference without an automatic BCS bid.
*If the current BCS rules were in effect in 2005, TCU would have been in a BCS bowl. The Frogs were ahead of automatic qualifier Florida State.
BEATING THE RANKED
*With its win over then-No. 8 BYU, TCU defeated its highest-ranked opponent since a 17-10 victory at No. 5 Oklahoma in 2005. That was also TCU's previous win over a top-10 team.
*TCU's 25-point win marked the largest margin of victory over a top-10 team in school history. The previous best was a 14-0 win over No. 6 Texas in 1946.
*The Frogs defeated a top-10 team at home for the first time since a 17-9 victory over No. 9 Texas A&M in 1965.
FASHION POLICE
*TCU sported a different uniform look against BYU. Instead of the regular purple jersey and black pants, the Frogs reversed the look with black jerseys and purple pants. It was the first time TCU had that look since 2000. The Frogs also wore that combination in their 1998 Sun Bowl win over USC. TCU was in black jerseys for the first time since 2004, while purple pants hadn't been worn since the 2005 campaign at SMU.
