FORT WORTH, TX — The Conference USA football race took on a
whole new twist in the wake of Texas Christian's spanking of Southern Miss
in front of the ESPN2 cameras Wednesday night.
The defeat was USM's first inside the conference and the
repercussions were felt throughout the upper ranks of the league race. TCU
leapfrogged the Golden Eagles into first place and created a five-way
scramble down the November stretch for the Liberty Bowl berth that goes to
the champion.
In addition to the Horned Frogs and USM, Louisville, UAB and
East Carolina are other teams which have suffered only one league loss.
Freshman Lonta Hobbs ran for 123 yards and three touchdowns
and Nick Browne kicked three field goals to lead TCU's 37-7 domination of
the Golden Eagles. It was the Frogs seventh straight win since an opening
game overtime loss at Cincinnati on September 2.
Hobbs' second TD, a 53-yard run, capped a 24-point third quarter for the
Horned Frogs (7-1, 4-1 Conference USA) after Southern Mississippi (5-3, 3-1)
had scored its only touchdown.
TCU had expected to redshirt Hobbs, but the plan changed because of injuries
and a lack of production by other running backs over the first four games.
Hobbs has rushed for 383 yards and seven TDs in four games.
Ricky Madison added 91 yards on 17 carries for the Horned Frogs, who took
over the lead in the C-USA standings, one-half game ahead of Southern Miss,
Louisville and Alabama-Birmingham. TCU beat two-time defending champion
Louisville 45-31 in its last game.
Southern Miss opened the second half with Dustin Almond's 48-yard TD pass to
Marvin Young, who was wide open in the flat and got a downfield block, to
make it 13-7.
Browne's 48-yard field goal started a quick 17-point surge by TCU.
Almond's first pass after that was intercepted by Jared Smitherman and he
returned 37 yards for a touchdown. Southern Miss then went three-and-out
before Hobbs' third run of at least 50 yards this season on the first play
of the next drive.
Hobbs took an option pitch to the right and had a clear shot down the
sideline. Only one defender had a shot at him, but Hobbs cut back at the 15
to elude the tackle and slip into the end zone.
A 13-yard run by Hobbs with 42 seconds left in the third quarter ended the
scoring.
Hobbs' first TD was a 15-yarder in the second quarter.
TCU quarterback Tye Gunn left the game with 5:40 to go in the third quarter
with a right knee injury. The extent of the injury wasn't immediately known.
Gunn's knee buckled awkwardly as he tried to avoid the pursuit of Southern
Miss linebacker Rod Davis. Gunn was thrashing in pain until trainers reached
him, and he was on the field for about five minutes before being wheeled off
on a cart.
The Horned Frogs have won all four games Gunn has started since Sean Stilley
injured his shoulder. Gunn remained the starter against Southern Miss even
though Stilley was healthy.
Gunn was 8-of-15 for 102 yards while Stilley completed his only two passes
for 35 yards.
Almond, the first Southern Miss freshman to start at quarterback in eight
years, was 9-of-27 for 110 yards with an interception after going 7-of-22
for 92 yards in his first start, a 23-14 win over Cincinnati on Oct. 19.
Derrick Nix, C-USA's second-leading rusher at 117 yards per game, had 48
yards in the first half but didn't return after reaggravating a right ankle
injury.
Browne also had field goals of 29 and 30 yards in the first half, and is
19-of-21 this season. His 19 field goals are the most in the nation.
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Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
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