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Frogs closing in on BCS berth
By The Associated Press
FORT WORTH — Texas Christian just keeps prolonging the BCS debate. So far,
the Horned Frogs have the perfect answer for the critics and doubters who
don't believe they deserve a chance to play in one of the top four bowls.
"Everybody can criticize and do what they want, but the bottom line to it
... we're 10-0," coach Gary Patterson said emphatically after TCU's 43-10
win over Cincinnati on Saturday. "That's all we care about."
Kenny Boyd returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, linebacker Marvin
Patterson pounced on a fumble in the end zone and the No. 10 Horned Frogs
(10-0, 7-0 Conference USA) won their 12th straight game.
TCU and Oklahoma, the No. 1 team in every poll, are the only undefeated
teams in major college football.
The Frogs are sixth in the latest Bowl Championship Series standings, the
highest ranking ever for a team from a non-BCS conference. If they stay in
the top six, they will be guaranteed a spot in one of the four most
lucrative bowl games. Fiesta Bowl representatives were at the game.
Next up is Thursday night at Southern Mississippi (7-3, 6-0). That game is
for the outright C-USA title and seemingly the last challenge to keeping the
BCS dream alive for the Frogs, who end the regular season Nov. 29 at winless
SMU.
"All we can do now is keep winning games," said Nick Browne, who tied a
school record with five field goals.
"We're one game away from winning a championship," coach Patterson said.
"There's no time to relax, there's no time to savor this one at all."
Patterson, as intense as he has been all season while talking after the
game, wasn't even going to grade the film. Instead of congratulating his
team for the win, he told the players to get some rest and be ready for a
hard practice Sunday.
TCU is 10-0 for the first time since 1938, when quarterback Davey O'Brien
led the Frogs to their only undefeated season and lone national
championship.
After winning five games by three points and another by a just a touchdown,
the Frogs had their biggest win of the season. And by beating Cincinnati
(5-5, 2-4), they avenged one of their two losses from last season.
"It feels a lot better than winning by three points and having to come down
to the wire," said quarterback Brandon Hassell, who had a 22-yard TD run.
TCU clinched at least a share of the C-USA title for the second year in a
row, having shared the title with Cincinnati last season. The Frogs broke a
69-year-old school record with their 13th straight home win.
"They deserve any recognition that they get. Their record shows exactly how
good they are," said Cincinnati linebacker Jason Russell.
While TCU's offense sputtered much of the game (298 total yards), defense
and special teams did more than enough against the Bearcats.
After starting its opening drive of the second half at the 4 following a
punt, Cincinnati lost a yard on the first two plays. Bo Schobel then sacked
Gino Guidugli in the end zone and stripped the ball. Patterson jumped on it
for a 27-10 lead.
The Frogs led 10-0 in the first quarter despite two interceptions by Hassell,
who is 6-0 as a starter in place of injured Tye Gunn.
Cincinnati went three and out after Franklin Callicott's interception at the
18. Flander Malone then came straight up the middle to block Chet Ervin's
punt, and Boyd scooped up the ball and carried it into the end zone for a
10-0 lead.
Tyrone Sanders blocked Ervin's 49-yard field-goal attempt on the first
series of the game. Robert Merrill had a quick 18-yard run, but Hassell was
picked off by Daven Holly on a terribly underthrown pass.
Browne's 23-yard field goal midway through the first quarter came after TCU
drove 73 yards before failing to convert on first-and-goal from the 8.
Browne kicked a 45-yarder in the second quarter, and added kicks of 22, 35
and 34 yards in the second half.
Browne also kicked five field goals in the 2002 season opener against
Cincinnati, when the Bearcats overcame a 15-point deficit in the fourth
quarter and won in overtime. The Frogs are 20-1 since, the only loss at East
Carolina, which was also the last team to beat TCU at home in 2001.
Merrill ended the scoring with a 19-yard TD with seven minutes left, two
plays after Chris Peoples' interception set the Frogs up at the Cincinnati
24.
Cincinnati's only TD came on Guidugli's 56-yard pass to Hannibal Thomas.
Chris Manfredini kicked a 24-yard field goal on the last play of the first
half.
Guidugli, Cincinnati's career passing leader, hit 24 of 44 passes for 254
yards. The TD was the 50th of his career.
Hassell was just 9-of-18 for 121 yards, but had 15 carries for 79 yards. His
22-yard TD keeper in the second quarter came right after he scrambled for 11
yards to convert fourth-and-6.
©2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
02.23.07 10:48 AM
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