Sports News, Nuggets and Notes from East Carolina and Beyond

PREVIOUS NUGGETS

11.04.03: Dozen-member committee gets marching orders for AD search... .. Big news expected from Big East... .. BCS standings: Frogs hop up three notches... .. Cards spank EA Sports in preseason opener... .. More...

11.03.03: Pirate harrier breaks new ground... .. College football weekend: The good, the bad, the ugly... .. C-USA standings, scores, schedule... .. AP writers and USA Today/ESPN coaches polls... .. More...

11.02.03: Game briefs from around Conference USA... .. Preseason hoops injuries taking toll on Bearcats... .. Crain selected for Team USA baseball... .. More...

11.01.03: Bulls' board endorses cozying up to Big East... .. AD Selmon's son seals USF overtime win over Bearcats... .. Today's Virginia at N.C. State TV capsule... .. More...

10.31.03: 'Bama booster indicted in Means recruiting fiasco... .. Tonight's Cincinnati at USF TV capsule... .. 'Pack's Cotchery named Biletnikoff semifinalist... .. More...

10.30.03: Memphis bean counters still seeing red... .. TCU's Schobel makes Lombardi dozen... .. Bulls basketball loses Oglesby to transfer... .. More...

10.29.03: Senate hearing pits Cowen against BCS... .. Runners to pound pavement for LeClair... .. Losman among Unitas Award finalists... .. Punishment looms for riotous WVU students... .. More...

10.28.03: Frogs' No. 12 listing threatens dilemma for BCS... .. TCU's Patterson in contention for Dodd coaching award... .. Wolfpack's Melvin loses control of SUV... .. More...

10.27.03: College football weekend: The good, the bad, the ugly... .. C-USA standings, scores and schedule... .. Win over Pirates propels Louisville into USA Today/ESPN rankings... .. More...

10.26.03: C-USA roundup: Frogs keep BCS flame flickering... .. League hoops tips off with media event ... .. DePaul hardwood to be named Meyer Court ... .. USM baseball sustains Top 25 attendance... .. More...

FORT WORTH — Texas Christian knows there's only one way to continue the debate about whether it deserves to be part of the Bowl Championship Series: keep winning.

For the No. 13 Horned Frogs, there is no game bigger than Wednesday's against Louisville. It is the toughest on TCU's schedule and is being televised nationally (7:30 p.m., ESPN2) when no other game is being played.

"It's a great game to be spotlighted in as long as you win," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "All of that other stuff doesn't make a difference. I know if we don't beat Louisville all of these conversations don't mean much."

TCU is No. 9 in the BCS standings, the same spot it reached in 2000 after a 7-0 start. The Horned Frogs (8-0, 5-0 Conference USA) have to climb three more spots and finish there to become the first team from a non-BCS conference guaranteed a berth in one of the four BCS bowls.

Officials from the Fiesta Bowl, one of the lucrative BCS games, will be there Wednesday. So will representatives from three other bowls, all of them with C-USA ties.

While No. 1 Oklahoma, the nation's only other undefeated team, has kept its unblemished record by steamrolling high-quality opponents by an average of 31 points, the Frogs have done just enough to get by in several games. And they are playing the 98th-toughest schedule out of 117 teams.

Now comes Louisville (7-1, 3-1), the C-USA's top offense at 35 points and 470 yards a game. The Cardinals have won three straight since a double-overtime loss at South Florida, where TCU survived by three points.

"The pressure is on TCU," Cardinals coach Bobby Petrino said. "They're undefeated, and they're trying to be in the BCS picture. They've got a lot of pressure on them to win, and we don't have to worry about all of that. Our goals are still in front of us."

TCU has won 10 straight games, one fewer than Oklahoma, and 18 of its last 19 despite injuries to quarterback Tye Gunn and two of its top three running backs. The Frogs also have an 11-game winning streak at home.

Starting QB Tye Gunn won't play because of a groin injury, but Brandon Hassell threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns at Houston. The Frogs also had 407 yards rushing in that game, their first 400-yard game since LaDainian Tomlinson set a Division I-A record with 406 yards against UTEP four years ago.

"We've overcome the highs and lows and stayed even keel and played with solid confidence," Patterson said. "I don't know how good we are with all of the injuries. We'll probably have to play our best game of the season."

If not, the BCS dream will end.

Texas Christian athletic director Eric Hyman has issued a written call to arms to the school's football fans to show up when it counts. When it counts most, writes Hyman, is tonight's game (7:30 p.m., ESPN2) in Fort Worth between the Frogs and Louisville.

Dear Students and Frog Fans:

It's time to make a statement.

On Wednesday, November 5, the undefeated and 12th-ranked TCU Horned Frog football team will host the 25th-ranked Louisville Cardinals in a nationally-televised game. The national media, the pollsters and college football fans across the country will focus on Fort Worth and this important game and we need to make a statement.

Despite being one of only two teams in the country with an undefeated record, ranked in the top 15 in both national polls and owners of the second longest winning streak in the country, we have been criticized and discounted by those across the country who say we don't deserve our lofty ranking. They say our schedule is soft, we don't win pretty and we don't roll up huge margins of victory. Yet all we do is win. In fact, we've won 18 of our last 19 games and own one of the nation's best records since the turn of the century.

This game has huge conference and national implications. A win not only will keep us atop the league standings and in the hunt for a BCS berth, but will help our credibility across the land. We are looking for respect and we need your help.

ESPN2 will be on hand with Rece Davis, Mark May and Trev Alberts calling the action. Westwood One will be on hand to broadcast the game nationally on radio. We need you on hand in the stands, helping to cheer TCU on to victory.

If you have ever thought about coming to a TCU football game, now is the time to step up and buy a ticket for the Wednesday night game. Whether you are a student, a member of the faculty or staff of TCU, an alum or a fan of college football, we need you in the seats at Amon G. Carter Stadium at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Our team has battled throughout the year to go 8-0 for the first time since 1938. They deserve recognition and support for what they've accomplished. Let's get the stadium rockin' and give them the home field advantage they need to keep the dream alive!

So come early, stay late, wear your purple, scream and yell like crazy and let's make this a night to remember. For those of you unable to attend the game, please cheer on the Frogs! Let's make a statement that the country can't ignore.

Go Frogs!

Eric Hyman TCU Director of Athletics

NEW ORLEANS — Tulane senior running back Mewelde Moore, the most prolific running back in Green Wave and Conference USA history, suffered a broken left hand in the game versus Navy and his availability for the UAB game this week is unknown, Tulane Head Coach Chris Scelfo announced at his weekly press conference.

Scelfo said that Moore's injury will be re-evaluated Wednesday by team doctors, although his status for the contest at UAB may not be known until game-time. Moore suffered the injury while attempting to catch a pass late in the fourth quarter of the contest at Annapolis, which Tulane lost, 35-17.

Moore's 6,505 career all-purpose (rushing, receiving and returns) yards rank 11th all-time in NCAA history. He has amassed 4,364 rushing and 2,059 receiving yards in his 44-game career, including 915 rushing and 408 receiving yards in nine games so far this year. His 23 Tulane and seven Conference USA records include the marks for 100-yard games (22), rushing and all-purpose yards and attempts.

Sophomore Jovon Jackson, who has rushed 21 times for 69 yards this season, is Moore's back-up.

HATTIESBURG — Southern Miss Head Coach Jeff Bower announced Monday that redshirt-junior running back Tim Blackwell will not play in this week's Conference USA game at Houston. Blackwell, who currently leads the team with 274 yards on 64 carries, was suspended for each of the last two games against USF and Louisiana-Lafayette.

"He will not play this week," Bower said. "I have not made a firm decision for after that, but he won't be with us this week. He is practicing. We will continue to try to help him. I am not going to dismiss him from the football team, but he is not going to play until he starts doing things right. There's more than one thing, but one issue is fairly serious."

This will be fourth game this season that Blackwell will have missed. He also sat out the Cincinnati game because of an ankle injury.