Nov 23, 2024; Fort Price, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover (10) throws a cross earlier than the sport in opposition to the Arizona Wildcats at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Tim Heitman-Imagn Pictures TCU performed its finest soccer in the course of the second half of the common season.
Louisiana performed its worst recreation of the season in its most up-to-date contest.
The Horned Frogs (8-4) will attempt to maintain rolling and the Ragin’ Cajuns (10-3) will attempt to bounce again after they meet within the New Mexico Bowl on Saturday afternoon in Albuquerque.
TCU gained 5 of its previous six video games, together with the final three.
“We have been 3-3 and it did not look superb,” Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes mentioned. “We did not play effectively and we had three video games the place we turned the ball over 12 occasions, which is sort of unprecedented within the historical past of soccer. However we managed to get by it and survive it.”
TCU had misplaced three of 4 when it entered an open date in early October. Dykes and his employees used the time to get the gamers centered on how they might flip the season round. Within the subsequent recreation, the Horned Frogs gained 13-7 at Utah, and their solely loss the remainder of the best way got here on a last-second tiebreaking discipline objective at Baylor.
“The gamers jumped on board and did every little thing we requested them to do,” Dykes mentioned. “I feel that confirmed a number of character.”
The Horned Frogs eradicated the rash of turnovers and have been plus-3 in turnover margin over their last six regular-season video games.
Sophomore quarterback Josh Hoover ranks seventh nationally in passing yards (3,697). He’s 1 yard behind Max Duggan for the second-highest single-season whole at school historical past and wishes 205 to interrupt Trevone Boykin’s file of three,901.
He has a 1,000-yard receiver in Jack Bech, an LSU switch who’s a local of Lafayette, La., the place the Ragin’ Cajuns are positioned.
Louisiana’s solely losses have been to bowl-eligible groups. The Ragin’ Cajuns misplaced by eight factors to Tulane in September and by two to South Alabama in November earlier than being routed by Marshall 31-3 within the Solar Belt Convention championship recreation in Lafayette on Dec. 7.
“You all the time stay up for the subsequent alternative,” Cajuns coach Michael Desormeaux mentioned.
Desormeaux mentioned the chance to face a group from an influence convention ought to allow his group to neglect the frustration of the Marshall loss.
“It is all the time an enormous deal for us,” he mentioned. “For those who can end this season with a win in opposition to a group like TCU and end with 11 wins, that places you in a greater beginning spot subsequent 12 months.”
Desormeaux mentioned beginning quarterback Ben Wooldridge has an opportunity to play within the bowl recreation after lacking the final three video games due to a shoulder harm. His substitute, Chandler Fields, has accomplished 72.4 % of his passes with 5 touchdowns and one interception.
Irrespective of who’s beneath heart, Desormeaux is aware of he has “an actual weapon” in kicker Kenneth Almendares, who gained the Lou Groza Award. He made all however two of his 29 field-goal makes an attempt, and the misses got here from 53 and 60 yards. Almendares is 46-for-47 on further factors.
“Kenny has been phenomenal,” Desormeaux mentioned. “Any time you get throughout (midfield), you understand you are not far-off from getting some factors on the board.”
–Area Stage Media
