Nov 23, 2024; Fort Value, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover (10) throws a go earlier than the sport towards the Arizona Wildcats at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Obligatory 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 sport 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 once 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 excellent,” Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes stated. “We did not play nicely 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 means of it and survive it.”
TCU had misplaced three of 4 when it entered an open date in early October. Dykes and his workers used the time to get the gamers targeted on how they might flip the season round. Within the subsequent sport, 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 the whole lot we requested them to do,” Dykes stated. “I believe that confirmed quite a lot of character.”
The Horned Frogs eradicated the rash of turnovers and have been plus-3 in turnover margin over their closing 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 complete at school historical past and desires 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 sport in Lafayette on Dec. 7.
“You all the time look ahead to the subsequent alternative,” Cajuns coach Michael Desormeaux stated.
Desormeaux stated the chance to face a workforce from an influence convention ought to allow his workforce to neglect the frustration of the Marshall loss.
“It is all the time a giant deal for us,” he stated. “Should you can end this season with a win towards a workforce like TCU and end with 11 wins, that places you in a greater beginning spot subsequent yr.”
Desormeaux stated beginning quarterback Ben Wooldridge has an opportunity to play within the bowl sport after lacking the final three video games due to a shoulder damage. His alternative, Chandler Fields, has accomplished 72.4 % of his passes with 5 touchdowns and one interception.
Regardless of who’s underneath 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 stated. “Any time you get throughout (midfield), you are not far-off from getting some factors on the board.”
–Subject Degree Media
