By Kevin Graham
November 5, 2009
TCU (8-0/4-0) at San Diego State (4-4/2-2)
Saturday, 4 PM ET on Versus
TCU LOOKS TO CONTINUE CLIMB TO BCS
One team is an established MWC power and is considered among the nations' elite programs this year. The other is looking to emerge from mediocrity to respectability under a new coach. Saturday, TCU will try to continue its trek towards the BCS at San Diego State on Versus.
The Frogs (8-0/4-0) have won 10 straight and are coming off their most dominant win of the season last Saturday manhandling UNLV 41-0. TCU stayed at No. 6 in the BCS standings, increasing their lead slightly over No. 7 Boise State. Those two schools are vying for the bid given to a non-automatic qualifying conference if they meet BCS standards, which at this point both obviously do.
Not swaying from his theme of focusing on the game at hand, TCU coach Gary Patterson feels the Aztecs are moving in the right direction. “San Diego State is a vastly improved football team, which I knew they would be,” said Patterson. “They’ve put together a great staff and they have great athletes. Anytime we’ve gone there it’s been a barnburner and we don’t expect anything different.”
Under first year coach Brady Hoke, San Diego State (4-4; 2-2) is at .500 for the first time this late in a season since 2003. The Aztecs have won their last two, including a come-from behind 23-20 victory Saturday over New Mexico.
While the program is improving, fans apparently aren’t taking the time to notice with only 12,647 in attendance last week. But as Hoke points out, “Winning is when you get fans.” A victory Saturday over TCU would go a long way in that regard.
FROGS TO WATCH
By holding UNLV to 160 total yards this past Saturday, it was the Frogs best defensive performance of the season. It also propelled them to the top spot in total defense in the nation. It all starts with the front four led by senior defensive end Jerry Hughes, the MWC sacks leader with nine. Due to their ability to apply pressure without having to blitz, it allows the rest of the defense to drop into coverage making it difficult for receivers to get open. Teams have also had limited success running the football against as TCU leads the conference and is eighth in the nation allowing just 89.3 yards per game. Linebacker Darryl Washington leads that effort with 62 tackles on the season.
“Talk about a team that plays with great determination, effort, toughness, speed,” said Hoke. “They’re tremendous.”
Junior quarterback Andy Dalton leads the offense that posted a season high 578 yards against UNLV. Dalton has thrown six touchdowns without an interception in the last two games. On the season, he has thrown 14 touchdowns to just three interceptions. On the ground, the Frogs last week rushed for 390 yards averaging 8.1 yards per carry. Joseph Turner leads the team with 499 yards and eight touchdowns but the Frogs feature several backs and regularly execute run plays for their wide receivers.
AZTECS TO WATCH
Since coming off the Oct. 10 bye three weeks ago, sophomore quarterback Ryan Lindley has been red hot. Lindley is 72-of-114 for 1,010 yards, 12 touchdowns and just one interception during that span, which has impressed the TCU coach.
"Last year, he had phenomenal stats going into the game against us,” said Patterson “He really hasn't thrown any interceptions. He's very mobile, a big kid who can move around and has a good arm. He looks like every San Diego State quarterback. The guy that played before him (Kevin O'Connell) is now at the next level."
With leading receiver Vincent Brown out the rest of the regular season with a thumb injury, senior DeMarco Sampson has emerged as Lindley’s go-to guy. In the last three games, Sampson has 27 receptions for 390 yards and seven touchdowns. The Aztecs have struggled running the ball until last week’s victory over New Mexico when Brandon Sullivan emerged with 81 yards on 24 carries.
Defensively, the Aztecs rank fifth in the MWC allowing 349.8 yards per game. A sore spot has been the inability to stop the run, ranking seventh in the conference allowing 145.2 yards per game.
TCU KEYS
1. Hold onto the football. TCU has lost nine fumbles in eight games this year. Last season the Frogs lost just seven fumbles in 13 games.
2. Apply pressure to the quarterback. The best way to slow down a quarterback on a roll is to get in his face. Fortunately for TCU, this hasn’t been a problem.
3. Establish the run. This is the Aztecs weakness defensively.
SAN DIEGO STATE KEYS
1. Provide time for Lindley. When Lindley has the time he can make a defense pay.
2. Stop the run. TCU will attack with a variety of backs and formations. If SDSU can slow down the run, they have a chance.
3. Stop the big play. With the amount of playmakers TCU has in its arsenal, it will be tough for the Aztecs to keep them all under control.
PREDICTION
While San Diego State has vastly improved under Hoke, they still have nowhere near the talent to beat a TCU team that is among the best in the nation. The Aztecs only hope is that the Frogs are overlooking them for their showdown with Utah next Saturday. I just don’t see that happening.
TCU 38 San Diego State 7
Kevin Graham hosts a daily sports talk show in Salt Lake City. You can listen and read his station blog. You can also follow him on Twitter.
