GAMEWEEK #11: TCU at Kansas State

(This story is original content from GoFrogs.com)

ABOUT THE GAME
*TCU is on the road for a second straight week as it travels to Kansas State for a Saturday 2:30 p.m. contest on FOX Sports Net.
*The Horned Frogs are looking to move a step closer to becoming bowl eligible for a ninth straight season and 15th time in 16 years.
*Gary Patterson, the winningest coach in TCU history, will be returning to his alma mater for the first time as a head coach. Patterson is a 1983 graduate of K-State and a former safety and linebacker for the Wildcats.
*Patterson will be coaching in Manhattan against the Wildcats for the second time in his career. He was the linebackers coach at Tennessee Tech in 1984 when his Golden Eagles lost 28-12 to K-State.
*Patterson is not the only TCU head coach to be a K-State alumnus. TCU track and field's Darryl Anderson, like Patterson, is a 1983 graduate of K-State.

SERIES NOTES
*TCU and Kansas State are meeting for just the seventh time in their history.
*The series is tied at 3-3. The Horned Frogs are 1-2 against the Wildcats in Manhattan and 2-1 in Fort Worth.
*Last year's 23-10 K-State win at TCU marked the schools' first game since 1986. It also snapped a three-game TCU winning streak in the series.
*The Horned Frogs were victorious in their last trip to Manhattan, winning 24-22 in 1985.
*The first meeting in the series was a 45-0 K-State victory in Manhattan in 1922.
*After that initital game, the Horned Frogs and Wildcats did not play again until meeting in four consecutive seasons from 1983-86.

ROAD WARRIORS
*At 21-5 (.808), TCU has the nation's fourth-best road record since 2009.
*TCU's 25-8 record (.758) in road and neutral-site games since 2009 is the third-best mark nationally.
*TCU has won 17 of its last 21 conference road games.
*TCU is tied for third nationally in most road wins (five) over Associated Press Top-25 teams since 2009.

KANSAS TIES
*TCU football coach Gary Patterson was born in Larned, Kan., and is a native of Rozel, Kan.
*Patterson went to Pawnee Heights High School and then Dodge City Community College, before being a walk-on linebacker and safety at Kansas State from 1980-81. He is a 1983 graduate of K-State.
*TCU defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Dick Bumpas was K-State's defensive line coach in the 1981-82 seasons.
*TCU has two players on its roster from Kansas: offensive guard Brady Foltz (Rose Hill) and quarterback Tyler Matthews (McPherson).

AWARD WATCH
*TCU All-America cornerback Jason Verrett is a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.
*Verrett was a first-team selection on all five Midseason All-America teams released (ESPN.com, CBSSports.com, SI.com, USA Today, Phil Steele).
*Since 2012, Verrett leads the nation with 36 passes defended (8 interceptions, 28 pass breakups).

TCU NOTABLES
*TCU has just 10 scholarship seniors on this year's roster. Over 40 percent of Horned Frogs who have seen action this season are sophomores.
*TCU is on pace to become the first Big 12 team since 1996 (Nebraska) to lead the conference in both sacks and interceptions. The Horned Frogs have a Big 12-leading 28 sacks and 17 picks. The 17 interceptions are tied for fourth nationally.
*Casey Pachall has 39 career touchdown passes and needs one more to tie Slingin' Sammy Baugh (40, 1934-36) for third on the Horned Frogs' career list. Pachall needs 100 yards passing to reach 5,000 for his career.
*Trevone Boykin is the only player in the nation this season with a 100-yard rushing game, 100-yard receiving game and 200-yard passing game.