Frogs O' War - Game Week: TCU Treks To MorgantownThe #1 TCU Athletics blog on the internet!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50293/fow-fav.png2014-11-02T11:09:50-06:00http://www.frogsowar.com/rss/stream/68998242014-11-02T11:09:50-06:002014-11-02T11:09:50-06:00Three Up, Three Down - WVU
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<figcaption>Justin K. Aller</figcaption>
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<p>The Frogs did a lot of things wrong on their way to a one point win, but in the end, the last play is the only one that matters. Who were the heroes of the day, and who needs to get back to work this week?</p> <p><b>UP: JADEN OBERKOM</b> - It's not over until it's OBER (I stole this from our commenters, but I can't remember which of you wonderful people said it), and Jaden ended the furious comeback with a 37 yard field goal as time expired. The entirety of Twitterverse was shellacking Coach P for playing conservative and settling for a long kick to decide it either way, in inclement weather, but Gary knows his kicker, and the bigger the moment, the bigger his leg. Oberkrom was also four for four on extra points, and boomed a few kickoffs deep, preventing a return. The game winner? His 50th made field goal at TCU, good for fourth place all time. I have a feeling he will write his name on that record before all is said and done. One of the best things that came out of the post game was that Oberkrom said <span>Trevone Boykin</span> came up to him before the kick and said "Make or miss, we still love you and you're still our guy". That's being a great leader, even in the face of your own person struggles, which lead to...</p>
<p><b>DOWN: TREVONE BOYKIN</b> - Boykin played his worst game of the season by far, completing only 12 of 30 passes for 166 yards, one TD, and one INT. He sailed balls high all day, forced it to <span>Josh Doctson</span> time and time again, and never looked comfortable in or out of the pocket. He was as flustered and jittery as I have ever seen him, negating the confidence that had been a hallmark of his play to this point. A big part of that was due to the defensive game plan the Mountaineers had for him, blitzing, showing blitz and backing off, changing coverages, and dominating the line of scrimmage through the first three quarters. It's how they beat <span>Bryce Petty</span> and the Bears, and it almost worked yesterday. BUT, I will end this down with an up, because when he needed to come through with a play, driving down the field with time ticking away, needing to get in to field goal range for a chance to win, he floated a perfect ball into the arms of <span>Kolby Listenbee</span> for 40 yards and in to range for Oberkrom. Boykin might be out of the Heisman race, but I don't think anyone will care if he keeps finding ways to win ball games.</p>
<p><b>UP: KEVIN WHITE</b> - The White on White matchup was much touted pre-game, as TCU's White would be matched up in man coverage with one of the best receivers in the country for much of the game. But it was so one sided that it never became a story line, as the much maligned secondary, who had been burned time and time again this year, absolutely swarmed White to the tune of three catches for 28 yards and no scores. This was a major credit to the Frog's <span>Kevin White</span>, as he blanketed the Eer's <span>Kevin White</span> and never gave him a chance to impact the game. The entire back end of the D had a great game, holding the explosive Mountaineer passing game and impressive QB Clint Trickett to just 15 completions and 162 yards. A defensive battle broke out in Morgantown - who would have thunk it?</p>
<p><b>DOWN: THE INJURY BUG</b> - Yesterday was a bad day for college football fans, as a bunch of impact guys went down with potentially serious injuries. And that was true for TCU as well, as we saw <span>Chuck Hunter</span> (though he returned), <span>Deante' Gray</span>, and <span>Davion Pierson</span> go down at different points. Doctson played through his bad ankle, but clearly wasn't the same guy, and when he finally did make a Josh type of play, he had the ball stripped. All three of these guys will need to be back next week for the Frogs to take down the Cats, so good thing we have <a href="http://www.magazine.tcu.edu/Magazine/Article.aspx?ArticleId=1035" target="_blank">this</a>, eh?</p>
<p><b>UP: THE D LINE</b> - This was such a vintage defensive performance, and no where was that more obvious than with the guys up front. After surrendering a quick 13 points (aided by turnovers and offensive miscues), the D buckled down, and though they did give up a couple of big pass plays, they kept the Frogs in the game by turning over the Eers five times and controlling the line of scrimmage down the stretch. In the fourth quarter, when Holgo tried to go conservative, the front line took over, and held WVU to -2 yards. NEGATIVE TWO YARDS. FOR THE QUARTER. Against a team that averages 527 yards per game. Oh yeah, and with alllllllll the pressure on them to make stops because the TCU O was still a hot mess. The only thing they didn't do was score themselves, and I think we all thought that would be the only way we would get on the board for a good portion of the game. I think the Frogs held the Eers to three and outs on three consecutive drives to close the game, and by doing so, gave TCU a chance. And that's all they needed.</p>
<p><b>DOWN: EARLY PLAY CALLING</b> - To their credit, Cumbie and Meacham made an adjustment late, and let the run game go to work, to the tune of 223 yards and three scores. But early, after seeing that Boykin wasn't having a good day, and the weather was impacting both QBs on the deep throws, and oh yeah the short passing game, screens, and slants were really effective against the blitz, they insisted on throwing it deep and asking Boykin to sit back in the pocket and take deep drops. It was very reminiscent of the Baylor game, but this time, either they decided to stop putting square pegs in round holes or GP stepped in and took over, and went to what worked late. I actually loved the 4th and 3 play call late, and it would have worked had <span>B.J. Catalon</span> not been hog tied at the line of scrimmage, but otherwise everything they called on the last two scoring drives seemed to be exactly the right call. Speaking of B.J. ...</p>
<p><b>BONUS UP: B.J. CATALON</b> - B.J. went out late with what looked like a good bell-ringing, so first and foremost, I hope he's okay. Because my gosh, if he's not the most underrated back in college football, I don't know who is. He doesn't have huge numbers, because TCU has four guys that can be effective, but he has rushed for 100 yards in three games this season and absolutely put the Frogs on his back yesterday, rushing for 105 and two scores, amid a sea of broken tackles and absolute determination. B.J. has close to 500 yards on the season to go with 10 touchdowns, and he continues to impress with not only his speed but his ability to get extra yards after contact. Dude is a BEAST.</p>
<p>Leave your UPs and DOWNs in the comments below, and let's celebrate for one more day before we get ready to BLACK OUT THE CARTER UNDER THE LIGHTS Saturday night!</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2014/11/2/7146161/three-up-three-down-wvuMelissa B. Triebwasser2014-11-02T09:08:12-06:002014-11-02T09:08:12-06:00Around the Big 12: Week 10
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<figcaption>Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>TCU snuck out of Morgantown with the win, but the other Big 12 games weren't as close. </p> <p><u><b>Current Standings</b></u></p>
<p>1. Marshall - 71-6</p>
<p>2. Hawk - 64 -13</p>
<p>3. coachmelissa - 62-15</p>
<p>4. Jamie - 60-17</p>
<h5>Big 12</h5>
<p><b>No. 18 Oklahoma 59, Iowa State 14</b></p>
<p>Oklahoma did what good teams are supposed to do to Iowa State, beat them soundly. Trevor Knight had his best game of the season, throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for three more, and that's more than enough to beat a Cyclones team that has us all asking when Paul Rhodes is going to get fired.</p>
<p><b>Baylor 60, Kansas 14</b></p>
<p>Baylor made Kansas it's homecoming game this season, which means that Kansas had zero chance to win. Oh, wait, they had no chance to win anyways, just like every game they play the rest of the season. Poor Kansas. Maybe Bill Self would be a good football coach too.</p>
<p><b>Texas 34, Texas Tech 13</b></p>
<p>Quandre Diggs hit Patrick Mahomes so hard that Mahomes wasn't knocked out. Think about that for a second. True freshman walkon Vincent Testaverde (yes, Vinny T's son), played admirably but you couldn't expect Tech to win with him. In fact, you couldn't really expect Tech to win at all, could you? I mean, no one actually picked Tech in this game right? Oh wait....</p>
<p><b>Kansas State 48, Oklahoma State 14</b></p>
<p>Kansas State almost beat Oklahoma State worse than TCU did, but a pick six in the final minutes by the Pokes closed the margin slightly.</p>
<p><b>TCU 31, West Virginia 30</b></p>
<p>Have you ever seen the old movie The Great Escape? That's how I feel about this game, except at the end TCU wasn't foiled by a barbed wire fence, they just kicked over it. Obviously much more on this game to come, but suffice it to say, TCU is 7-1. They haven't had seven wins this early in the season since 2010.</p>
<h5>Around the Country</h5>
<p><b>No. 3 Auburn 35, No. 4 Ole Miss 31</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>No. 5 Oregon 45, Stanford 16</b></p>
<p><b>No. 22 UCLA 17, No. 12 Arizona 7<br></b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>No. 14 Arizona State 19, No. 17 Utah 16 (OT)</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Miami 47, North Carolina 20</b></p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2014/11/2/7144953/around-the-big-12-week-10Jamie Plunkett2014-11-01T18:17:35-05:002014-11-01T18:17:35-05:00Kickin' it Big 12 Style: TCU 31, West Virginia 30
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<figcaption>It's not from this game, but Oberkrom deserves the image. | Tom Pennington</figcaption>
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<p>The Frogs overcome offensive struggles on the road and take advantage of numerous Mountaineer miscues to come up with a huge win on the road.</p> <p>Trevone Boykin didn't have a good game, going 12-30 for just 166 yards.</p>
<p>The TCU return team didn't have a good game, often going backwards and pulling a Tech by failing to recover a short skykick.</p>
<p>The TCU run defense didn't have a good game, giving up 162 yards on the ground (about 100 in the first half).</p>
<p>TCU didn't have a good start, falling behind 13-0 before getting a first down.</p>
<p>But the TCU back 7 had a really good game, and the TCU running game had a really good game, and you know what? That was enough. Boykin came through in the clutch, delivering a great ball to Listenbee (who had been quiet all day) to move the Frogs into field goal range, the Frog running game continued it's stellar play and pounding the ball into the guts of the West Virginia defense and Jaden Oberkrom came through with a redemptive 37 yard field goal as time expired (to give TCU just its second lead of the game).</p>
<p>Let's talk about the TCU defense though. After struggling early against the run, the TCU defense forced turnover after turnover to attempt to keep the Frogs in it, only for Boykin and the offense to come away with nothing their first three attempts. Still, the defense never quit and continued to batter Clint Trickett and force West Virginia into turnovers that let the Frogs stay in the game and eventually pull out the win at the end. There's a lot more to write about this game, but for right now what's important is that the Big 12 Championship dream is still very much alive for TCU after its biggest road test of the season. Don't forget to smile everyone!</p>
<p><a href="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2414612/watch.0.html">Smile</a>
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<p>Go Frogs.<a href="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2414612/watch.0.html">Smile</a>
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https://www.frogsowar.com/2014/11/1/7144023/kickin-it-big-12-style-tcu-31-west-virginia-30HawkeyedFrog2014-11-01T14:30:01-05:002014-11-01T14:30:01-05:00TCU Horned Frogs @ West Virginia Game Thread
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<img alt="More turnovers by them today, please." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eYhrfVYkMc2SU9kykn37eZHRZ4A=/0x33:4000x2700/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/43205992/20131102_krj_aj6_048.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>More turnovers by them today, please. | Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Horned Frogs leave the friendly confines of the state of Texas for the first time this season to take on fellow surprise Big 12 Championship contenders, the West Virginia Mountaineers.</p> <p>It's go big or go home time for the Big 12's newest members, two teams who were picked to finish in the bottom half of the Big 12 conference and finished with identical 4-8 records in 2013. In 2014 however, the TCU/West Virginia sees two teams who are in the thick of the Big 12 title race, and with at least one of them currently having a decent shot at making the inaugural College Football Playoff, it really doesn't get much bigger than this. Add in the fact that the past two times these teams got together and we had interesting games that ended with clutch plays in overtime, and suddenly we have a showdown that is more than worthy of the College Gameday hosting duties that it draws today. Truly this is a game where coach Abe Martin's speech to the Cotton Bowl team could be reread to the team- "This game can put us right back where we belong, with the best teams in the country."- Beat West Virginia and Kansas State, and the road is relatively clear to a Big 12 championship and a possible championship berth. Lose to West Virginia and the Cotton Bowl is the best remaining option (and no sure thing)- that's a world of difference, and with TCU's suddenly awesome offense and defense that gives up a scary amount of big plays, one thing is for certain- it won't be boring.</p>
<p>This is your thread for live chat and analysis as we watch the game.</p>
<p>Laddies, the goose hangs high.</p>
<p>Go Frogs.</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2014/11/1/7141797/tcu-horned-frogs-west-virginia-mountaineers-gamethreadHawkeyedFrog2014-11-01T11:10:50-05:002014-11-01T11:10:50-05:00Saturday College Football Open Thread
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<figcaption>Ronald Martinez</figcaption>
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<p>Come chat about the games you're watching as we prepare for TCU-West Virginia. </p> <p>Here's today's schedule! What games will you be watching?</p>
<p> </p>
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<col span="3" width="65"> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td height="15">Sat, Nov 1, 2014</td>
<td>Time (ET)</td>
<td>TV</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Air Force @ Army</td>
<td>11:30 AM</td>
<td>CBS</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Maryland @ Penn State</td>
<td>12:00 PM</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">(24) Duke @ Pittsburgh</td>
<td>12:00 PM</td>
<td>ESPNU</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Wisconsin @ Rutgers</td>
<td>12:00 PM</td>
<td>ESPN</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Northwestern @ Iowa</td>
<td>12:00 PM</td>
<td>BTN/BTN2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">(18) Oklahoma @ Iowa State</td>
<td>12:00 PM</td>
<td>FS1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Louisiana-Monroe @ Texas A&M</td>
<td>12:00 PM</td>
<td>SECN</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Rice @ FIU</td>
<td>12:00 PM</td>
<td>AMSN</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">UCF @ Connecticut</td>
<td>12:00 PM</td>
<td>CBSS</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">(23) East Carolina @ Temple</td>
<td>12:00 PM</td>
<td>ESPNN</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">North Carolina @ Miami (FL)</td>
<td>12:30 PM</td>
<td>ESPN3/ESPNGP</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Boston College @ Virginia Tech</td>
<td>12:30 PM</td>
<td>ESPN3/ESPNGP</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Washington @ Colorado</td>
<td>1:00 PM</td>
<td>PAC12</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Central Michigan @ Eastern Michigan</td>
<td>1:00 PM</td>
<td>ESPN3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Western Michigan @ Miami (OH)</td>
<td>2:30 PM</td>
<td>ESPN3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">North Carolina State @ Syracuse</td>
<td>3:00 PM</td>
<td>ESPN3/ESPNGP</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Western Kentucky @ Louisiana Tech</td>
<td>3:00 PM</td>
<td>FSN</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Florida @ (11) Georgia</td>
<td>3:30 PM</td>
<td>CBS</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Virginia @ Georgia Tech</td>
<td>3:30 PM</td>
<td>ESPNU</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Indiana @ Michigan</td>
<td>3:30 PM</td>
<td>BTN/BTN2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">(7) TCU @ (20) West Virginia</td>
<td>3:30 PM</td>
<td>ABC/ESPN2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Purdue @ (15) Nebraska</td>
<td>3:30 PM</td>
<td>ABC/ESPN2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Brigham Young @ Middle Tennessee</td>
<td>3:30 PM</td>
<td>CBSS</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Georgia State @ Appalachian State</td>
<td>3:30 PM</td>
<td>ESPN3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Kansas @ (13) Baylor</td>
<td>4:00 PM</td>
<td>FS1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Kentucky @ Missouri</td>
<td>4:00 PM</td>
<td>SECN</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Texas State @ New Mexico State</td>
<td>4:00 PM</td>
<td>ESPN3/ESPNGP</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Houston @ South Florida</td>
<td>4:00 PM</td>
<td>ESPNN</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">USC @ Washington State</td>
<td>4:30 PM</td>
<td>PAC12</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">South Alabama @ Louisiana-Lafayette</td>
<td>5:00 PM</td>
<td>ESPN3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Arkansas State @ Idaho</td>
<td>5:00 PM</td>
<td>ESPN3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">New Mexico @ UNLV</td>
<td>5:30 PM</td>
<td>ROOT</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">(3) Auburn @ (4) Mississippi</td>
<td>7:00 PM</td>
<td>ESPN</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Old Dominion @ Vanderbilt</td>
<td>7:00 PM</td>
<td>ESPNU</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">UAB @ Florida Atlantic</td>
<td>7:00 PM</td>
<td>AMSN</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Colorado State @ San Jose State</td>
<td>7:00 PM</td>
<td>CBSS</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Arkansas @ (1) Mississippi State</td>
<td>7:15 PM</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Tennessee @ South Carolina</td>
<td>7:30 PM</td>
<td>SECN</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Texas @ Texas Tech</td>
<td>7:30 PM</td>
<td>FS1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Stanford @ (5) Oregon</td>
<td>7:30 PM</td>
<td>FOX</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">(10) Notre Dame @ Navy</td>
<td>8:00 PM</td>
<td>CBS</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Illinois @ (16) Ohio State</td>
<td>8:00 PM</td>
<td>ABC/ESPN3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Oklahoma State @ (9) Kansas State</td>
<td>8:00 PM</td>
<td>ABC/ESPN3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Southern Miss @ UTEP</td>
<td>8:00 PM</td>
<td>FCS</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">California @ Oregon State</td>
<td>10:30 PM</td>
<td>PAC12</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">(12) Arizona @ (22) UCLA</td>
<td>10:30 PM</td>
<td>ESPN</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">San Diego State @ Nevada</td>
<td>10:30 PM</td>
<td>CBSS</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Wyoming @ Fresno State</td>
<td>10:45 PM</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">(17) Utah @ (14) Arizona State</td>
<td>11:00 PM</td>
<td>FS1</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td height="15">Utah State @ Hawaii</td>
<td>11:00 PM</td>
<td>OCPV</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2014/11/1/7142535/saturday-college-football-open-threadJamie Plunkett2014-11-01T10:41:29-05:002014-11-01T10:41:29-05:00Saturday Staff Picks: November 1, 2014
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<p>The staff tries to overtake Marshall this weekend as we make the picks for this week. </p> <div>
<h3>Big 12</h3>
</div>
<p> </p>
<h4>Iowa State vs. No. 18 Oklahoma</h4>
<h5>Jamie Plunkett</h5>
<p><b>Oklahoma 45, Iowa State 20</b> - Oklahoma doesn't lose another game this season, which helps TCU out tremendously. Iowa State gave Texas a run for their money last week, and probably should have won, but they won't even sniff the Sooners today.</p>
<h5>Marshall Weber</h5>
<p><b><b>Oklahoma 35, </b>Iowa State 17 </b>- Pretty clean win for Oklahoma. They had a big drop off in October, but they should get their footing back in November. A nice warm-up against the Cyclones will get them ready for their big matchup against Baylor next weekend <----Haha remember when that was the biggest Big 12 matchup of the year. Still should be fun though.</p>
<h5>coachmelissa</h5>
<p><b>Oklahoma 38, Iowa State 13</b> - OU has had a tough month since falling at TCU, but a bye week and a home game verses the Cyclones should get them back on track. ISU battles in every game they play, and they will be tough, but they don't have the horses on D to slow down Semaje Perine and Sterling Shepherd. Trevor Knight, who has been inconsistent at best, plays just well enough, and the Sooner D, led by Striker and co, dominate.</p>
<h5>Hawkeyed Frog</h5>
<p><b>Oklahoma 56, Iowa State 20 </b>- If this game had come straight after the Kansas State loss I'd give Iowa State a puncher's chance of pulling the upset here, but Stoops knows how to settle his guys after a loss and a Bye week will only help that cause. OU announces their return to the Big 12 title chase with an emphatic rout of the Cyclones (Even if by Big 12 rout standards it's a little lacking).</p>
<h4>No. 13 Baylor vs. Kansas</h4>
<h5>Jamie Plunkett</h5>
<p><b>Baylor 56, Kansas 17</b> - Kansas is terrible, and Baylor is looking to get back on track after a loss to West Virgina. I could see something like TCU/Tech happening in this game if Baylor is really pissed off.</p>
<h5>Marshall Weber</h5>
<p><b>Baylor 13, Kansas 9</b> - For the sake of comedy, and curses on Halloween, I really <i>really</i> wanted to pick Kansas. But I won't. I will however, give Baylor an unlucky 13 points.</p>
<h5>coachmelissa</h5>
<p><b>Baylor 63, Kansas 24 </b>- Kansas has played much better, but doesn't have the results on the scoreboard to show it. Baylor has been in a bit of a mini slump, but as I have been saying all year, Kansas is the cure for what ails ya. Bryce Petty and co try to match TCU's point total against Tech, but fall short, as they get a little sloppy with the ball late. Kansas makes enough noise on offense to keep things respectable ish.</p>
<h5>Hawkeyed Frog</h5>
<p><b>Baylor 200, Kansas 17</b> - Coming off of a bye in which they saw TCU rewarded for mercilessly pummeling Texas Tech, Baylor will attempt to reenact the famous Georgia Tech-Cumberland game against Kansas by playing their starters the whole way in the hopes of moving up the polls themselves. Sadly they fall just short in both of their goals and are actually passed in the next playoff poll by another SEC team, but you know what they say- sucks to B U.</p>
<h4>Texas Tech vs. Texas</h4>
<h5>Jamie Plunkett</h5>
<p>Texas Tech 28, Texas 20 - Yeah, I'm actually picking Tech in this game. I think they're embarrassed after last week (who wouldn't be?) and the fact that they have a chance for redemption against Texas, in Lubbock, sets this upset up perfectly.</p>
<h5>Marshall Weber</h5>
<p><b><b>Texas 27</b>, Texas Tech 24 </b>- Tech is to Texas what Kansas State is to Texas. Despite the spread, I'll take the Texas. Swoopes and Co. finally put everything together at the right time and ruin Halloween weekend in Lubbock.</p>
<h5>coachmelissa</h5>
<p><b>Texas 34, Texas Tech 20</b> - I just don't see how Tech wins another game this year. With their tail firmly between their legs and their QB hobbled, they will be no match for a Texas D that has vaulted itself in to the conversation for one of the top in the country. Tyrone Swoopes, who has looked pretty good in recent weeks, picks apart the Red Raider "D", and the UT running game, which has shown the ability to be excellent, bullies its way to a big day on the ground.</p>
<h5>Hawkeyed Frog</h5>
<p><b>Texas 20, Texas Tech 14 </b>- The Longhorns head into the Twilight Zone and come out on the other side with a win that will pretty well drive the stake into Tech's fringe bowl hopes. The Texas Tech offense is better than the Texas offense on paper by a lot, but the Longhorns have the running game (and running QB) to frustrate Tech's defense and keep drives alive, while the Texas defense is <i>much</i> better than the Raider defense. That trumps the home field advantage.</p>
<h4>No. 9 Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State</h4>
<h5>Jamie Plunkett</h5>
<p><b>Kansas State 31, Oklahoma State 24</b> - Kansas State struggles a bit in this game, but they put away the Cowboys to remain atop the Big 12.</p>
<h5>Marshall Weber</h5>
<p><b>Kansas State 38, Oklahoma State 20</b> - Kansas State has a tough November. This will be a nice break. It's not the best look for Oklahoma State passing up Doug Meacham and for a especially team that's been so prolific on offense in recent years.</p>
<h5>coachmelissa</h5>
<p><b>Kansas State 37, Oklahoma State 24 </b>- Kansas State has flown just slightly under the radar nationally, as they have rolled off win after win since throwing away the Auburn game. The combination of Waters and Lockett is one of the best in the country, and they have only gotten more in sync as the season has rolled on. Oklahoma State is facing a do or die game here, and will give everything they have to hold off the Cats. Unfortunately, it's not enough, and K State makes quick work of the Pokes to set up their showdown in Cowtown.</p>
<h5>Hawkeyed Frog</h5>
<div>
<p><b>Kansas State 39, Oklahoma State 17</b> - The Cowboys score with a few deep balls, but the Wildcats balanced offense pummels Oklahoma State at home in a big way, setting up the showdown of the Big 12 season... part 3? It seems like every week is the Big 12 showdown of the season, doesn't it? Still, OSU is not a balanced offense, and you need that if you're going to threaten the Wildcats (especially in Manhattan).</p>
</div>
<h4>No. 7 TCU @ No. 20 West Virginia</h4>
<h5>Jamie Plunkett</h5>
<p><b>TCU 35, West Virginia 31</b> - This game will be close, and thanks to the weather, it won't be as high scoring as people think. Couple the weather with teams that actually have decent defenses (despite what people are saying), and this is going to be an incredible game. Hopefully the win brings GameDay down to Fort Worth next weekend against the Wildcats.</p>
<h5>Marshall Weber</h5>
<div>
<b>TCU 49, West Virginia 38</b> - TCU's scored on their first drive in every game <i>but </i>the Oklahoma State game. If they want to give themselves the best chance of winning, they're going to have to do it in Morgantown. Amid the horrible weather, getting behind early in the game would be a death sentence for TCU. This is also TCU's third road game, one was against SMU, and we all know how the other one went. Defensively, we all know how good (West Virginia) Kevin White is. But unlike Baylor, West Virginia doesn't have the deep arsenal of receivers that will hang 58 on TCU purely on killshots. Sure, Mario Alford is great, but It's going to be more like Sterling Shepard and Oklahoma. White will undoubtedly make plays, but he won't make or break the game. Plus, if Oklahoma State can contain him, so can the Frogs.</div>
<div><br></div>
<h5>coachmelissa</h5>
<p><b>TCU 38, West Virginia 31</b> - This is such a tough game to predict. The Eers are so good at home - basically a completely different team. They beat the last team that came in ranked in the top 10, and almost knocked off the Sooners when they were still thought to be the best team in the conference and one of the best in the land. And you throw in GameDay to rile up those students even more? Yeesh. It's going to be crazy out in Morgantown and I really wish I was going to be there to see it first hand. The weather looks cold and snowy, but the Frogs come in blazing hot, so hopefully that isn't a factor. This will be Boykin's chance to show he is a legit Heisman contender in front of a national audience, and we will get tons of pub in the lead up. Though he has effectively stiff-armed it to this point, don't think he doesn't know that if the Frogs go in and win, and he plays like he has been, he won't jump to near the top of the list.</p>
<h5>Hawkeyed Frog</h5>
<div>
<p><b>TCU 48, West Virgina 34</b> - I think the elements may actually favor TCU in this one, as the Frogs have a much more robust running game than the Mountaineers, so despite being a southern team, the Frogs have the right personnel to be able to take advantage of a cold and rainy day in West Virginia. I think the Frogs force enough turnovers to cancel out the horrors that Kevin White (West Virginia Kevin White) will enact on... TCU's Kevin White. The Frogs score a late TD to chalk up a little in the way of style points, but this is a one possession dogfight throughout.</p>
</div>
<div><br></div>
<h3>Around the Country</h3>
<h4>No. 4 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Auburn</h4>
<h5>Jamie Plunkett - Ole Miss 28, Auburn 17<br>
</h5>
<h5>Marshall Weber -<b> Auburn 28, Ole Miss 24 </b>
</h5>
<h5>coachmelissa - Ole Miss 24, Auburn 21</h5>
<h5>Hawkeyed Frog - <b>Auburn 34, </b>Ole Miss 24</h5>
<h4>No. 5 Oregon vs. Stanford</h4>
<h5>Jamie Plunkett - Oregon 41, Stanford 35<br>
</h5>
<h5>Marshall Weber - <b>Oregon 38, Stanford 21</b>
</h5>
<h5>coachmelissa - Oregon 34, Stanford 17</h5>
<h5>Hawkeyed Frog - <b>Oregon 48, </b>Stanford 30</h5>
<h4>No. 22 UCLA vs. No. 12 Arizona</h4>
<h5>Jamie Plunkett - Arizona 31, UCLA 28<br>
</h5>
<h5>Marshall Weber - <b>Arizona 35, UCLA 13</b><b></b>
</h5>
<h5>coachmelissa - UCLA 27, Arizona 24</h5>
<h5>Hawkeyed Frog - <b>Arizona 37, </b>UCLA 20</h5>
<h4>No. 14 Arizona State vs. No. 17 Utah</h4>
<h5>Jamie Plunkett - Arizona State 38, Utah 27<br>
</h5>
<h5>Marshall Weber - <b>Arizona State 24, Utah 20</b>
</h5>
<h5>coachmelissa - Utah 31, Arizona State 28</h5>
<h5></h5>
<h5>Hawkeyed Frog - <b>Utah 24, </b>Arizona State 20</h5>
<h4>Miami vs. North Carolina</h4>
<h5>Jamie Plunkett - Miami 24, North Carolina 17<br>
</h5>
<h5>Marshall Weber - <span><b>Miami 24, North Carolina 21</b></span>
</h5>
<h5>coachmelissa - <span>Miami 34, North Carolina 28</span>
</h5>
<h5>Hawkeyed Frog - <b>Miami 3, </b>North Carolina 2</h5>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2014/11/1/7142253/saturday-staff-picks-november-1-2014Jamie Plunkett2014-10-31T09:57:57-05:002014-10-31T09:57:57-05:00Keys to Victory - West Virginia Unviersity
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LQDufcUMq1ERD2ZTtHgNFrbqdmI=/0x129:4000x2796/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/43153696/155397862.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Justin K. Aller</figcaption>
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<p>Where should the Frogs put their focus to take down the Mountaineers?</p> <p>The Frogs face an uphill battle as they head east to take on a good, and sometimes great, WVU squad that has torn it up on offense and shown an improved D so far this year. Here are a few things TCU can focus on to ensure they come home with a win after their first foray out of Texas.</p>
<p><b>TRIP UP TRICKETT</b> - <span>Clint Trickett</span> and <span>Kevin White</span> are near the top of the list when it comes to best passing and catching duos in the country. Trickett averages 345 yards per game through the air, has thrown for 17 TDs, and doesn't turn it over much, with only five picks on the year. About half of those scoring tosses have gone to <span>Kevin White</span>, who is in the argument for best wide receiver in the country. White has eight scores, is already over 1,000 yards receiving, and averages almost 15 yards per catch. He is a beast. But, the WVU o-line has allowed 19 sacks on the season, and they are a little vulnerable to pressure. It will be key for the Frogs D Line, which has been a bit quiet by a GP defense standard, stays in his face all game long. <span>Chuck Hunter</span> has put together a solid season, but hasn't racked up the numbers to back it up. He could be the key to this game, whether by being a disruptive force all on his own, or by drawing double teams that free up the other guys to make some noise. West Virginia has shown they can win games when they need to rely on their running backs, but they also haven't seen a front line like this since OU.</p>
<p><b>NO MAN IS AN ISLAND, BUT ONE MIGHT NEED TO BE</b> - White has shown that he can beat a double team, a triple team, and quite possibly an entire defensive backfield. But he's not the only player that can catch the ball on the team, and if opponents focus to heavily on him, guys like <span>Mario Alford</span> (600 yards and six TDs) and <span>Wendell Smallwood</span> (14 yards per catch) out of the backfield will kill you. Patterson has a tough choice to make - do you decide to single cover White and dare him to beat you? Or do you decide he's going to get his, and take everyone else away? More than likely, we will see GP start with either TCU's Kevin White (wouldn't that be fun for the announcers) or the youngster <span>Ranthony Texada</span> lined up against him, and then mix up the coverages throughout to keep the O guessing. Texada has the skills, but he gives up 40 pounds and five inches, as well as a wealth of experience, to White. I'm very interested to see how this plays out on Saturday, as the Frogs struggled in the first quarter against Tech to tackle on the short to mid range crossing patterns, and got burned deep a few times by a team that isn't known for chucking it long. No matter how they play defensive agains the WVU passing attack, the most important thing will be to keep the guys in front of you and tackle when they do make a catch.</p>
<p><b>DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE</b> - <span>Trevone Boykin</span> has had a couple of banner days against the Eers in the past, leading the Frogs to an amazing comeback win in double OT from behind center as a freshman, and eating their secondary alive as a receiver, keeping TCU in the game in an OT loss as a sophomore. Now as a junior, entrenched as the TCU QB and a Heisman Trophy candidate, Boykin has a chance to make his first big statement on the road. Trevone started really slowly at SMU and he scuffled down the stretch at Baylor, so his road performances haven't been exceptional. But he has been on fire the last two weeks, both at home, breaking records and leading his team to two huge wins. This is gut check time though, and I am sure it is not lost on him that a win in a tough environment, in front of a national audience, and with Game Day on hand, would surely put him in the top five of most voter's ballots. But as has been bandied about the comments all week, TCU has historically played much better as an underdog than as top of the food chain, and a big dose of humility will go a long way towards a victory in Morgantown. Fortunately, Coach P is well aware of this, and has been working to find things to complain about seemingly all season, and has knocked Boykin firmly off that Heisman hype train.</p>
<p><b>ON THE LINE</b> - The West Virginia D is an aggressive, blitzing, chance taking unit, and I don't expect anything different this week. It will be up to the TCU O Line, which at times has been dominant and at times has looked a little lost, to pull it together and keep the QB on his feet (especially with the news that Joeckel is likely done for the year). Boykin's scrambling ability will keep the D honest - he can certainly make the D pay for being overly aggressive with his feet - but if the line holds up, there will be opportunities for lots of big plays down the field to guys like <span>Kolby Listenbee</span> and Deante' Gray. And if the weather is a factor (more on that in a minute), the run game could be the deciding factor, and the big boys up front's ability to open holes and clear some space for B.J., Green, Hicks (and please more) Johnson could be a difference maker.</p>
<p><b>IT'S ELEMENTAL</b> - We are all well aware of the weather forecast for tomorrow - cold, rainy, possibly snowy - and that TCU has not been tested in that environment all year. There is certainly concern for a passing offense when the conditions aren't ideal, but TCU needs to be sure to not allow that to be a factor. With the four headed monster running attack, there are certainly options to move the ball down the field if the weather slows down the passing game, but really it's going to come down to mental toughness as much as game plan. This is a group who has been on a mission since that thing that happened in Waco, absolutely destroying anyone in their path. Is a little cold or snow going to slow them down? I think not. And the weather works both ways - WVU certainly has a much higher percentage of guys that grew up in the North East and have more experience playing in these types of conditions, but I don't care how many times you've faced it, cold is cold. And heck, Trickett is a Florida guy, so he probably doesn't like it any more than our guys will. The potential of not playing with our best hands guy in <span>Josh Doctson</span> is certainly a concern when you think about passing in inclement weather, but Boykin has plenty of other weapons and guys that can catch it. He just needs to continue to make good decisions, run when the lane is there, and protect what will probably be a slippery football when he takes off. The ball might not come out as smooth when he does throw, and there's the potential for slippage (by both sides) when it's in the air. No need to be conservative, that's not who we are this year, but smart football is a must. Hopefully the conditions will slow down the WVU blitz more than it affects the TCU offensive players!</p>
<p>These are just a handful of things that will go in to a TCU win, but be sure to leave your keys in the comments. Go Frogs!</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2014/10/31/7137097/friday-focus-keys-to-victory-west-virginia-universityMelissa B. Triebwasser2014-10-30T18:37:58-05:002014-10-30T18:37:58-05:00Tale of the Tape - WVU vs TCU
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hIA4M8Xw6FhPILWwi1ORSMCs_SI=/0x780:3647x3211/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/43120422/155397853.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Justin K. Aller</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>How do the Frogs match up with the Mountaineers when you compare their numbers against Big 12 competition? Let's check the tape!</p> <p>Let's take a look at how TCU and WVU matchup to each other by taking a look at home both teams have done in conference play. The Eers have played five Big 12 teams, sporting home victories against Kansas and Baylor, and road wins over Tech and Oklahoma State. The lone conference loss was back in September, to a then highly thought of OU team, who pulled away from a close game late amid a slough of WVU turnovers and on the back of <span>Samaje Perine</span> and his four touchdowns.</p>
<p>TCU meanwhile, has played four big 12 games, with big wins at home over Tech and OSU, a close victory over OU, and of course that thing that happened in Waco. The two teams already have four common opponents, so it should be fun to see how they fared against those squads. Let's take a look at them game by game.</p>
<p><b><a href="https://www.crimsonandcreammachine.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oklahoma Sooners</a>:</b></p>
<p>Against West Virginia, the Sooners did the bulk of their damage on the ground, amassing 301 of their 510 yards through the running game. This was Perine's breakout game, as he ran 34 times for 242 yards and the aforementioned four scores, overcoming an average game from <span>Trevor Knight</span> and a subpar defensive effort. OU wrote the book on how to beat the Eers - control the clock, run, run, and run some more, and protect the rock. OU scored on a kick return as well. WVU out-gained the Sooners 513-510 and had an outstanding effort from <span>Clint Trickett</span>, who threw for 376 and two scores, but tossed two picks as well. The Mountaineer rushing game was stifled, as they only gained 137 yards on 40 attempts.</p>
<p>The Frogs vaulted themselves in to the national conversation after upsetting OU in Fort Worth when they were the fifth ranked team in the country. It was also a coming out party of sorts for <span>Trevone Boykin</span>, who used his arm and his legs to accumulate almost 400 yards. TCU saw eight different players catch passes, led by <span>Kolby Listenbee</span> who broke free for several big plays on his way to a 100 yard day. Boykin led the team in rushing with 77 yards, as <span>B.J. Catalon</span> and <span>Aaron Green</span> were mostly bottled up. Defensively, the Frogs corralled Perine, holding him 3.5 yards per carry, though he did score three times. TCU avoided an epic meltdown (that would come the next week sadly), as they had an extra point blocked and returned for a safety and turned the ball over on consecutive plays late in the fourth.</p>
<p><b><a href="https://www.cowboysrideforfree.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oklahoma State Cowboys</a>:</b></p>
<p>WVU had the benefit of facing OSU after a devastating loss to TCU in Fort Worth, and the lingering effects of that game did them in from the beginning. For a change, it was the Mountaineer running game that took control, as <span>Wendell Smallwood</span> had a career day. <span>Clint Trickett</span> didn't put up big numbers, and <span>Kevin White</span> only had three receptions, but the WVU defense had a solid day, forcing two ints and limiting the OSU ground game, outside of one long, 51 yard gain. The Mountaineers are a much different team on the road, and this was one of those game where they didn't play well, but were that much more talented than their opponent. The Eers used a big fourth quarter to turn a close game in to a blowout.</p>
<p>TCU played one of their best games of the year against OSU, earning a huge bounce back win after their first loss of the season. The Frogs limited OSU to nine points, and without a completed pass in the second half. All-<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american" class="sbn-auto-link">American</a> candidate <span>Tyreek Hill</span> was held without an impact play, and the special teams unit did an awesome job of keeping the ball away from him there, too. Trevone Boykin was almost perfect, completing over 80% of his passes, throwing for over 400 yards, dropping in three scores, and adding over 40 yards on the ground. B.J. Catalon had a great game as well, rushing for over 100 yards and two scores, and the Frog D was absolutely dominant - holding <span>Daxx Garman</span> to 132 on 25 attempts and forcing two picks. The OSU offense couldn't get anything going, managing only 258 yards.</p>
<p><b>Texas Tech</b></p>
<p>In another example of their road team verses home team persona, WVU barely beat Tech in Lubbock, needing a late rally to secure a three point victory on a 55 yard field goal as time expired. I actually picked Tech in this game, before I knew they were a disaster, but that's beside the point. The WVU D, which has been pretty good, gave up 565 yards (the Red Raiders actually out-gained WVU in this game), and <span>Davis Webb</span> went off, throwing for almost 350 yards and three touchdowns. DeAndre Washnington ran for over 100 yards as Tech gained over 200 yards on the ground. Clint Trickett threw for 300 yards and two scores, Wendell Smallwood and <span>Rushel Shell</span> had over 100 yards apiece, and <span>Kevin White</span> went OFF, pulling in 13 receptions for 123 yards.</p>
<p>TCU... well, they ran out of fireworks. The 82 points was a Big 12 record, Boykin tossed seven touchdowns, and two backup running backs had over 100 yards. Tech looked like they would keep up in the first quarter, but after that? Butt. Whoopin. There's not much else to say, is there?</p>
<p><b>Baylor</b></p>
<p>A loud cheer went up in the stadium as it was announced that the Eers had done what the Frogs couldn't, and help a fourth quarter lead. The team that could barely beat Tech dominated the Bears, holding <span>Bryce Petty</span> to a 24.2 QBR, drawing a record 215 yards in penalties, and allowing only 318 yards (which is far below Baylor's average). Clint Trickett had an excellent game, throwing for three scores and over 300 yards, mostly to Kevin White, who had an exceptional game. Baylor couldn't get the ground game going, and WVU blitzed effectively (something I expect to see a lot of Saturday), flustering Petty and limiting his deep ball attack.</p>
<p>Do we have to talk about this? TCU played an amazing offensive game for 49 minutes. They were good enough on defense for 49 minutes. And then.. Baylor happened. The combination of some questionable play calls, some questionable officiating (that came back to bite them a week later), and some Petty magic, led Baylor to an improbable comeback win at home. Boykin was very average, the running game was nothing to note, and only Kolby Listenbee really stood out. A B.J. Catalon return touchdown and a Marcus Mallett pick six were almost enough, but TCU wilted down the stretch and <span>Shock Linwood</span> gashed them in the fourth. We lost. I can't talk about this any more.</p>
<p>This should be a great matchup on Saturday. WVU has struggled on the road, but that won't be a factor, obviously. TCU has only played two road games, scored big in both of them, but will leave Texas for the first time all year and play in inclement weather. The tape shows two evenly matched teams, but only one will come out of the weekend still in the Big 12 title race.</p>
https://www.frogsowar.com/2014/10/30/7090577/tale-of-the-tape-wvu-vs-tcuMelissa B. Triebwasser