2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Preview

Date: December 29, 2012 10:15 PM ET
Stadium: Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona
Payout: $3,350,000 per team
Played: 1989-present
Former Names: Copper Bowl (1989-1996), Insight.com Bowl (1997-2001)
Broadcasters: Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge
Sideline Reporter: Holly Rowe

TCU: The Big 12 proved a bit more challenging than the Mountain West for the Horned Frogs. In 7 seasons in the Mountain West, TCU totaled 11 or more wins 6 times. A win against Michigan State will be the school's eighth of the year and its third consecutive bowl game victory. Texas Christian was eighteenth in total defense in the nation, despite not winning a single home conference game.

Michigan State: The Spartans lost 5 Big Ten games by a combined 13 points, going 4-1 on the road and 1-4 at home. Running back Le'Veon Bell rushed for 1,648 yards and 11 touchdowns. The Spartans are fourth in the country in total defense. Michigan State is making its sixth consecutive bowl appearance. The Spartans won their only previous meeting with the Horned Frogs in 1953.

	Texas Christian			Michigan State
Overall Record	7-5		Overall Record	6-6
Conference Record	4-5		Conference Record	3-5
Bowl Record	13-14-1		Bowl Record	8-14
Last Bowl Win	2011 Poinsettia		Last Bowl Win	2012 Outback

All Time Series: 1-0 Michigan State
Line: Texas Christian by 2.5

2011 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl Preview

Date: December 21, 2011 8:00 ET
Stadium: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
Payout: $500,000
Played: 2005-present
Former Names: N/A
Broadcasters: Joe Tessitore, Lou Holtz, Mark May
Sideline Reporter: Samantha Steele
All Time Series: 0-0
Line: TCU by 9

	Texas Christian			Louisiana Tech
Overall Record	10-2		Overall Record	8-4
Conference Record	7-0		Conference Record	6-1
Bowl Record	12-14-1		Bowl Record	2-2-1
Last Bowl Win	2011 Rose		Last Bowl Win	2008 Independence

Helmet Stickers: Week 8

ACC—No. 7 Clemson is 8-0 for the first time in eleven years after a 59-38 win over North Carolina. Quarterback Tajh Boyd threw five touchdowns and no interceptions en route to 367 passing yards. Tigers defensive end Kourntnei Brown had two touchdowns: an interception returned for a touchdown and a fumble returned for a touchdown.  The Tar Heels turned the ball over six times, while the Tigers lost just one fumble. Clemson scored 35 of their 59 points in the third quarter.

Big 10—No. 16 Michigan State gave No. 6 Wisconsin its first loss of the season, 37-31. Michigan State started the game down 14-0, but came back in the second quarter scoring 23 unanswered points on a safety, two offensive touchdowns, and a blocked punt returned for a touchdown. By the end of the fourth quarter Wisconsin had the momentum and tied the game at 31-31. The Spartans had 1:26 to put a drive together. Michigan State drove to the Wisconsin 44-yard line and had time for a final play with four ticks left on the clock. Kirk Cousins launched a Hail Mary into the end zone. It was deflected and caught by Spartans wide receiver Keith Nichol who pushed across the goal line to win the game. Michigan State had 0 penalties in the game.

Big 12—Texas Tech upset undefeated No. 3 Oklahoma in Norman on Saturday night, ending a 39-game home winning streak. Texas Tech was a four touchdown underdog. Red Raiders quarterback Seth Doege threw for 441 yards and four touchdowns. Wide receiver Alex Torres caught three of his touchdown passes. The Red Raiders built up a 31-7 lead just over two minutes into the second half. The Sooners go their act together after halftime, but it was too little too late. The Red Raiders held on to win the game 41-38, possibly keeping the Sooners out of the national title game.

Big East—Syracuse took down No. 15 West Virginia for the second straight year. The Orange upset the Mountaineers last year 19-14 in Morgantown. West Virginia promised revenge in 2011. The Orange blasted the Mountaineers 49-23 in the Carrier Dome, picking up their first home win over West Virginia in ten years. Quarterback Ryan Nassib threw four touchdowns, three of which were caught by tight end Nick Provo, and ran for another touchdown. Wide receiver Dorian Graham returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score in the second quarter. The Orange defense sacked Geno Smith twice, batted down two of his passes, and intercepted two of his passes. Syracuse’s 49 points were the most they have ever put up against West Virginia.

C-USA—UAB picked up its first win of the season in Week 8 with a 26-24 win over UCF at Legion Field on Thursday night. Trailing by 1 with 21 seconds left in the game, Ty Long put a 40-yard field goal through the uprights to win the game for the Blazers. UAB had 27 first downs and 501 yards of offense. UAB quarterback Jonathan Perry, filling in for an injured Bryan Ellis, completed 31 of 42 passes for 327 yards. Perry also rushed for 33 yards on eight carries. After the game, UAB head coach Neil Callaway said, “The satisfaction of winning a football game is mighty big for us.” The Blazers ended a seven-game losing a streak, dating back to November 27, 2010.

MAC—Eastern Michigan defeated Western Michigan by a score of 14-10 Saturday to win the Michigan MAC Trophy. Eastern Michigan defeated Central Michigan the previous Saturday. Sophomore running back Javonti Greene caught a 50-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and rushed for a 50-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Eagles are looking good at 5-3 after compiling only five wins total across the 2008, 2009, and 2010 seasons. The last time the Eagles had five wins in a season was 1995 when Eastern went 6-5.

MWC—Texas Christian University blanked New Mexico 69-0. The Horned Frogs broke their program’s record for most points scored in a game. The previous record was 68 points against Austin College in 1932. TCU’s defense held the Lobos offense to just 85 yards and forced three fumbles. Nine different Horned Frogs scored touchdowns. Senior kicker Ross Evans was 9 for 10 on PAT’s. TCU moves to 3-0 in Mountain West Conference games.

Pac-12—USC defeated long-time rival Notre Dame in South Bend 31-17. The Trojans have beaten the Fighting Irish in 9 of their last 10 meetings. USC outgained Notre Dame 443 yards to 267 yards and forced the Irish to turn the ball over three times in the second half. On one of those turnovers, a Notre Dame fumble on the USC 1-yard line, USC safety Jawanza Starling scooped the ball up and ran 80 yards for a touchdown. Matt Barkley completed 24 of 35 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns. Curtis McNeal rushed for 118 yards, while Marc Tyler rushed for 63 yards. Stud wide receiver Robert Woods had 8 grabs for 119 yards. The Trojan defense held Notre Dame to just 41 yards rushing.

SEC—No. 1 LSU kicked No. 20 Auburn to the curb in a 45-10 home victory. The news all week was about the suspensions of Tyrann Mathieu, Spencer Ware, and Tharold Simon for testing positive for drugs. Louisiana State proved it did not need the three Tigers as it dismantled Auburn in its eighth straight double-digit-point victory this season. Freshman running back Kenny Hilliard rushed for 65 yards on just 10 carries. Running back Michael Ford was even better with 82 yards off of 12 carries. Both Jarrett Lee and Jordon Jefferson saw time at quarterback: Lee threw for 165 yards and two touchdowns, while Jefferson threw for 54 yards and a touchdown. LSU punter Brad Wing averaged 51.3 yards per punt on four punts.

Sun Belt—Western Kentucky upset Sunbelt frontrunner UL-Lafayette in Bowling Green Saturday by a score of 42-23. The win ended an eighteen-game home losing streak for the Hilltoppers and was the Hilltoppers’ first win at home over a FBS foe. Running back Bobby Rainey had a career-high three touchdowns and 206 rushing yards. Fullback Kadeem Jones rushed for two scores. WKU quarterback Kawaun Jakes had 15 completions on 18 passes, amassing 242 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Western Kentucky has now won three straight games, its longest winning streak since joining the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2008.

WAC—Nevada got by Fresno State 45 to 38 in a Saturday afternoon shootout. Wolf Pack senior receiver Rishard Matthews had 148 yard on seven catches. On special teams, Matthews returned a punt for an 86-yard touchdown. Junior running back Mike Ball had 198 yards on the ground, with his longest carry being 41 yards. The Wolf Pack defense recovered two Fresno State fumbles. Nevada has now won fifteen straight home games. At 2-0 in conference games, Nevada is in first place in the WAC.

TCU Headed To The Big 12

TCU accepted the Big 12's invitation to join their conference today. The university will officially join the Big 12 on July 1st, 2012, in time for the next football season. TCU became an attractive candidate to replace Texas A&M, considering their recent successes in football and upgrades to their facilities and athletic program. Texas Christian defeated Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl last year in a 13-0 season. Gary Patterson is one of the best coaches in college football, and the Horned Frogs have had seven 10-win seasons in the last nine seasons. TCU has gone to BCS bowl games in 2009 and 2010. Texas Christian has won five of its last six bowl games. Bottom line: Horned Frogs football is very good.

TCU was originally suppose to play in the Big East in all sport in 2012. The Horned Frogs broke their commitment to the Big East and went to a conference that is better suited for them. The Big East Conference is now down to six members with football programs. The Big 12 was a much better fit for the Horned Frogs. Geographically, they fit in and won't have to travel insane distances for games like they would have had to in the Big East. The Dallas-Fort Worth area will become more entrenched in Big 12 media. There is no doubt that the Horned Frogs will be unable to compete on the field. Texas might be upset that they have another team to compete with another Texas school for in-state high school talent, but who cares about the Longhorns after their marriage with ESPN, the Longhorn Network, pushed Texas A&M out of the Big 12.

Pittsburgh And Syracuse Join The ACC

Pittsburgh and Syracuse will join the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Over the past three weeks, amid talks of the SEC picking up a thirteenth team, Pittsburgh and Syracuse were negociating with the ACC about membership. Both schools were voted in as members of the ACC yesterday, and it was announced this morning that the Atlantic Coast Conference would become a fourteen-team conference. The schools have to pay a $5 million exit fee and give the Big East 27 months notice before leaving according to Big East bylaws. This would mean that Syracuse and Pitt would not be able to start playing in the ACC until the 2014 season.

The Big East is now left with seven football-playing members once TCU arrives next season. It appears TCU is the biggest loser, moving to a conference that has an uncertain future, and it is still almost a year before it arrives in said conference. Rumors are circling that Connecticut and Rutgers desparately would like to join the ACC now. If this happens, the Big East would be left with just five football-playing members.

In my August 14, 2011 post, I mentioned that of the six BCS conferences, the Big East and the Atlantic Coast Conference have the two weakest football brands of the six, and it is clear the conference dominoes are being driven by the sport of football. Thus, if superconferences were to emerge, and it looked like with Texas A&M looking to go to the SEC they would, the Big East and the ACC would be the most likely to get carved up. The ACC knew this and made a preemptive strike and become the first fourteen-team conference in order to remain relevant. Now, all of the pressure is on a crumbling Big East.

Will other conferences move to fourteen or sixteen teams to counter the ACC?

Will the Big East survive as a football conference?

What will be the next domino to fall in this wave of conference realignment?

Helmet Stickers: Week 2

ACC—North Carolina squeezed by Rutgers 24-22 after forcing the Scarlet Knights to turn the ball over on downs on their final possession with 2:32 left in the game. The Tarheel run defense was stellar, holding the Scarlet Knights to 1 yard on the ground on 25 attempts. North Carolina got four sacks, while providing perfect protection for its own signal-caller. The strangest stat of the game was that the Tarheels were -5 in turnover margin, attributed to three picks and two fumbles, yet still won the game.

Big 10—No. 8 Wisconsin pitched a shutout against Oregon State in Madison, 35-0. The Wisconsin defense held the Beavers to just 23 rushing yards on 24 rushing attempts. The Badgers forced two fumbles and gave up no turnovers of their own. The Badgers dominated every facet of the game and controlled the field position battle by capitalizing on three Beaver special teams mistakes.

Big 12—In a rematch of last year’s Alamo Bowl, the result was the same and the margin of victory was one field goal off. No. 9 Oklahoma State blasted Arizona for the second time in nine months. Cowboys quarterback Brandon Weeden was 42 of 53 for 397 yards. He started the game completing 22 of his first 23 passes. Cowboys wideout Justin Blackmon had his fourteenth straight appearance with at least 100 yards receiving. Oklahoma State’s defense held Arizona’s explosive offense to just two touchdowns.

Big East—South Florida was the only Big East team to win a game not over an FCS opponent, so the Bulls get a helmet sticker this week for a dominating 37-7 rout of Ball State. The Bulls forced a fumble on the opening kickoff, and Mark Joyce ran it in for a touchdown. Just 8 seconds into the game, South Florida was in control. The Bulls amassed 519 yards of total offense, using ten receivers, five rushers, and two quarterbacks.

C-USA—Rice upset Purdue 24-22 at home on Saturday. The Boilermakers drove to the Owls’ 14-yard line in the final minute and planned to kick a field goal on the final play to escape Houston with a win. Rice linebacker Justin Allen broke through Purdue’s offensive line and blocked Purdue placekicker Carson Wiggs’ 31-yard field goal attempt. This ended a 22-game streak of being a doormat to BCS conference opponents. The Rice Owls had not beaten such a team since September 8, 2001 in a contest against Duke. The last time the Owls beat a Big Ten team was in 1997 against Northwestern. This was a huge win for Rice.

MAC—Temple gets the helmet sticker for Week 2 since the Owls were the only Mid-America Conference team to beat an opponent that was not from the FCS. Temple rolled the Akron Zips 41-3. The Owls have started 2-0 in consecutive seasons for the first time since the late 1960’s and have now beaten Akron five-straight times. Temple’s standout running back Bernard Pierce rushed for 150 yards and three touchdowns on eighteen carries. Backup running back Matt Brown had 85 yards on sixteen carries.

MWC—Texas Christian rebounded after a loss in Week 1 to Baylor by beating Air Force 35-19. The Horned Frogs were balanced on offense, passing for 206 yards and rushing for 204 yards. TCU quarterback Casey Pachall had an 80% completion rate. The Horned Frogs had three new starters on defense. Kenny Cain, starting at strongside linebacker for the injured Tanner Brock, tallied seven tackles. Texas Christian has not lost a Mountain West conference game since 2008 and should make another run for the conference title this year despite many new faces.

Pac-12—Arizona State debuted its new logo in a Friday night game that went to overtime. The restyled Sun Devils took out the No. 21 Mizzou Tigers after scoring 7 in overtime and subsequently shutting down Missouri’s attempt to score. Sun Devils senior wideout Aaron Pflugrad had eight catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Arizona State beat its first ranked opponent in the last eleven tries.

SEC—Auburn needed last minute heroics once again to preserve the longest unbeaten streak in the nation. After barely getting by Utah State last week, the Tigers stopped No. 16 Mississippi State, barely, on the final play of the game. Backup safety Ryan Smith stopped Bulldogs quarterback Chris Relf at the goal line to give the Tigers the 41-34 win. It was Smith’s fourth tackle of his career, and Auburn’s 17^th consecutive victory. Auburn is still a legitimate contender without Cam Newton or Nick Fairley.

Sun Belt—Florida International gets the Sun Belt helmet sticker again after defeating Louisville 24-17 on the road. This was the program’s first victory over a BCS conference team and the first time the team has started a season 2-0. The Golden Panthers were all about the big play. Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton had touchdown catches of 74 and 83 yards. Linebacker Winston Fraser returned an interception 71 yards for a touchdown. Mario Cristobal has to be a candidate for the next big head coach job opening based on what he has done at FIU.

WAC—New Mexico State picked up a 28-21 win over Minnesota in Minneapolis Saturday. The Aggies were 22.5 point underdogs. This was NMSU’s first win over a BCS conference school since 1999, when it beat Arizona State. DeWayne Walker got his first signature win as head coach against the school he played cornerback at, and the Aggies got their first win ever over a Big Ten team. With 20 seconds left in the game Minnesota head coach Larry Kill had a seizure. DeWayne Walker’s Aggie team was full of class when it gathered to pray for Larry Kill while he was being stabilized and taken to the hospital.

Texas A&M Is Adamant On Leaving The Big 12

Texas announced today it is adamant on leaving the Big 12 and hopes to do so by July 2012. It will agree to pay the penalties associated with leaving the conference. The Aggies are still hoping to get in with the SEC, but it sounds like they may be open to joining any conference. The other viable options would probably be the Big 10 or the Pac-12.

If the Big 12 looks to survive as a conference, it will have to find a replacement. Current independant BYU would be a good fit. The Cougars would be able to compete in the conference and would now have better access to playing in a BCS bowl game. Southern Methodist has publicly expressed interest in joining the Big 12, but the addtion of the Mustangs would not add a new television market like the addition of BYU would in Salt Lake City, Provo, and Ogden. It is also debatable whether the 'Stangs could compete with the large state schools. Houston and Texas Christian would be able to hold their own with the current Big 12 members, but again no new television markets would be added, so taking another Texas team is not as sexy as taking a team from outside areas with Big 12 schools.

The moral of the story here is do not allow one school in a conference favoritism over the others. Profit sharing in the Big 12 is not equal like it is in the Big 10 or SEC. The Longhorn Network destroyed the Big 12 conference. If the playing field is not equal for all schools, why stick around?

All Hell Could Break Loose This Week

If Texas A&M heads to the Southeastern Conference next week, the conference shuffle will start all over again.

Likely, the SEC would want to get a fourteenth team for the sake of balance. It will likely go after Florida State or Clemson from the ACC, or Missouri from the Big 12. Right now, Mizzou says it is committed to staying in the Big 12. Other sexy additions could be Louisville, Georgia Tech, or Virginia Tech. Any of these teams would geographically be a good fit for the SEC.

To replace the Aggies, the Big 12 would likely go after Houston, Texas Christian, Southern Methodist, or BYU. As long as Texas and Oklahoma stick together, the conference could probably survive in some form.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 could expand as well, but that won't likely happen unless it becomes apparent alot of dominoes start falling and these conferences need to go on the defense to stay competitive with a superconference consisting of either fourteen or sixteen teams.

The Big East and ACC sit in a precarious position. Both could get poached from. They are both seen as more of basketball conferences rather than football conferences. Keep in mind that college football generates more money than college basketball. The Big East needs to get on with expanding to ten teams if it wants to ensure its survival. Moving Villanova's football program up from the FCS to the FBS would require a much larger stadium than Villanova Stadium, and it looks like the Wildcats either don't have the space and/or money to expand their miniscule 12,500-seat stadium. Using Lincoln Financial Field, where the Philadelphia Eagles play, for home games is not an option; Temple uses this stadium as its home field.

Least Returning Starters

Teams with the least returning starters for the 2011 season.

Auburn 5
After winning the national championship last season, the Tigers return the fewest starters in the nation--a paltry 5. However, the Tigers compensate a lack of experience with talent. They recruited the #1 class for 2011 and their 2010 recruiting class was ranked #6. Still, don't expect back-to-back national titles.

TCU 6
The Horned Frogs have only 2 starters returning on offense and 4 starters coming back on defense. Texas Christian's talent level and favorable schedule should get the program to a bowl game but there are lots of questions surrounding the 2011 TCU football team.

Fresno State 6
The Bulldogs are young and inexperienced. They play California, Nebraska, Mississippi, and Boise State in nonconference games. With a lack of experience and leadership, they could easily go 0-4 in those games.

Memphis 7
The Memphis Tigers look to be in big trouble with only 7 starters coming back and not too much hype surrounding the program after going 1-11 last year. Analysts predict Memphis to go 1-11 again and finish last in Conference USA.

2011 Rose Bowl Preview

January 1, 2011 5:00 PM ET

Stadium: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

Payout: $17,000,000

Played: 1902, 1916-present

Once known as: Tournament East-West Football Game (1902, 1916-1922)

Broadcasters: Brent Musberger, Kirk Herbstreit

Sideline Reporter: Erin Andrews

Storyline: Texas Christian went 12-0 yet was not invited to the BCS Championship Game. The Horned Frogs have a chip on their shoulder and will use a matchup with Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl to prove to their critics that they should have been in the BCS title game. TCU has the best defense in the country and is tied for 4^th best offense based on points per game with Wisconsin. Wisconsin has the 27^th defense in the country. That defense will need to step up big time if the Badgers think they can hang with the Horned Frogs. Wisconsin’s only loss came against Michigan State, and the Badgers’ trademark this season was running up the score to 70 or better three times on weak teams. Both TCU and Wisconsin are run-first teams, with TCU averaging the 7^th most rushing yards per game, while Wisconsin’s rushing attack is 12^th. TCU is the first school from a non-automatic qualifying league to play in the Rose Bowl in the BCS era. They look to prove doubters wrong and make a statement that they are indeed the best team in the country. Wisconsin looks to be 4-0 in the Rose Bowl since 1994. The two teams have only met once before; the result was a 14-14 tie in 1970. The Granddaddy of Them All promises to be a good game.

All-time Series: 0-0-1

Line: TCU by 3

	Wisconsin			Texas Christian
Overall Record	11-1		Overall Record	12-0
Conference Record	7-1		Conference Record	8-0
Bowl Record	11-10		Bowl Record	11-14-1
Last Bowl Win	2009 Champs Sports		Last Bowl Win	2008 Poinsettia

MWC Home Attendance Figures

	Air Force			Brigham Young
Falcon Stadium			LaVell Edwards Stadium
S4 Northwestern State	40,236		S4 Washington	63,771
S11 BYU	46,692		S25 Nevada	61,471
O2 Navy	47,565		O9 San Diego State	62,176
O9 Colorado State	41,547		O23 Wyoming	60,505
O30 Utah	37,211		O30 UNLV	61,283
N13 New Mexico	27,309		N20 New Mexico	59,077
AVERAGE	40,093		AVERAGE	61,381
	Colorado State			New Mexico
Hughes Stadium			University Stadium
S25 Idaho	23,925		S11 Texas Tech	25,734
O2 TCU	22,553		S18 Utah	23,940
O16 UNLV	30,753		O2 UTEP	22,511
O30 New Mexico	18,266		O23 San Diego State	16,488
N13 BYU	16,501		N6 Wyoming	18,017
			N23 TCU	18,640
AVERAGE	22,400		AVERAGE	20,888
	San Diego State			TCU
Qualcomm Stadium			Amon Carter Stadium
S4 Nicholls State	25,290		S11 Tennessee Tech	37,117
S25 Utah State	45,682		S18 Baylor	47,493
O16 Air Force	28,178		O9 Wyoming	38,081
N6 Colorado State	34,689		O16 BYU	40,416
N20 Utah	34,951		O23 Air Force	46,096
N27 UNLV	22,091		N13 San Diego State	45,694
AVERAGE	31,814		AVERAGE	42,483
	UNLV			Utah
Sam Boyd Stadium			Rice-Eccles Stadium
S4 Wisconsin	31,107		S2 Pittsburgh	45,730
S25 New Mexico	16,961		S11 UNLV	45,102
O2 Nevada	28,958		S25 San Jose State	45,099
O30 TCU	16,745		O23 Colorado State	45,029
N13 Wyoming	16,111		N6 TCU	46,522
N18 Air Force	13,790		N27 BYU	45,272
AVERAGE	20,612		AVERAGE	45,459
	Wyoming
War Memorial Stadium
S4 Southern Utah	20,043
S18 Boise State	29,014
S25 Air Force	22,413
O16 Utah	20,014
O30 San Diego State	16,252
N20 Colorado State	17,011
AVERAGE	20,791

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE BY SCHOOL

Brigham Young	61,381
Utah	45,459
TCU	42,483
Air Force	40,093
San Diego State	31,814
Colorado State	22,400
New Mexico	20,888
Wyoming	20,791
UNLV	20,612