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TCU tunes out BCS for big game
By The Associated Press
HATTIESBURG — While others debate whether unbeaten Texas Christian is worthy
of a spot in the Bowl Championship Series, the Horned Frogs have more
immediate concerns.
Specifically, a nationally-televised showdown tonight (ESPN) with Southern
Mississippi that will decide the Conference USA championship.
No. 10 TCU can clinch its first outright C-USA title by beating the
second-place Golden Eagles (7-3, 6-0), who have won four straight games.
Still, it seems all most people want to talk to the Horned Frogs (10-0, 7-0)
about is the Bowl Championship Series standings.
"Yeah, it gets tiring sometimes," said TCU quarterback Brandon Hassell, who
is 6-0 since replacing injured starter Tye Gunn. "Most of the time talking
to some people, that's all they want to talk about it, and we're really
focused on Southern Miss and the game we have coming up that week. Sometimes
you just really don't want to talk about it after talking about it so much
and hearing about it so much."
TCU dropped two spots in the BCS standings this week to eighth. The top six
teams are guaranteed spots in the four big-ticket bowl games - Rose, Sugar,
Fiesta and Orange.
Staying undefeated keeps the Horned Frogs in the mix, even if it gives them
only an outside shot. If win the conference and don't make it to one of the
big bowls, they will return to the Liberty Bowl.
"The only thing that matters to me is beating Southern Miss," TCU coach Gary
Patterson said. "We know it's not going to make any difference at all unless
we go 2-0 the last week-and-a-half."
If TCU beats Southern Mississippi, only winless SMU stands in the way of the
Horned Frogs' first unbeaten season since 1938, when quarterback Davey
O'Brien led TCU to its only national championship.
A loss to the Golden Eagles not only ends the BCS debate, it very well could
relegate TCU to second-place in its own league.
Southern Miss finishes the season against C-USA rival East Carolina, which
has won just once this season.
"I don't think it matters what they have riding on this game," Southern Miss
center Jim Hicks said. "They have a lot riding on it, more so than just the
conference championship. They have been high up in the rankings all year
long, and we didn't pay to much attention to that because we have our
goals."
Southern Miss won three C-USA titles in the league's first four seasons, but
none since 1999.
"This football team is really hungry and this is the position they wanted to
be in," Golden Eagles coach Jeff Bower said.
It has taken just three seasons in C-USA for TCU and Southern Miss to create
a spirited rivalry.
"It has turned into a big rivalry, not a rivalry of hatred," said TCU
defensive end Bo Schobel, who leads the conference with 11½ sacks. "We
respect them as being a good football team and I think they respect us the
same."
The year before TCU moved into the league, Southern Miss beat the LaDanian
Tomlinson-led Frogs in the Mobile Bowl on a last-minute touchdown. The next
year, with a bowl bid on the line, TCU beat Southern Miss 14-12 in
Hattiesburg.
Last season, TCU handed Southern Miss its most lopsided C-USA loss ever,
37-7, in Fort Worth, Texas.
"They embarrassed us on TV," said Southern Miss linebacker Rod Davis, who
leads the No. 1 scoring and pass defense in C-USA.
Now, the Golden Eagles get a chance to ruin TCU's dream season.
"We know they have to come through Hattiesburg before they get to the BCS or
the conference championship," defensive end Terrell Paul said.
©2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
02.23.07 10:48 AM
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