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You are here: Home / Archives for Colleges / TCU

TCU’s Waymon James out for the season

September 19, 2012 by Jamie Plunkett • Permalink

(Photo Credit: Charlie Reidel/Associated Press)

Welp. The season just got a lot longer for the Frogs.

Earlier today we learned that TCU’s leading rusher, Waymon James, had injured his left knee (the specifics haven’t been disclosed, but the popular rumor is a torn ACL) during the Kansas game and will be out for the rest of the season.

It’s a huge blow to a team that has already lost a lot this year.

In fact, here’s a list of every player that TCU has lost between last season to now (Big thanks to the KillerFrogs.com guys that put this list together):

Injury:
Waymon James – Starting RB
Travoskey Garrett – Probable starting CB
Stephen Bryant – Starting TE/FB
Ross Forrest – Starting DE
Danny Heiss – Backup LB
Blake Roberts – Backup DE
Ethan Grant – Backup RB
Greg Burks – Backup LB

Drug Bust:
Tanner Brock – Starting LB
Devin Johnson – Starting safety
DJ Yendry – Starting DT
Ty Horn – Backup OT

Grades/Unspecified reasons:
Ed Wesley – Starting RB
James Dunbar – Starting OT
Deryck Gildon – Brock’s replacement, starting LB
Travaris Battle – Potential starting CB
Carter Wall – Backup OL
Nykerion Wellington – Backup OT
James Bailey – Backup safety
Justin Isadore – LBer
Dwight Smith – RB

Drafted (MLB):
Austin Aune – QB

That’s 22 kids. Any other team that lost 22 kids would be written off completely, but to this point the Frogs are 2-0, and are looking to be 4-0 heading into their second Big 12 conference game.

The majority of the carries will now fall to Matthew Tucker, who was already splitting time with James. Tucker has 100 yards rushing and a touchdown on the season.

Behind him are senior Aundre Dean and true freshman B.J. Catalon. Dean is a more hard nosed runner, while Catalon is a more finesse runner, like James was.

I think they’ll both see an equal amount of time in the backfield, until one or the other begins to distance themselves.

This definitely changes how Virginia will game plan for the Frogs this weekend (look for a full preview later in the week), but TCU is still dangerous.

They’re still deep at RB, they’ve still got their full suite of high-powered receivers and a potential All-American quarterback in Casey Pachall to lean on.

Oh, and the defense still hasn’t allowed a touchdown this year.

So, while things aren’t as bright, they’re still looking up in Funkytown.

Go Frogs.

DSR’s College Football Rankings — Week 3

September 18, 2012 by Jamie Plunkett • Permalink

Another week of college football, another group of upsets. This is getting ridiculous.

Dropped Out

  • #20 Wisconsin
  • #18 Tennessee
  • #17 BYU
  • #9 Virginia Tech

Jumped In

  • Stanford
  • Notre Dame
  • Ohio State
  • Nebraska

Next Five

  • Mississippi State
  • Oklahoma State
  • Cincinnati
  • Northwestern
  • Tennessee

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#11 TCU Horned Frogs game preview: Kansas Jayhawks

September 13, 2012 by Jamie Plunkett • Permalink

The Horned Frogs got off to a great start last week, upending Grambling State with ease, 56-0. This week, they play their first game against a Big 12 opponent as a member of the Big 12.

Kind of.

Technically, Kansas is in the Big 12, but I can’t imagine this game being a very tough match for the Frogs.

After all, Kansas has only won six Big 12 games since the 2008 season.

The Jayhawks did get quite the makeover this season though, albeit not a great one. Former Notre Dame Head Coach, and NFL defensive coordinator Charlie Weis took over the struggling program, and he brought with him Fighting Irish transfer Dayne Crist.

Crist has struggled so far this year, and was a key reason Kansas lost to Rice last week. He threw two interceptions, the second with less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter. Rice’s ensuing drive led to the game-winning 45-yard field goal.

Kansas’ defense has allowed opposing offenses (South Dakota State and Rice, mind you) to total 814 yards of offense, 443 passing and 371 rushing, and score 42 points.

That doesn’t bode well for them, with the potent, dual-threat offense the Horned Frogs are bringing to Lawrence this weekend.

It should be an easy win for the Frogs, as they advance to 2-0 on the season.

TCU-63, Kansas-10.

Go Frogs.

More weekend picks:

#18 Tennessee vs. #19 Florida

Pick: Tennessee-24, Florida-17

Georgia Tech vs. Virginia

Pick: Virginia-31, Georgia Tech-20

#21 Stanford vs. #2 USC

Pick: USC-37, Stanford-24

#15 Michigan State vs. Notre Dame

Pick: Michigan State-42, Notre Dame-20

Arkansas vs. #1 Alabama

Pick: Alabama-27, Arkansas-24

TCU Starts Season Right, Defeats Grambling State 56-0

September 10, 2012 by Jamie Plunkett • Permalink

(Photo Credit: Lara Solt/Dallas Morning News)

TCU head coach Gary Patterson rewrote Horned Frog record books on Saturday night, with his 110th win at the helm of the Frogs.

He passed legendary coach Dutch Meyer, who was responsible for both of TCU’s national championships in 1935 and 1938.

However, Patterson wasn’t the only Horned Frog setting a record against the hapless Grambling State.

Quarterbacks Casey Pachall and Trevone Boykin combined to go 17-17 on pass attempts, the most ever without an incompletion in FBS history.

Pachall, who only played in the first half, was 9-9 for 201 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Wide receiver Josh Boyce, the leader in receptions, yards and touchdowns last year for the Frogs, had 102 yards receiving on four catches for two touchdowns, one of which was a 66-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter. Receivers Brandon Carter and David Bush also had touchdown receptions.

The Frogs asserted themselves on the ground as well, rushing for 255 yards, getting over 50 yards from Waymon James (69), B.J. Catalon (63) and Boykin (57).

The majority of Boykin’s rushing yards came on a 34-yard scramble that resulted in a touchdown, and increased TCU’s lead to 49-0.

On special teams, true freshman cornerback Deante’ Gray returned his first ever punt 70 yards for a touchdown. He finished the evening with 160 punt return yards. New kicker Jaden Oberkrom will have relieved Frog fans saying, “Ross Evans who?” in no time, as he went 8-8 on extra point attempts for the game.

The defense got into the action as well, harassing Grambling State QB D.J. Williams all night long. Three Frogs, Devante Fields, Stansley Maponga and Sam Carter, all sacked Williams, and TCU recorded three other tackles for loss.

Junior safety Elisha Olabode had a pick-6 in the first quarter that pushed the lead to 21-0 as the Frogs built a lead early and never looked back.

At the end of the night, Grambling State gained 70 total yards of offense, roughly as much yardage as their band covered in their fantastic halftime show.

Next week, the Frogs head up to Lawrence, Kansas, for their first Big 12 conference game against the Kansas Jayhawks.

Quick Pick: TCU-63, Kansas-10.

The Jayhawks lost to Rice this week, so I fully expect the Frogs to take care of business.

Meanwhile, the Frogs have jumped to #11 in DSR’s College Football Top 25. Check out the rest of the rankings here.

Go Frogs.

DSR’s College Football Rankings — Week 2

September 9, 2012 by Jamie Plunkett • Permalink

Week 2 in the college football season really did a number on my rankings.

Five teams in my Week 1 Top 25 found themselves out of the rankings in Week 2, so let’s jump right in.

Dropped Out

  • #25 Rutgers (def. Howard, 26-0)
  • #22 Washington (lost @ LSU, 3-41)
  • #18 Oklahoma State (lost @ Arizona, 38-59)
  • #17 Nebraska (lost @UCLA, 30-36)
  • #5 Arkansas (lost vs. Louisiana Monroe, 31-34)

Jumped In

  • Texas
  • Arizona
  • UCLA
  • Florida
  • Tennessee

So, without further ado, here is Week 2’s Top 25 (scroll over the image for more detail, or look below the image. Sorry about the formatting, we’re working to improve it).

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TCU Horned Frogs vs. Grambling State Tigers Preview

September 7, 2012 by Parker Fleming • Permalink

Well, it’s about time we preview the Frogs’ game this week, and make some around the league picks.

TCU hosts Grambling State on Saturday night in what’s sure to be an invigorating display of speed, power, and  monetary superiority, namely in the form of a new stadium. The first game in the Carter shouldn’t concern any Frogs, at all, and will in truth focus mostly on the in-game experience of a rather young Horned Frog squad before they head into the Big 12 waters.

Never one to look past an opponent, though, let’s go ahead and give Grambling State the rundown. The Grambling State University Tigers, an HBU located in Louisiana, have an enrollment of less than 5,000 students (half of TCU). They have a thriving Sports Administration and Social Work program. The Tigers are an FCS team competing in the Southwestern Athletic Conference against such elite programs as Mississippi Valley State, Prairie View A&M, and Alcorn State.  The Grambling Football squad went 8-4 last year, winning the SWAC rather convincingly.

Last week, the Tigers had less luck, slipping up in the fourth quarter and giving up 13 points to Alcorn State to lose 22-21. Tigers leading rusher Dawrence Roberts lefts at the half with cramps (98 yards), and his absence was a notable one. Expect Roberts to be a key point of attack for the TCU defense, as true talent is an uncommon occurrence on the Grambling team.

Prediction:
TCU should win this easily. Expect the inevitable slow start from the Frogs, but this game should be out of reach by the second quarter. I’ll be heading out there early, enjoying the celebration of a new stadium and a new season, and praying for a Rick Settle fourth quarter TD.

Frogs win this 56-6.

 

Five arbitrary picks from around the top 25 (Rankings based on the DSR poll):

Ohio State takes care of UCF. 44-13, all business.

Miami at #9 Kansas State. I’ve got the U squeaking out a victory here. Kansas State is a one trick pony with Collin Klein, and I imagine Miami will figure it out pretty early on. 27-17 Miami.

Florida at Texas A&M. As much as it pains me to say it, the Aggies win this. It will be painful though, as both teams will beg and plead with each other to let their university collapse and lose this game. Florida hasn’t shown anything in two years, and A&M will be hyped for the home opener. Aggies 30-Gata 24. (Although I really hope it’s 5-3, lost on a dropped snap by the Florida punter in the end zone.)

#15 UGA at Mizzou. Missouri had some choice words for the Dawgs this weekend, and the SEC in general. DT Sheldon Richardson (Read: Scrub with a large mouth) felt it necessary to poke the bulldog and say, “[The SEC] is old-man football.” Heaven help that kid. The Fightin’ Richts take this guy convincingly, unfettered by the moral implications of reminding Missouri that they shalt not take the SEC’s name in vain. UGA 24-10.

Every week, we’ll pick an insignificant Mid-American Conference game, just to keep you abreast of what happens on Tuesday Nights. This Week’s MAC Special (unfortunately, no Tuesday games this week): Morgan State @ Buffalo.  I like Turner Gil- wait, he’s not? That was three years ago? Ok, Morgan State covers the spread. Money in the bank.

 

Comment with your picks. Don’t forget to follow @TheDSportsRant for live coverage on Saturday, and @spfleming for an emotionally-attached detailing of bad football.

DSR College Football Top 25 Rankings — Week 1

September 4, 2012 by Jamie Plunkett • Permalink

It was certainly a busy weekend for college football, both on the field and in the rankings. Big wins and upsets, major injuries and breakout performances all had a say in making the weekend great.

FCS Upsets

It has become a running theme that at least one FCS team will upset their FBS opponent in week 1. Pitt became the latest to fall to an “inferior” foe, as they were knocked off, quite handily, by Youngstown State.

Other FBS teams to lose to an FCS opponent:

Memphis (20-17 to Tennessee Martin)

Idaho (20-3 to Eastern Washington)

Middle Tennessee St. (27-21 to McNeese State)

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s take a look at how things shifted from our preseason poll.

Dropped Out:

N.C. State

Jumped In:

Baylor

#25 — Rutgers (W, 24-12 vs. Tulane)

Last Week: #24

Trending: Down

#24 — Georgia Tech (L, 20-17 in OT vs. Virginia Tech)

Last Week: #20

Trending: Down

Quick bit: Tevin Washington made everyone forget his solid performance by throwing the worst interception of the weekend.

Nick Florence could have Bears fans forgetting all about Robert Griffin III.

#23 — Baylor (W, 59-24 vs. SMU)

Last Week: NR

Trending: Up

Quick bit: Nick Florence picked up where RG3 left off in throwing for 341 yards and 4 touchdowns. There’s a storyline to watch.

#22 — Washington (W, 21-12 vs. San Diego State)

Last Week: #22

Trending: Level

#21 — BYU (W, 30-6 vs. Washington State)

Last Week: #23

Trending: Up

Quick bit: The Cougars absolutely stifled Washington State’s offense in Mike Leach’s return to coaching.

#20 — Louisville (W, 32-14 vs. Kentucky)

Last Week: 21

Trending: Up

#19 — Michigan State (W, 17-13 vs. Boise State)

Last Week: #19

Trending: Level

Quick Bit: This win would have been more impressive if Kellen Moore was still a Bronco.

#18 — Oklahoma State (W, 84-0 vs. Savannah State)

Last Week: #18

Trending: Level

Quick bit: 84 points is impressive, but Savannah State has won two games in the last two seasons playing in the MEAC.

#17 — Nebraska (W, 49-20 vs. Southern Mississippi)

Last Week: #17

Trending: Level

Losing Brandon Jenkins means guys like Bjoern Werner will have to step it up (Of course, Werner had four sacks on Saturday).

#16 — Florida State (W, 69-3 vs. Murray State)

Last Week: #16

Trending: Level

Quick bit: The ‘Noles suffered a huge loss on Saturday when DE Brandon Jenkins hurt his foot. Jenkins will miss the entire season, as we learned Monday.

#15 — Georgia (W, 45-23 vs. Buffalo)

Last Week: #15

Trending: Level

#14 — Wisconsin (W, 26-21 vs. Northern Iowa)

Last Week: #14

Trending: Down

Quick Bit: It took a 4th-quarter, 4th-down stand for the Badgers to beat the fellas from the MVC.

#13 — TCU (BYE)

Last Week: #13

Trending: Level

#12 — Michigan (L, 41-14 vs. (2) Alabama)

Last Week: #8

Trending: Down

Quick bit: I knew Alabama was good but I didn’t expect the Wolverines to get beaten like this. The Tide plain whooped them.

#11 — Clemson (W, 26-19 vs. Auburn)

Last Week: #12

Trending: Up

#10 — Virginia Tech (W, 20-17 in OT vs. (24) Georgia Tech)

Last Week: #11

Trending: Up

Quick bit: The Hokies benefited greatly from a huge Georgia Tech error. Kicker Cody Journell redeems an earlier FG miss to seal it for Virginia Tech.

#9 — Kansas State (W, 51-9 vs. Missouri State)

Last Week: #10

Trending: Up

#8 — South Carolina (W, 17-13 vs. Vanderbilt)

Last Week: #9

Trending: Up

Quick Bit: Vanderbilt is a good team, and the Gamecocks should be happy they left Nashville with a win.

Geno Smith is already making Heisman pundits go “Oooooooooo”.

#7 — West Virginia (W, 69-34 vs. Marshall)

Last Week: #8

Trending: Up

Quick Bit: Geno Smith got his Heisman bid off to a great start, throwing for 323 yards and 4 touchdowns, while running for 65 more yards and another score.

#6 — Oregon (W, 57-34 vs. Arkansas State)

Last Week: #6

Trending: Level

#5 — Arkansas (W, 49-24 vs. Jacksonville State)

Last Week: #5

Trending: Level

#4 — LSU (W, 41-14 vs. North Texas)

Last Week: #4

Trending: Level

#3 — Oklahoma (W, 24-7 vs. UTEP)

Last Week: #3

Trending: Level (barely)

Quick bit: It took a strong 4th quarter for the Sooners to put UTEP away. Before that, they struggle mightily on offense.

#2 — Alabama (W, 41-14 vs. (12) Michigan)

If Alabama has another game like they did on Saturday, they’ll be the new #1.

Last Week: #2

Trending: Level

Quick bit: The Tide are for real. That’s all.

#1 — USC (W, 49-10 vs. Hawaii)

Last Week: #1

Trending: Level

Quick bit: Barkley threw for almost 400 yards and four touchdowns.

Frogballing: The Runs Stop Here

June 13, 2012 by Parker Fleming • Permalink

Well, for lack of a more grandiose introduction sentence, it’s over. A season full of unbelievable lows, mildly exciting highs, and lack of general grasp on just who exactly this team is has finally come to a close. It ended [disclaimer: clichés ahead] not with a bang but a whimper, as the Frogs went out quietly in UCLA, amassing just 3 runs on 14 hits in their 65 at-bats in Los Angeles. They lost the same way they’ve lost all season – mental mistakes, fielding errors, and impatience at the plate – which is marginally frustrating, but ultimately to be expected.

I could say so many negative things about the Frogs this weekend, but they played their little tails off to scrap into a Super Regional they had no business being at, and should be commended for peaking at the right time and playing hard.

The postseason experience really gave the Frogs a good time to gel, and their chemistry and momentum rolling into next season should be huge, as the freshmen realize that when they actually come out and play, nobody can touching them. This run in the College World Series really was a positive time for this team, and a great way to reward the freshmen after they worked so hard to compensate for an all but dead weight upper class (you know who I’m referring to).

I’ve reached a good place about this Horned Frog baseball team, after this run. I was very negative on them this season. Only half of them deserved it (the upperclassmen and Derek Odell). The freshmen on this team have really played well this season. Once Kevin Cron got healthy and notched some at-bats, he was unreal this season. His upside is tremendous, especially after an off-season workout regimen gets him into shape coming into next season.

Jerrick Suiter is a freak. That’s about all I have to say about him. Preston Morrison was just named 1st team Freshman All-American. The Frogs have a core coming back that is already respected, and soon to be feared.

Despite the no-show in the Supers, this Frog team sent a very strong message to their new Big 12 friends – it’s about to get real.

As the College World Series wraps up in the next few weeks, Frogballing will inevitably become less frequent, but I’m still planning to update on important news and offseason notes, maybe even track a few of our boys in the big leagues. For now, I’m going into full CWS mode, so let’s get to the picks.
Last week: I went 6-2, missing only TCU and Stanford. That brings me to 14-10 on the postseason, a respectable .583.

  • In the Upper Half of the bracket, I’m finally caving and relinquishing my stubbornness: I think Florida State is undoubtedly the team to beat now. That’s right, I #fearthespear. Call me crazy for this, but they’ll see Stony Brook in the semifinal. The Seawolves went into the dragon’s lair and stole two games convincingly from LSU this weekend, and they aren’t scared of anybody. And, come on, they’re the only ones left with more than 50 wins. FSU-Stony Brook semifinal.
  • In the Lower Half, I’m much less fun. South Carolina loses the first game to Florida, and then the two will duke it out for best of the SEC in the semi-final. Consistent with #KingSEC, Arkansas advances past Kent State, but ultimately loses to Florida and South Carolina.
  • So, on the record, for clarity’s sake I’ve got my final four as FSU-Stony Brook and Florida-South Carolina.

Bet against me, and maybe you’ll keep your money. Leave predictions below if you think you can do better. Remember to follow @TheDSportsRant for general updates, and during the games I’ll be tweeting reactions from @spfleming.

Frogballing to Cali

June 6, 2012 by Parker Fleming • Permalink

(Photo Credit: Associated Press)

In the top of the sixth inning, the TCU baseball team trailed the Dayton Flyers 9-6 and had only a mere twelve outs standing between them and losing five straight, ending their season. That’s about as dramatic, back-against-the-wall a situation can get. And what did the Frogs do? Exactly what they haven’t all season – relaxed, stayed patient at the plate, and watched the runs flow like a waterfall. Since that sixth inning, the Frogs have played with a calm and reserve they have been incapable of tapping into for the whole of this season. At one point, there was a stretch of 13 innings where the Frogs outscored their opponents 32-5, per @tcusid. They were down in every game they played this weekend, and came back to win four of them in a row, playing the last innings placidly, not batting an eye. They quietly disposed of A&M, and then just dismantled Ole Miss to win the regional.

Their maturity at the plate is astonishing, as the majority of their team and offensive production this end of season stretch has come from freshmen, but it helps that Brance and the older players remembered who they are. I have no idea what happened to Brance, but some proverbial WD-40 on the gears has fired him back up again, peaking at the perfect time this season. The Frogs are playing great ball, the best we’ve seen all season, and with the veterans there to bolster the blazing freshmen, the Frogs are going to be hard to beat. As long as Derek Odell stops making errors. Scratch that – also long as he keeps his Error to Home Run ration at 1:1.

Before I make some picks, let’s take a 30,000 foot view at the UCLA Bruins, who the Frogs face in the Super Regional for a three game series this weekend. UCLA is 45-14 on the season, the PAC 10/12/Whatever regular season champs. This is the Bruins’ third Super Regional appearance in six seasons. They are led by manager John Savage (ok not that guy). Savage has been at UCLA for 8 years, and the Bruins have been in the postseason for six of them. He matches Schlossnagle pound for pound in experience.  The Bruins play in Jackie Robinson Stadium, which has no bearing on the matchup other than it’s a pretty cool name for any baseball facility, especially what with the whole Dodgers-being-in-LA-now ordeal.

The Bruins overpower the Frogs in batting average, .310 to .268, but despite the reputation their pitching staff has nationwide, their 3.28 team ERA is higher than TCU (.317). In the Super Regional, UCLA was dominant, outscoring their three opponents (Creighton 2x and New Mexico State) 23-6 in three games. The Bruins actually gave up more hits in their third game (12) than they did in their first two combined (4). They are led by Junior OF Jeff Gelalich, who has 50 runs scored this season, and, wait for it… a .998 OPS. He’s also batting .372. So he’s pretty good. Also, on the Bruin pitching staff is sophomore Adam Plutko, who has 2.56 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 105.2 innings over 16 games. He essentially guarantees 6 innings a game, on average, and their bullpen is beyond fierce. The relief trio of Ryan Deeter, David Berg, and Scott Griggs have 115 appearances between them, and Deeter and Berg both have ERAs below 2.oo. The Frogs are going to have to score runs early, as a late comeback just doesn’t happen against UCLA. These guys are lights out.

We’ll do nationwide picks, then talk more about the Frogs. Last week I was 8-8, a .500 record, which I consider marginally respectable. Here’s the Super Regional:

  • In Gainesville, Florida takes care of NC State in two games. All business here.
  • South Carolina will advance over a scrappy Oklahoma team, conceding the second game.
  • Kent State rolled through an easy regional, but so did Oregon. Golden Flashes in three. Because we like the little guy here at DSR.
  • Arkansas over Baylor in Waco. Again, all business. Two games.
  • Florida State and Stanford is a series I’m excited to watch. I’ll pick the Cardinal here, in three tough games.
  • Arizona is rolling, and St. John’s can’t keep that pace for three games. ‘Cats lose game one, close, win it on Sunday.
  • As much as everything in me wants Stony Brook to beat LSU, it probably won’t happen. But I’m going to pick the upset. Stony Brook rallies late on Sunday, stuns the Tigers.
  • Last, but not least: UCLA v TCU. I think the Frogs will win game one here. They have serious momentum. We can attribute the game two hold-your-ground win to UCLA. So it comes down to Sunday, again. Honestly, the Frogs play best when they’re on the hot seat, and I think they can squeeze by UCLA. It won’t be easy, and it sure as heck won’t be pretty, but if they keep pace with this weekend, they can hang with anyone. The key is to stay relaxed. With all these young guys, it would be very easy to get caught up in the moment, and to freeze. If Schloss can calm the boys down, the Frogs should advance. Officially, TCU 2-1 in a nailbiter.

Well, just like last time, bet against all of these, and hopefully you can win some money. Leave your picks below if you think you can do better. Follow @TheDSportsRant for general updates, and look to @spfleming for my live tweeting of the games.

Go Frogs.

Frogballing, Post Season Style

June 1, 2012 by Parker Fleming • Permalink

Tomorrow afternoon kicks off our postseason with NCAA regionals. The Horned Frogs, after an astoundingly mediocre and disoriented first half of the season, have rallied to a respectable 36-19 record this season, scoring a date with Ole Miss Friday at 12:35 CST in College Station. After the jump I’ll preview the regional, suggest some strategy for the Froggies, and who knows, maybe even pick the regional winners nationwide.
*****

The College Station regional is seeded as follows:
1) Texas A&M, (42-16, #9 in Baseball America)
2) TCU (36-19, NR)
3) Ole Miss (35-24, NR)
4) Dayton (31-28, NR)
A&M will face Dayton to meet the winner of TCU/Ole Miss, double elimination.

Ole Miss comes in a little battered and beaten by a rough SEC schedule. The Rebels limped to a 14-16 record in conference, hitting a huge speedbump after starting the season 15-3. One of those losses came in Fort Worth, as the Rebels and Frogs split two on Opening Weekend. The Rebels have hot bats, boasting a team average of .298, but their ERA sits at a pedestrian 3.57. Ole Miss has lost six of seven headed into the regional and desperately needs a jumpstart to make something happen in the postseason. Ole Miss is lead by Junior Infielder Alex Yarbrough, who is batting .389 with 41 RBI on 91 hits this season.

The Dayton Flyers, out of Dayton, Ohio (enrollment 7500), are the Atlantic Ten Conference Regular Season and Tournament Champs, rolling through the regular season with a 17-7 conference record. The Flyers are on somewhat of a tear, winning 9 of their last ten, and six straight. They are batting a better-than-respectable .293 on the season, but their pitching is 186th in the NCAA with a 4.93 ERA. Let’s just say that this will not bode well against the Aggies. The Flyers don’t do well on the road (15-16 record this season), having dropped games at Ball State, Miami of Ohio, and two to Temple. The Flyers’ player to watch this season is Brian Blasik, the Atlantic Conference’s only position player honored. The shortstop is batting .344 with 46 RBI on 84 hits.

Last, but not least, are the Aggies. A&M has the 5th best pitching staff in the NCAA, boasting a nigh ungodly 2.86 team ERA. The Aggies also hold a scary home field advantage: they’re 30-10 when playing at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. (Apologies. Unnecessary endorsements made that last sentence clunky.) The Maroon and White will be tough to beat on their home field. They have 5 starters batting over .300. They have 6 pitchers with at least 14 appearances and an ERA under 2.95. In layman’s terms, they are very good. Very good.

The Frogs shouldn’t have trouble with Ole Miss, which of course in this Season without Reason means that they will. Pitching will have to be on, and the freshmen who have put the team on their backs will have to keep doing so, despite the pressure of the postseason. After a rough conference tournament, TCU needs to pull themselves up by the bootstraps and perform. It should be an exciting weekend. I’m planning on making the trip for game two on Saturday.

Predictions:
TCU: A&M cruises past Dayton, and TCU staves off a rally to beat the Rebels. This Frog team has played terribly, and they’ve played well. If they play well, they could eek this regional out. I think Schlossnagle settles the boys down, and they beat A&M on Sunday to advance.
Nationally, I’ll just run down the list of who I think advances to the Supers.

  • Florida will meet Vandy in Gainsville
  • Costal Carolina (a perennial tournament performer) will head to Virginia after just scraping by South Carolina on Sunday
  • Oregon will host Valparaiso. Fleming’s Guide to Losing Money, Episode 28: Never bet against Valpo.
  • I want to pick Dallas Baptist and Rice, but I think I have to go with Baylor-Arkansas in Waco. Sorry little guys, maybe next year.
  • It’s hard to see anything else happening besides UCLA cruising to the Super Regional. They’ll host the Frogs.
  • Miami-LSU will be a fun matchup in Baton Rouge. I’d love to tailgate that.
  • New Mexico State will be extremely excited to move on, until they realize that they have no idea where Chapel Hill, NC, is.
  • Mississippi State will face Stanford. Why not FSU, you ask? Because SEC. That’s why.

My professional advice is to pick against literally every single one of the above matchups, and maybe you’ll make some money. Leave your picks below, if you think you can do better.

Be sure to follow @TheDSportsRant on Twitter for updates periodically throughout the weekend, and @spfleming for emotional responses to the Frogs’ performances.

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About Jamie

The site is owned and operated by Jamie Plunkett, a TCU graduate with a B.S. in advertising and public relations. In short, he’s a sports junkie. Born and raised in Dallas, he grew up following Dallas sports closely and passionately. He created the Dallas Sports Rant as an opportunity to unleash his sports knowledge and bias on the rest of the world. He also performs a pretty excellent karaoke version of Ice Ice Baby.

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