TCU @ Kansas

Scouting Report for TCU Horned Frogs(1-0) vs. Kansas Jayhawks (1-1)
September 15, 2012- Memorial Stadium, Lawrence,KS

TCU: TCU could do no wrong against the Grambling State Tigers (56-0). The Tigers just had no chance from the opening whistle. Especially since Deante' Gray first play as a collegiate was a 70 YD punt return for the game's first score. And it got worse from there.

Between QB's Casey Pachall and Trevone Boykin, they completed all 17 passes for 276 yards and 4 TDs. RB's Waymon James, B.J. Catalon and Matthew Tucker combined for 167 yards on 25 carries and 1 TD (James). WR Josh Boyce had 4 catches for 114 YDS and 2 TDS. CB Elisha Olabode scored the only defensive TD with a 28 YD return on Grambling's 3rd series. With that win, Gary Patterson now has 110 (all time leader at TCU).

Kansas: The Rice Owls had a 20 game losing streak against Big 12 teams. Which should have been an easy game. In the first week, Rice lost to UCLA by 25, while the Jayhawks won by 14 over FCS South Dakota State. The Owls didn't win pretty, but a win is a win and the Jayhawks will have to think of something.

Kansas had a 24-13 advantage with 11:47 remaining in the 3rd quarter. The only thing was that Rice wasn't fooled by the scoreboard. RB's Tony Pierson (19 carries,120 YDS) and Taylor Cox (15 carries 75 YDS and 1 TD) were having a great day against the Owls' defense . But when it came to the passing game, QB Dayne Crist was under pressure all day. While he was throwing for 16-28, 144 YDS, 1 TD and 2 INT, it was the second pick that led to Rice PK Chris Boswell's GW 45 YD FG.

What to watch for: The Frogs are not facing a Big 12 powerhouse in football against the Jayhawks, but they can be a tough opponent at home. The offense looked great, but how will the young defense handle Charlie Weis' offense?

Kansas will be playing angry. Whether that will produce positive results is going to be the real question here. As mentioned before, the Jayhawks won by 14 over the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State. Had Crist been a little more poised, Kansas could've done a whole lot better. Which it is why it was no shock that Rice got the win last week.

Conclusion: It is well chronicled that coach Weis and Crist have good rapport with each other. The only thing that Jayhawk fans are hoping for is that they will have much better success at Kansas than at Notre Dame. There were two contributing factors that led to that loss besides Crist. 1) The defense couldn't get a 4th down stop and 2) Weis called his final timeout to ice Boswell. But there was 17 seconds and Rice had a timeout. But that was last game.

TCU will shouldn't have problems against the defense. But if Kansas doesn't forsake Pierson and Cox late in the game, then the Horned Frogs will be in a shootout. Despite only two sacks between the two them, DE's Devonte Fields and Stansly Maponga should give Crist a run for his money. Just as long as they get the running game stymied.

Prediction: TCU by 18.

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