TCU vs. BYU Football 2009
No. 10 Horned Frogs, No. 16 Cougars Meet in Mountain West Showdown
TCU's Horned Frogs will carry a 6-0 overall record and a No. 10 national ranking into the 7:30 p.m. EST game. No. 16 BYU (6-1) will be looking to stay atop the Mountain West standings by posting its fifth consecutive victory.
The Cougars extended their winning streak to four games with a hard-fought 38-28 conference victory at San Diego State last Saturday. Coach Bronco Mendenhall's team boasts the No. 7 offense in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, averaging 469.43 yards per game.
TCU remained unbeaten with a 44-6 rout over visiting Colorado State in an MWC matchup. Coach Gary Patterson’s Horned Frogs have won eight consecutive games dating back to last season, and feature the No. 4-ranked defense in the FBS.
The Frogs, who are No. 8 in the BCS standings, are giving up only 238 yards per contest.
The MWC race is shaping up as a three-way battle involving the conference's three ranked teams. BYU's Cougars are alone atop the conference with a 3-0 record, but TCU and No. 19 Utah are just a half-game back at 2-0.
Saturday's game, scheduled for telecast by the Versus Network, will mark the ninth meeting between the Cougars and Horned Frogs. Brigham Young owns a 5-3 series edge, but TCU won last year's game, 32-7.
Kerley Sparks TCU as Receiver, Return Man
Wide receiver Jeremy Kerley has been an integral part of the TCU offense, sharing the team lead with 19 catches, and gaining 229 yards. But his two touchdowns this season have come on punt returns. The junior, who is averaging 17.1 yards per return, scored on a 69-yard runback vs. Colorado State.
Kerley is part of a solid receiving corps that also features Bart Johnson (19 catches, 204 yards) and Jimmy Young (16 receptions, team-high 280 yards). Young and teammates Curtis Clay and Antoine Hicks have two TD catches apiece.
TCU quarterback Andy Dalton is completing 65.5 percent of his passes for 1,223 yards and eight touchdowns, with three interceptions. Dalton is the Horned Frogs’ third-leading rusher with 233 yards and averages 4.1 yards per carry.
Hard-nosed Joseph Turner (399 yards, 7 TDs, 5.2 yard per carry) paces TCU’s ground game. Ed Wesley (273 yards) and Matthew Tucker (223 yards) are also threats.
The Frogs are averaging 431 yards per game, as well as 33.8 points. They’re outscoring their opponents by an average of 20.1 points per game.
Frogs Give Up Less Than 2 Touchdowns Per Game
TCU is allowing only 13.7 per contest, and is especially tough against the run. The Horned Toads are surrendering only 81.2 yards a game, on just 2.6 yards per carry. In addition, they’ve recorded 20 sacks and are tied for sixth in the FBS at 3.33 per game.
All-American defensive end Jerry Hughes had two vs. Colorado State to raise his season total to eight. Hughes is third on his team in total tackles with 31, including 9.5 for losses.
Daryl Washington tops TCU with 48 tackles and Tank Carder is second with 36. Both of the linebackers have two sacks, and Carder has broken up a team-high five passes.
Safety Alex Ibiloye has made 29 tackles in five games, and defensive end Wayne Daniels has 2.5 sacks among his 4.5 tackles for loss.
BYU’s Hall Ranks Among NCAA Passing Leaders
The explosive BYU offense produces 38.6 points and 469.4 yards per game, and the key is quarterback Max Hall. The senior is completing 69.4 percent of his passes for 2,069 yards, and his average of 295.57 per game ranks eighth in the BCS. Hall’s thrown 16 TDs, but has also been intercepted 10 times.
Tight End Dennis Pitta has been the primary target, making 34 catches for 471 yards and five touchdowns. McKay Jacobson (4 TD receptions) is out with a hamstring injury, but the Cougars still have talented wide receivers like O’Neill Chambers (21 catches, 236 yards) and Luke Ashworth (17 catches, 253 yards).
Andrew George (16 receptions, 228 yards, 2 TDs) is another threat at tight end, and back Brian Kariya is a capable receiver (15 catches, 180 yards, 2 TDs) and runner (177 yards, 1 TD).
But the workhorse out of the backfield is Harvey Unga, who rushed for 583 yards and nine touchdowns in six games. Unga is averaging 5.6 yards per carry and 95.8 yards per game. He’s complemented by J.J. Di Luigi (177 yards, 1 TD) as well as Kariya.
Defensive Backs Are BYU’s Top Tacklers
Defensive Backs Andrew Rich and Scott Johnson are leading a BYU defensive unit that’s yielding 22.7 points and 339.7 yards per game. Rich has made a team-high 41 tackles and forced two fumbles. Johnson’s added 37 tackles, three interceptions and four pass breakups over six games.
The secondary also includes Brian Logan (27 tackles, 2 interceptions, 9 pass breakups) and Brandon Bradley (33 tackles).
Linebacker Coleby Clawson has spearheaded the passing rush, recording 3.5 sacks among 32 tackles. Defensive tackle Jan Jorgensen has 4.5 tackles for loss, including two sacks. Linebacker Terrance Hooks is third on the team in tackles with 36.
BYU had trouble stopping the pass last week, giving up 320 to San Diego State. On the season, the Cougars are allowing an average of 238.6 yards thru the air.
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