2011 Poinsettia Bowl Spread
San Diego is one of the better wintertime destinations in America, and the NCAA knows that and sanctions it by approving two bowl games in the city each December.
The first one of the two games will be held December 21 when Mountain West champion TCU takes on WAC champ Louisiana Tech in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl – a longer name for the game than for the two teams combined.
This game will mark the first-ever meeting between the schools in football.
Our latest college football odds show TCU as a 10-point favorite, while the total sits at 55.5 points.
TCU
The Horned Frogs are the reigning Mountain West Conference champions again, even with Boise State in the league this year, and enter this game riding a seven-game win streak following a 56-9 home win over UNLV to end the regular season and clinch the MWC title (7-0). TCU went 5-2 against teams in bowl games, with the only losses at Baylor (50-48) and in OT to SMU (40-33). Overall, TCU was 4-1 away from home, winning the last four gamers outside of Fort Worth.
The Frogs rank ninth in the country in scoring offense (42 points per game) while compiling 444 yards per game (234 passing, 210 rushing). Casey Pachall runs the offense by completing 68 percent of his passes for 2,715 yards and 24 touchdowns with six interceptions, while the offensive line has allowed 13 sacks.
Josh Boyce is the top receiving target with 56 catches for 932 yards and nine TDs, while Waymon James, Matthew Tucker and Ed Wesley anchor the run game with a combined 2,157 yards and 22 TDs on 6.6 yards per carry.
Defensively, TCU ranks 30th nationally in points allowed (21 ppg), surrenders 346 yards per game (220 passing, 126 rushing) and records 24 sacks while forcing 21 turnovers – three of which converted to TDs (Tank Carder and Kris Gardner, three interceptions).
Four players lead this unit – Kenny Cain with 67 tackles (sack, INT, fumble recovery), Carder with 66 (two picks), Tekerrein Cuba with 65 (two forced fumbles) and Johnny Fobbs with 61 (two forced fumbles, INT). Stansly Maponga has nine sacks and five forced fumbles to go with 51 tackles and two fumble recoveries.
James has a kickoff return for a TD, and Greg McCoy averages nearly 32 yards per kick return with two scores.
Louisiana Tech
The Bulldogs just might be one of the better teams you haven’t heard of – winning the WAC conference title (6-1) and coming into the bowl game with seven straight wins after a 1-4 start. Three of four losses were decided by a total of nine points against bowl teams (19-17 at Southern Miss, 26-20 in OT at Mississippi State, 35-34 vs. Houston).
The Bulldogs rank a respectable 34th nationally in scoring defense (22 ppg), and surrenders 375 yards per game (253 passing, 122 rushing) while recording 32 sacks and forcing 29 turnovers – six of which were returned for TDs (Jay Dudley, Adrien Cole, Terry Carter and Javontay Crowe, five interceptions; Chad Boyd, fumble).
Cole leads the defense with 120 tackles (28 more than any teammate) and three blocked kicks, adding two sacks, an INT, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Christian Lacy has 8.5 sacks and 35 tackles, Dudley has four picks with 92 tackles and a fumble recovery, and Matt Broha has two forced fumbles, 42 tackles and 7.5 sacks.
Offensively, LTU ranks 41st nationally in scoring (31 ppg) while recording 397 yards per game (247 passing, 150 rushing). Nick Isham has completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,457 yards and eight TDs with seven interceptions in nine games.
Quinton Patton is the top receiver with 74 catches (24 more than anyone else) for 1,135 yards and 10 TDs, while Lennon Creer and Hunter Lee anchor the running game with a combined 1,424 yards and 13 TDs on 4.6 yards per carry.
Ryan Allen, a finalist for the Ray Guy Award as college footballs’ top punter, averages more than 46 yards per punt. Craig Johnson has a punt return for a TD, and Lyle Fitte averages 26 yards per kickoff return with one TD this season.