TCU Accepts Invitation To Poinsettia Bowl
12/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 4, 2011
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Mountain West champion TCU has accepted an invitation to play in the Dec. 21 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl against Western Athletic Conference champion Louisiana Tech. Kickoff will be at 5 p.m. (PST) with the game televised on ESPN.
The Poinsettia Bowl will mark the 27th bowl appearance in TCU's history. The Horned Frogs are 12-13-1 in bowl games. TCU is 8-4 in bowl games with head coach Gary Patterson on its coaching staff and 6-4 with him as head coach. Prior to Patterson's arrival on campus in 1998, the Horned Frogs had just four bowl wins in their history.
The Horned Frogs are one of just 12 programs nationally to play in a bowl game in 13 of the last 14 seasons.
TCU (10-2) has reached the 10-win mark for the fourth straight year and eighth time in the last 10 seasons under Patterson. Prior to his arrival on campus in 1998, the Horned Frogs had just four 10-win seasons in their history.
"We are very excited to have the opportunity to play in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl," Patterson said. "Our players have had an unbelievable experience in our past trips to the game. The bowl committee and the redcoats are outstanding with their hospitality. Bowl games are a great reward for your players. We are looking forward to making the trip to San Diego.
"We have a lot of respect for Louisiana Tech and coach Sonny Dykes. They're conference champions and have had an outstanding season with some very impressive wins. They've gone on the road and beat an SEC team. They are very skilled on both sides of the ball."
This will be the first meeting on the gridiron between TCU and Louisiana Tech. The Horned Frogs also faced an opponent from the WAC in their last Poinsettia Bowl appearance, defeating Boise State 17-16 in 2008.
TCU will be making its second appearance this season at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, having defeated San Diego State 27-14 on Oct. 8. The Poinsettia Bowl will also mark the seventh time in seven years the Horned Frogs will have played at Qualcomm Stadium. TCU is 6-0 in that stretch. The Frogs had four regular-season wins over the Aztecs while posting Poinsettia Bowl victories over Northern Illinois (2006) and Boise State (2008).
