Texas Christian University is on its way to the Rose Bowl.
The No. 3-ranked college football team in the country, TCU accepted a bid to play in the Bowl on New Year’s Day. The 9,142 student school in Fort Worth, Texas is associated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and traces its history back to Addison and Randolph Clark, two scholar-preacher/teachers who were part of the Campbellite movement in the 19th century.
The Horned Frogs will face No. 4 Wisconsin Jan. 1 in the 97th Rose Bowl Game, which will be played in Pasadena, Calif.
"We will face an excellent Wisconsin team that won a share of the Big Ten title," said TCU head football coach Gary Patterson. "That’s what we wanted as a football team and will look at this game as a move forward."
TCU, a member of the Mountain West Conference, will move to the Big East Conference for the start of the 2012 football season. This is the second year in a row the team has had a perfect regular season.
TCU’s marching band is expected to participate in the nationally-televised Rose Bowl Parade, said Lisa Albert, director of communications for the university. The game will kick off at 2:10 p.m. PST and be televised by ESPN.
College football experts rate TCU’s defense as among in best country, which will have its work cut out for it if it’s goal is to stop the Badgers, who feature a persistent run attack.
"Our players came to TCU to play against this type of team," said Patterson, "as we have played against the likes of Clemson, Oklahoma and Oregon State. I’ve always watched Wisconsin play. I’m an admirer of what they do. Whether it’s how many points they score or how many we can hold them to when we play them, we are looking forward to the challenge."
When asked about comparisons being made to TCU against Wisconsin as David vs. Goliath, Patterson said, "I like it. It’s always easier to play the part of David. But I’d rather try to be Sampson. We’d like to be Sampson growing long hair over the next few days and getting stronger … We are just thankful for this chance."
Texas Christian is the largest of 17 universities and colleges associated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). When asked about the university’s and, hence, its student athletes’ commitment to the Christian faith, Albert, TCU’s spokeswoman, referred to the college’s statement on its affiliation with Disciples: "With the full support of Disciples, TCU is committed to the highest standards of scholarship, affording students the rigorous challenges that make higher education worthwhile. Reflection on questions of meaning and value is crucial to genuine learning. TCU’s covenant with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) supports this kind of education." TCU also is affiliated with Brite Divinity School, a Disciples seminary located on its campus.
The Horned Frogs are tied for the nation’s second-longest current winning streak at 12 in a row and is one of three undefeated teams this season. The Rose Bowl appearance will be the first time that TCU has played in a bowl game with the two teams having a combined ranking among the best teams in the U.S. since the 1938 Sugar Bowl, when the top-ranked TCU beat No. 5 Carnegie Tech to win the national championship.
"We have a great coaching staff, we’ve done an excellent job recruiting and the players do a great job of executing the game plan," said TCU’s Director of Athletics Media Relations Mark Cohen. "A lot of credit goes to our coach, Gary Patterson. We have a great nucleus from last year’s team – 26 seniors and also some nice additions."
By James Patterson
