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Sportsbook.com Line: TCU -4.5 & 56
Opening Line & Total: TCU -6.5 & 55
Reigning Rose Bowl Champion TCU looks for another big win over nearby rival Baylor when the two schools open their seasons Friday night in Waco. After an 11-year intermission from this rivalry, the schools have played three times since 2006, with the Horned Frogs winning all three games by a combined score of 89 to 27.
Despite last year’s 45-10 drubbing, these schools are more evenly matched in 2011. TCU lost six offensive starters including the winningest QB in the school’s history, Andy Dalton. Baylor returns its dynamic duo of QB Robert Griffin and WR Kendall Wright to a team that reached its first bowl since 1994. But the difference in this game is defense, and TCU had the best stop unit in the land last year, with a nation-leading 12.0 PPG and 228 YPG. Baylor’s defense, which lost six starters, was 89th in scoring (30.5 PPG) and 104th in yardage (435 YPG). TCU ran for 291 yards against Baylor, with 165 of those coming from returning RB Ed Wesley.
Coach Gary Patterson, who is 36-3 in the past three years, still has great talent. Junior QB Casey Pachall has all the tools to become a great player. He’s been dealing with a shoulder injury, but it’s not expected to bother him when the game begins Friday night. Pachall knows he doesn’t have to do it all by himself with a supporting cast that includes RB Ed Wesley (1,078 rush yds, 11 TD) and WR Josh Boyce (646 rec yds, 6 TD). The defense might not be the best in the land, but LBs Tank Carder (9.5 TFL) and Tanner Brock (106 tackles) are both excellent leaders. The defensive line remains a position of great depth and the secondary which led the nation in passing defense (129 YPG), is still very good.
Baylor had trouble beating really good teams last year, getting outscored 195-92 in four games versus Top 25 final poll participants (TCU, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma). Ultra-talented QB Robert Griffin III (3,501 pass yds, 22 TD, 8 INT; 635 rush yds, 8 TD) benefits from his top two WRs returning in Kendall Wright (952 rec yds) and Josh Gordon (17.0 yds per catch). TB Jay Finley is gone, but Terrance Ganaway (6.4 YPC) and Jarred Salubi (8.3 YPC) are both capable runners behind a strong offensive line. Three of the four starters in the secondary graduated, but new defensive coordinator Phil Bennett has a couple of budding stars in sophomore DE Tevin Elliott and MLB Chris McAllister.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
