The FCS team from Louisiana\u2019s African-American institution will travel west to the Dallas-Fort Worth area to fight the heat; not only from the blistering sun this time of year but from an upstart ranked team looking to prove to everyone they belong in the Big 12. <\/p>\n
Grambling State Tigers at #20 TCU Horned Frogs Matchup<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Preview<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The Frogs intend to ride QB Casey Pachall to a respectable first season in the Big 12 after their move from the Mountain West Conference.<\/p>\n It will be TCU\u2019s opening game of the season, so the atmosphere should be bumping at Amon G. Carter. Pachall and one of the deepest RB corps in America (senior Ed Wesley, junior Waymon James, senior Matthew Tucker and UCLA transfer Aundre Dean are all excellent) should guide a strong attack against a Grambling State team that has already lost a game this season.<\/p>\n When the Frogs\u2019 offense isn\u2019t on the field, Grambling State must worry about terrifying DE Stansly Maponga.<\/p>\n The junior had nine sacks a year ago and is looking to best that number in 2012, so look out for all opposing offensive lines. The Tigers lost a 22-21 heartbreaker to Alcorn State in their first game of the young season, which can\u2019t be good for morale.<\/p>\n The Horned Frogs, under head coach Gary Patterson, have always been the kind of time that gets up for big games. Seeing how this attitude has finally bore fruit, with the move to a major conference, what TCU needs to guard against now is getting complacent. \u00a0[soliloquy id=”82219″]<\/p>\n It may be very easy to look over lesser foes when the Frogs know that Texas and Oklahoma looms on the schedule. TCU is vastly more talented than Grambling State, but the team still must ensure this doesn\u2019t become a slip-up game, because that would derail a lot of the momentum the program has built; the Dallas-Fort Worth area (a metro region of 10 million people) finally have a Big 12 representative to cheer for.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t see any way the Tigers will be able to stop Pachall, the RBs and junior WR Josh Boyce.<\/p>\n The TCU defense must replace many graduated starters, but this is the perfect type of game for the new faces to cut their teeth in game action. Grambling State won the SWAC (Southwest Athletic Conference) title last year, so the team isn\u2019t a complete pushover, but we will see how the visiting team responds after such a crushing loss to start the season.<\/p>\n Expect the tailgating and celebrations to be at a fever pitch this Saturday in Forth Worth, and expect the celebratory crowds that pack Amon G. Carter Stadium not to leave the premises disappointed.<\/p>\n
\nSaturday, Sept. 8, 2012, 7 pm EST
\nVenue: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth TX
\nGambling Odds from Sportsbook.com unavailable<\/strong><\/p>\n