| Stansly Maponga will lead the Horned Frogs when they open their season Saturday. (US Presswire) |
Grambling State Tigers (0-1) at No. 20 TCU Horned Frogs (0-0)
Kickoff: Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (Fox Sports Southwest Plus)
Spread: No line
Watchability: Since TCU was the only Big 12 team not in action on opening weekend, the game could be worth a watch just to check out what the Horned Frogs look like relative to their new Big 12 brethren. But in terms of providing a compelling game, this probably isn't your best bet, especially since Grambling State fell in its opener against Alcorn State.
Shining stars: Grambling State: Dawrence Roberts and Jeremy Runner. The running backs showed what they were capable of in the opener, combining for 287 yards rushing on only 24 attempts. TCU will likely present a different challenge, but if Grambling State can run the ball effectively, it could keep it close early. TCU: Casey Pachall. The quarterback may be the Big 12's forgotten man. He's overshadowed by a host of other talented players at the position in the conference, but Pachall is one of the best in the country. He is on the watch list for the Davey O'Brien, Maxwell and Manning awards after throwing for almost 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2011.
Who could steal the show: Grambling State: Whoever fields punts. In this case, "stealing the show" might not be a good thing. The Tigers' were, in most areas, the better team in their season-opener against Alcorn State. But they fumbled two punts inside their own 15-yard line, leading to nine points for Alcorn State, which proved decisive in a 22-21 loss. TCU: Stansly Maponga. The lone TCU player to make the preseason all-Big 12 team, Maponga was 10th nationally in forced fumbles a season ago (5) and 24th in sacks (9.0). The defensive lineman has far more experience than many of his teammates on defense, and he could get his junior year off to a strong start against an overmatched Tigers squad.
You going? Ranking the road trip: The game itself may not be the most compelling matchup, but the buzz at TCU is quite palpable, given the school's first game as a member of the Big 12 and the fact that the program will unveil a $164 million renovation of Amon G. Carter Stadium with Saturday's game. There are worse places to spend a college football Saturday, especially if you're curious to see what all that cash bought.
Magic number for Grambling State: 66 out of 422. Of the 422 yards of offense the Tigers generated against Alcorn State, 356 came on the ground. Quarterback D.J. Williams threw for only 66 yards on 19 attempts. It's hard to imagine Grambling State finding that much running success against TCU, so being one-dimensional could make this game even uglier than one might expect.
Magic number for TCU: 31,257. That's the number of season tickets the Horned Frogs sold this year -- all the athletic department offered. There is now a waiting list for TCU season tickets. Given the quality of the squad in recent years and the shiny new digs, it makes sense. But it's safe to say there is considerable buzz among Frogs fans for this season to get under way.
The game comes down to: How quickly the Horned Frogs put it out of reach. In its opener, Grambling State showed the ability to move the ball with the running game, but if TCU's defense can shut that down, the Tigers could be in a for a long, long night. It seems plenty safe to expect a victory celebration to christen the remodeled Amon G. Carter Stadium.
Prediction: TCU 48, Grambling State 10
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis from Big 12 bloggers C.J. Moore and Patrick Southern, follow @CBSSportsBig12 on Twitter. You can also follow C.J. (@cjmoore4) and Patrick (@patricksouthern).