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Southern Miss faces tough task in stopping LT
Associated Press
MOBILE, Ala. -- It's No. 1 versus No. 2, winner take all.
Only it's not the national title at stake in tonight's Mobile
Alabama Bowl, but defensive bragging rights.
Texas Christian (No. 16 ESPN/USA Today, No. 13 AP) leads the nation in scoring and total defense while Southern Mississippi (7-4) has the second
stingiest unit in yards allowed. The defenders from both teams are
well aware of the neck-and-neck standing.
"They didn't just give us No. 1 in the country, we earned it,"
TCU linebacker Shannon Brazzell said. "We showed people we could
play. And we've got one more game left to play, and we plan to be
the No. 1 defense in the country after that.
"It's a pride thing."
|  | | Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower knows it will be tough to stop LaDainian Tomlinson. |
The game also pits TCU tailback LaDainian Tomlinson, the nation's
leading rusher the past two seasons, against a defense that has
allowed only two 100-yard rushers this year.
Tomlinson rushed for 2,158 yards and 22 TDs, the fourth highest
season total in I-A history, and won the Doak Walker Award as the
nation's top running back.
Southern Miss safety Leo Barnes said you could make an argument
either way on which is the best defense. Barnes figures that how
Tomlinson fares on Wednesday could answer that question.
"They're the No. 1 defense in the nation," said Barnes, an
all-Conference USA performer. "We had a tougher schedule. If we
can stop him from getting 100 yards, people will know who the
better defense is."
Tomlinson, for one, is reserving judgment on whether this the
Southern Miss defense is the best his team has faced.
"You're going to have to ask me after the game," said
Tomlinson, who nearly doubled the Golden Eagles' 1,129 rushing
yards. "I think they will be good."
Combined, the two teams are giving up 513 yards and a hair over
26 points a game, a middling afternoon for, say, Florida State.
Yet new TCU head coach Gary Patterson, elevated from defensive
coordinator earlier this month, doesn't necessarily expect a
defensive standoff. He thinks the extra preparation time gives the
offenses an advantage.
"You should always be careful any time you give somebody three
or four weeks to prepare," said Patterson, who got the job after
Dennis Franchione went to Alabama. "Usually it gets a little bit
wilder."
Southern Mississippi coach Jeff Bower also wants his players to
beware of quarterback Casey Printers and an offensive line that has
started 24 straight games together. Printers has passed for 1,584
yards and rushed for 260, accounting for 20 touchdowns.
"We know that we are playing a team that you don't see any
weaknesses," Bowers said. "This is an outstanding football team.
The players know that and see that.
"You look at them on the tape and they know they better be
prepared for this game."
Bowers' squad has lost three of its last four games. The offense
has committed 11 turnovers during that stretch, and the defense has
uncharacteristically given up 120 points.
"The wheels just fell off I guess," Barnes said. "We didn't
play good in all three phases and we didn't win the turnover
battle. If we don't win the turnover battle we won't win.
That knocked the team out of contention for its fourth league
crown in five years. This game provides a chance at redemption.
"We didn't overcome some things like we have to," Bower said.
"You're going to be faced with those things every year but it was
still a good year for our football team. I think its a game that
our players are all very excited about."
Tomlinson and TCU (10-1) will face a Southern Miss defense that has
allowed just eight rushing TDs in the last 57 quarters and racked
up 113 tackles behind the line this season.
"He's a great running back," Barnes said. "He'll probably be
the best running back we've faced since I've been here. You can't
miss him in the open field; he'll score.
"Our No. 1 goal is to stop the run. If we can make them
one-dimensional, we'll win the game."
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A quick look at the Mobil Alabama Bowl
Franchione turned Frogs into bowl princes
Experts: What to watch for this bowl season
TCU begins Patterson era in Mobile Alabama Bowl
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