The same day TCU said goodbye to 80-year-old Amon G. Carter Stadium, the No. 3 Horned Frog football team said hello to its future appearance in the Rose Bowl against No. 5 Wisconsin.
Fans woke up early Sunday morning to see the historical landmark imploded, and just 12 hours later, the same fans gathered at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum to see where the Frogs would end their 2010 season.
Radio Voice of the Frogs Brian Estridge said to head football coach Gary Patterson, “On the day we blow up Amon G. Carter Stadium, we blow up the BCS.”
Patterson said California in January will be different than other BCS bowl games because of the atmosphere and the history within the game. The Rose Bowl was first played in 1902, making this year the 97th Rose Bowl Game, the game was not played from 1903-1915.
“To walk out onto a stage that is “The Granddaddy of Them All’…to be a part of something like this, is very special,” Patterson said.
He said he didn’t think the Frogs will fully understand how special the Rose Bowl is until the team arrives in Pasadena in later December.
Senior quarterback Andy Dalton said the Rose Bowl is a great opportunity for the Frogs to gain exposure in a game with such a strong atmosphere and was also the perfect place to end his college career.
“It’s a dream come true…to finally get the opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl,” he said.
Patterson said some of the greatest players have competed in the bowl, and he was excited for the Horned Frogs to have the chance to be part of that history.
Linebacker Tank Carder said playing in the Rose Bowl was an honor for both himself and his team. The junior said the team was glad that it was invited to be part of the historic game.
“We’re totally satisfied to go to the Rose Bowl. It’s a great bowl game, and they’ve got a great committee, so we’re real excited,” Carder said.
The Frogs are ready for their second consecutive BCS bowl appearance, Patterson said. This time, the Frogs know what challenges a BCS bowl game brings.
“We’ve been here, we understand what it’s all about, we understand the challenges that are in front of us,” Patterson said.
The Frogs hope to have a different outcome than last year’s 17-10 loss against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.
“Our whole goal is not just to play well, it’s to have an opportunity to win,” Patterson said. “That’s what we’re going to do.”
The Badgers and the Horned Frogs will meet for the first time since 1970, when they tied 14-14.
The Rose Bowl will be the first time the Frogs take on an automatic-qualifying opponent in a BCS bowl. It also will be the first time the
Frogs take on a Big Ten opponent since 2004, when the Frogs defeated Northwestern 48-45 in double overtime at home, making the Frogs 2-0 against Big Ten opponents under Patterson.
This season, the Frogs recorded their second consecutive undefeated regular season, and they are just one of three undefeated teams in the nation. TCU’s 12-0 season record ties it for the nation’s second-longest winning streak with Oregon.
The Frogs will take on Wisconsin in “The Granddaddy of Them All” at 4:10 p.m. CT Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Calif.