2017 Alamo Bowl TCU vs Stanford: Preview and Prediction

Valero Alamo Bowl: Stanford vs. TCU

Kickoff: Thurasday, Dec. 28 at 9 p.m. ET

Where: Alamodome (San Antonio)

TV Channel: ESPN

Spread: TCU -3

This looks to be a great matchup between two of the best coached teams in the entire nation. Both teams lost in their conference championship games and are looking to take it out on each other in this game.

K.J.Costello vs Kenny Hill

Both of these Quarterbacks run hot and cold, but the intriguing thing in this matchup is that neither team is very good in the secondary. On the other hand, both teams are great at pressuring the passer. The biggest question to answer will probably be, which quarterback can take care of the football? The edge here may go to Kenny Hill just because TCU has sack-master Mat Boesen (11.5 sacks) who should make life generally miserable for K.J. Costello.

The Run Game

Everybody knows about Stanford star Bryce Love, but what a lot of people may not know about is the stingy TCU run defense. The Frogs are fourth in the nation against the run and allow only 99 yards a game on the ground per game this year. Bryce Love, the afore-mentioned Heisman runner-up, enters the game with 1,973 yards, good for second in the country, and a ridiculous 8.3 yards per carry. If the Cardinals are to win this game Love has to have a big-game. TCU can give up yards to him but they cannot afford to give up explosive plays of twenty yards or more to Love.

Prediction: This game is beyond difficult to pick and I think in the end it will come down to TCU’s ability to slow Love down. Can they? I think they can, especially with extra time for TCU coach Gary Patterson to prepare for Love. At the end of the day, Patterson will design a defense that can slow down Love and TCU wins it in a close one.

Horned Frogs 24  Cardinals 23

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