******BTHO Texas Christian University******

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CDub06
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Texas A&M returns home from their Midwest swing for a lone star showdown on Thursday night. The Aggies face off against TCU at 7PM at Ellis Field.

TV: SEC+
Audio: 12th Man

A 3-2-1 record might not be the most impressive record in this early season, but this TCU team has shown that they are dangerous as they've worked through a tough non-conference schedule. There is one game in particular that shows that TCU attack can just EXPLODE. See if you can spot it.

TCU tied the borderline top 25 team of Wisconsin 0-0 to open the season, then beat Minnesota 2-1. The next game was against then 16th ranked Santa Clara. TCU won 7-0. After that, they defeated UTRGV 5-0, then had consecutive losses at USC (0-3) and against #2 Duke (1-3).

Sure, that 0-3 loss to USC is a bad look. But that Santa Clara game… We're talking a perennial powerhouse. The team that won the 2020 National Championship and was in the College Cup last year. Teams of that stature just don't just lose by that magnitude. Santa Clara dropped a couple more games since that match, but those were both 0-1 losses and those came against #11 Penn State and #1 UCLA. That's respectable. But a 7-0 beatdown at the hands of TCU… I know it's just one result, but that result alone frames the Horned Frogs as a scary (albeit inconsistent) team.

Let's take a look at their two losses. In that 0-3 loss to USC, TCU actually outshot the Trojans 17-11. They also had 7 corner kicks to USC's 1. In the 1-3 loss to Duke, TCU was narrowly outshot 13-12, but was even on Shots on Goal (6). This was another game where TCU had the bulk of corner kicks (11-1).

This is an aggressive team. And a team that can score in bunches. The Aggie defense had better be ready as it's unlikely the offense will see many goals.

I'll dig into personnel a bit here. TCU has three players on the Mac Hermann Watch List: 5th year senior forward Messiah Bright, senior midfielder Gracie Brian, and junior goalkeeper Lauren Kellett. TCU is tied with Pepperdine and Tennessee for the most Mac Hermann Watch List selections with three.

If you know one player for TCU, it's probably Messiah Bright and not just because she's been at TCU forever. She was an All-American last year after scoring a school record 17 goals. Bright is also the all-time leader for TCU in career goals (39) and points (92). She also played with the US U-23 team this summer. She has a team high 4 goals this season along with 2 assists. She's also doubling up her individual teammates in shots (22) and shots on goal (10) this season.

Gracie Bryan is 2nd on the team in goals with 2 along with 1 assist. She has 10 shots and 5 shots on goal this season. The team captain left the UTRGV game early and has not reappeared for the Horned Frogs. TCU is 0-2 without her.

Goalkeeper Lauren Kellett has tallied 21 saves this season while allowing 7 goals.

Now, speaking on history, A&M and TCU have some. TCU went 19-2-3 last season and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament. Last season also marked TCU's 14th match against the Aggies and their first ever victory over them. The Aggies are 13-1 against the Horned Frogs all-time, but dropped their match in Fort Worth by a score of 1-2. That match was TCU's highest attended soccer game until this past week's match against Duke broke that record.

TCU has become a powerhouse in the Big 12, claiming the last 2 regular season championships. But they're now a player on the national scene with 6 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances including an Elite Eight appearance in 2020 and a Sweet Sixteen berth in 2021.
CDub06
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AG
PROMOTIONS
GIVEAWAY: FREE maroon 'Aggies' script adidas shirts to the first 400 fans.
50% OFF CONCESSIONS: Orders at the main concessions stand in the first 30 minutes of gates opening (6-6:30 p.m.) will be 50 percent off (excluding alcohol and bottled water). Not valid at the portable locations.
JUNIOR AGGIE CLUB: JAC members can claim a FREE ticket in advance of the match.
12TH MAN REWARDS: Double Points Event! 100 points awarded to fans attending the match.
Anchorhold
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Oh yeah, well they'll come in and be reminded of our "15 Sweet Sixteens" and "7 Elite Eights". (Does that make anyone else's head hurt, or am I the only nerd watching?)

GIG THE HELL OUTTA THEM FROGS!!!!
CDub06
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Hey y'all, it's game day. And we've got a Big one!
jeffk
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Gig the frogs.
mullokmotx
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Top Drawer Soccer has this game preview.

"It's been a strange season for TCU. The Horned Frogs have been masterful in stretches, with Messiah bright leading one of the best attacks in the country. But when their attack splutters and Bright doesn't quite have her usual impact they're a vulnerable team. And last week they were outclassed in losses to USC and Duke. Head coach Eric Bell will look for a big performance out of his team in College Station, Texas. Texas A&M poses a different kind of challenge. The Aggies have picked up some good results, salvaging ties against Ohio State and Clemson, while also beating Illinois on the road. They've done so on the back of a solid defensive unit a backline that has only conceded once across six contests. This has been a close matchups in the past few years, with the last three games all decided by one goal. Another cagey contest seems likely."
aggiebrad94
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Name like Messiah should be a goalkeeper....lead the nation in saves.
ColoradoMooseHerd
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FYI - Regarding Santa Clara


Santa Clara is 1-4 this season
The Broncos only win this season is a 1-0 win over San Jose State. They even lost to Cal-Davis before the TCU game. Santa Clara is not a good team this season.
CDub06
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True. But, as I described above, 0-1 losses to the #1 and #11 teams are more respectable than what TCU did to them.

Put another way: The top team in the country only beat them 1-0. The #11 team only beat them 1-0. TCU outdid those teams and beat them 7-0! That's ridiculous output when compared to those top teams.

And even in a down year, you can't expect a team like Santa Clara to lose 7-0. That's the type of beating you put on a Texas Southern or Sam Houston.
CDub06
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As a fun fact, the last time Santa Clara lost by more than 2 goals was 9/2/2018 at Texas A&M (0-4).

Reining this thread back oncourse: A&M also beat TCU 2-0 in that 2018 season and Santa Clara beat them 3-0.
ColoradoMooseHerd
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Yes, but I watched the game halftime was 2-0 and the second half the team just quit. 5 goals on the backup goalkeeper. No effort in the second half. Passes just directly to the other team.

They played TCU right after losing to Cal-Davis and the team was ready to quit on the season. I am impressed the coach has rallied them to play better in the last few games. He completely changed their formations and looks like a different team. Definitely not the same team that played TCU.
mullokmotx
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Chris Henderson of All White Kit tweeted a couple of previews

"8:00 PM - Texas A&M vs TCU

A&M's offense has punished lesser teams so far, but it's been more of a grind against the better sides on the schedule. TCU has been leaking goals against foes as of late, which is a worry ahead of this crunch clash.

8:00 - South Alabama vs Lamar

It's one last chance for Lamar to stay perfect before the marathon league campaign of the Southland kicks in. South Alabama are unbeaten but may have an eye on Sunday's showdown with Texas A&M."

Note that the above game times are Eastern Time zone. Our game is at 7 Central.
Diego
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BTHO TCU!
mullokmotx
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Boeckman starting in place of Beccerra?
mullokmotx
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Hayes in for Carroll after 18 minutes.
TRM
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Hayes!!!!
bdp514am
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Heck of a kick right there!
jkag89
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taylorswift13
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mullokmotx
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Becerra comes in and leaves after 2 minutes.
Gap
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That was a mess
mullokmotx
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That's on #21.
jkag89
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jkag89
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Halftime: Frogs 1 - Aggies 1
Gap
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I'm getting a little frustrated with the refs. We are playing by 2 different sets of criteria as to fouls and holds and such.

1-1 with 10 minutes to go.
Gap
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Another defensive whiff with 4 minutes to go. TCU with another gift wrapped goal. Aggies trail 2-1.
taylorswift13
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You just can't let that happen
jkag89
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Frogs 2 - Aggies 1
Anchorhold
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Welp. Four minute offense!
medog
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Our strategy: 1 maybe 2 passes in the back, long ball, turnover. Rinse, repeat.
CDub06
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Both of those goals were so so bad.
Gap
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We gave that one away. Two defensive breakdowns after being so good back there all year.
taylorswift13
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Sports-Ag
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First goal never should have happened. I didn't see the second.
jkag89
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