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Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks vs TCU Horned Frogs preview, prediction, betting odds, live stream info

Sep 3, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Trevone Boykin (2) drops back for a pass in the first quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Trevone Boykin (2) drops back for a pass in the first quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks vs. TCU Horned Frogs

The TCU Horned Frogs didn’t look much like the second-best team in the country in their season-opener, likely why they dropped to No. 3 in the Week 2 polls. However, Trevone Boykin and the rest of head coach Gary Patterson’s men are looking to show they can still be dominant in their second outing as they welcome the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks to Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth.

Details for Saturday’s game are below:

Date: Saturday, Sept. 12
Start Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Stadium: Amon G. Carter Stadium
TV Info: Fox Sports 1
Live Stream: Fox Sports GO
Radio: Here

Keys to Victory

Perhaps the biggest challenge for TCU against an FCS opponent like Stephen F. Austin will be making sure their defense is clicking and not making the same mistakes that they made in the season-opener. That’s something much easier said than done for the Horned Frogs. TCU came into this season with a young, inexperienced front seven. Now even that unit has been depleted thanks to an injury to linebacker Sammy Douglas and the decision by starting linebacker Mike Freeze to take a leave of absence due to personal reasons. We know Boykin and the TCU offense will be able to put points up, but it’s the defense that matters for the Horned Frogs, specifically the front seven.

The reason that the front seven is going to be vital against the Lumberjacks is because Stephen F. Austin’s biggest weapon is quarterback Zach Conque. Conque is a dual-threat as the man under-center, throwing for 297 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 68 yards and two more trips to the end zone last week in the Lumberjacks’ season-opening loss. If Stephen F. Austin is going to have any chance of pulling a major upset against a top-five opponent, Conque is going to have to be perfect and, likely, will need to have the game of his life.

Betting Odds

Point Spread: TCU -38.5
No other odds information is available at this time.

Prediction

While Conque could have some success against a young and now banged-up defense for the Horned Frogs, Boykin and the Horned Frogs offense is going to be way too much for an FCS team to compete with. Patterson’s group should look much more like a top-tier team this weekend than they did in the season-opener.

Final Score: Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks: 14, TCU Horned Frogs: 56

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