The college football season is upon us as Thursday night marks the first day of the year where games will be played. One of the best games on the docket Thursday night is #2 TCU taking on Minnesota at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.
These two teams met up last year for the first time since 1974 in a game where the Horned Frogs were able to win easily by a score of 30-7. This season TCU returns 10 starters on an offense that was the second highest scoring team in the nation just a year ago. The Horned Frogs ended last season with a 12-1 record and many thought they were snubbed from a berth in the College Football Playoff.
TCU is the favorite to win the Big 12 this season and one of the favorites to win the National Championship. Quarterback Trevone Boykin is the player to watch for TCU as he is coming off a great year and is on the short list of Heisman candidates before the season starts. With Boykin under center TCU averaged 46.5 points per game a year ago while Boykin averaged more than 300 passing yards per game with 33 passing touchdowns.
Minnesota on the other hand is coming off its second consecutive 8-5 season after losing in the Citrus Bowl to Missouri to end their 2014 campaign. The Golden Gophers had four players from last year's team drafted into the NFL, which was their most since 2006, so they certainly have some holes to fill.
Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill signed a one-year contract extension that will take him through 2019 after a year in which he won Big Ten coach of the year honors. Minnesota is expected to compete for the Big Ten West Division title this year as the two best teams in the conference, Michigan State and Ohio State, are both in the East Division.
The player to watch for the Gophers is quarterback Mitch Leidner, who is entering his junior season and coming off a poor 2014 season. In 12 games a year ago Leidner only completed 52 percent of his passes and had only 11 touchdowns compared to eight interceptions. Minnesota's defense is expected to be very good, but if they don't get a better year from Leidner it will be hard to take home the West Division crown.
The game kicks off at 9:00 P.M. Eastern time and you can watch it live here. To listen to the Minnesota broadcast go here and for the TCU radio broadcast go here.
