BOWL PREVIEW Today

What: Poinsettia BowlWhere: San DiegoTeams: No. 24 TCU (10-2) vs. Northern Illinois (7-5)Game time: 8 p.m.TV: ESPN2Coaches: Gary Patterson (53-20 in 6th year at TCU) and Joe Novak (61-65 in 11th year at Northern Illinois)Payout: Each school receives 750,000Bowl records: TCU is 8-13-1. Northern Illinois is 2-0.Last bowl appearance: TCU beat Iowa State, 27-24, in the Houston Bowl. Northern Illinois beat Troy, 34-21, in the Silicon Valley Classic.Series history: First meetingLast game: TCU beat Air Force, 38-14, on Dec. 2. Northern Illinois won at Eastern Michigan, 27-0, on Nov. 24.Statistics that matters: Over last two seasons, Horned Frogs are 16-0 when committing fewer turnovers than opponents and 3-3 when they commit more.Game facts: Riding seven-game winning streak, Frogs are one of nation's best-kept secrets with 37-10 mark over last four seasons (tied with Michigan, West Virginia and Wisconsin for 11th best mark in nation). QB Jeff Ballard (58-of-74, 760 yards passing, 7 TDs, 0 interceptions in last three games) has been solid with an 18-2 mark as a starter (best in school history). Superb protection (only 13 sacks allowed, best in Mountain West, 6th in nation) has helped. RB Lonta Hobbs (556 yards rushing) needs 38 yards to become fourth Frog to rush for 3,000 yards in a career. Stout run defense (fourth in nation vs. run, 67.8 ypg) will brace for Huskies' senior RB Garrett Wolfe, the nation's best little man after leading the nation with 1,900 yards rushing (6.6 per carry) to go along with 19 TDs (fifth in nation). NIU beat only one team with a winning record, but that was an impressive 31-10 win at eventual MAC champion Central Michigan on Nov. 18, when sophomore QB Dan Nicholson (25-of-42, 377 passing, 3 TDs, 4 interceptions in last two games) took over for senior Phil Horvath, who suffered season-ending knee injury.
Scripps Howard