HOUSTON, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Two former Southwest Conference rivals clash for the first time in six years Friday when Texas A&M takes on Texas Christian in the second annual Galleryfurniture.com Bowl at the Astrodome.
Texas A&M and TCU have met 91 times, but they have not played since 1995 when the Southwest Conference was broken up. The Aggies went to the Big 12 Conference and the Horned Frogs joined the Western Athletic Conference before landing in Conference USA.
Texas A&M has won 23 straight against TCU to open a 55-29-7 lead in the all-time series. The Horned Frogs have not beaten the Aggies since 1972, when they posted a 13-10 win in College Station.
It is apropos that two former members of the SWC have been tabbed to play each other in the final major football game at the Astrodome. First-year TCU Coach Gary Patterson recalled the Bluebonnet Bowl that used to be played at the Astrodome on New
Year's Eve.
"It's the first time that we're going to get a chance to come down (to Houston) and display ourselves since the Bluebonnet Bowl a long time ago," he said.
"I spent a big part of my coaching career in the Southwest Conference and I have fond memories of those games," Texas A&M Coach R.C. Slocum said.
Texas A&M is looking to snap a four-game bowl losing streak, but to win their first postseason game since 1995 the Aggies (7-4) need to rediscover their offense which was virtually
non-existent down the stretch. Texas A&M scored just 17 points and one offensive touchdown in dropping its final three games of the regular season.
After getting blanked at Texas Tech, 12-0, on Nov.3, Mark Farris passed for only 59 yards in a 31-10 loss at Oklahoma the following week. Texas A&M got its only touchdown on linebacker Brian Gamble's 18-yard fumble return.
The Aggies closed the regular season with a 21-7 loss to Texas the day after Thanksgiving. Keith Jones scored Texas A&M's first offensive touchdown in 11 quarters.
Texas A&M tries to avoid its first four-game losing streak since 1980, when the Aggies finished 4-7 under Tom Wilson.
The Aggies rank 14th in scoring defense (18.5 ppg) and 11th in total defense (294.0 ypg), but they are just 107th in total offense (305.7 ypg) and 98th in scoring offense (20.0 ppg).
Facing two of the top defenses in the country, Farris combined to complete just 26-of-57 passes for 182 yards in the losses to Oklahoma and Texas.
He may have more success against Texas Christian (6-5), which allowed more than 30 points in losses to Tulane, East Carolina and Alabama-Birmingham.
The Horned Frogs also suffered a 27-24 overtime loss to Division I-AA Northwestern State. But they upset Conference USA champion Louisville, 37-22, then beat Southern Mississippi, 14-12, to become bowl eligible in their first season under Patterson.
