Texas Bowl to Feature TCU vs Arkansas
The TCU football team has been selected by the Mercari Texas Bowl to face Arkansas on Dec. 31 at NRG Stadium in Houston. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. with the game televised on ESPN.
TCU (6-4) closed the regular season with three straight wins and five victories in its last six contests to earn its 17th bowl trip in 20 years under head coach Gary Patterson.
TCU also went to a bowl all three seasons (1998-00) when Patterson was defensive coordinator.
TCU’s 11 bowl wins since 2000, all under Patterson, are tied for fourth nationally. Ten of TCU’s last 11 bowl games and 12 of the past 14 have been decided by eight points or less.
Longtime Southwest Conference rivals, TCU and Arkansas will be meeting for the first time in a bowl game. They split a pair of contests in the 2016 and 2017 seasons after not playing since 1991, the Razorbacks’ final year in the SWC before leaving for the SEC.
TCU is 3-3 versus SEC opponents under Patterson. Most recently, the Horned Frogs won 28-7 at Arkansas in 2017. Patterson is 1-1 versus the SEC in bowl games, defeating Ole Miss 42-3 in the 2014 Peach Bowl before dropping a 31-23 decision to Georgia in the 2016 Liberty Bowl.
TCU will be making its second appearance in the Texas Bowl. Led by freshman quarterback Andy Dalton, the Horned Frogs defeated Houston 20-13 in the 2007 Texas Bowl. TCU will be playing a bowl game in Houston for the fourth time under Patterson. The Horned Frogs beat Iowa State 27-24 in the 2005 Houston Bowl and faced Texas A&M in the 2001 galleryfurniture.com Bowl.
The Texas Bowl will mark the 35th bowl appearance in TCU’s history. The Horned Frogs are 17-16-1 in bowl games. TCU is 13-6 in bowls with Patterson on its coaching staff and 11-6 with him as head coach. He was named head coach prior to the 2000 Mobile Alabama Bowl. Before Patterson’s arrival on campus in 1998, the Horned Frogs had just four bowl wins in their history.
Due to COVID-19 guidelines and a 20 percent capacity restriction at NRG Stadium, TCU Athletics does not have tickets available for fans to purchase. Tickets are available and may be purchased directly through the Mercari Texas Bowl. Ticket prices range from $30-$150 and can be bought online HERE or on the phone at 832.667.2390. Special group packages are also available. Fans can also call 832.667.2160 for information on suites.
