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HATTIESBURG, Mississippi (Ticker) -- Texas Christian is headed to a bowl in its first season in Conference USA. Adrian Madise's spectacular 74-yard touchdown reception early in the third quarter turned out to be the winning score as the Horned Frogs clinched a berth in the Galleryfurniture.com Bowl with a 14-12 victory over Southern Mississippi. Madise made a one-handed grab on the run and raced into the end zone without breaking stride to give the Horned Frogs (6-5, 4-3 C-USA) a 14-10 lead with 11:09 left in the third quarter. Despite committing 16 penalties for 118 yards, TCU secured Conference USA's fourth and final bowl spot and will face Texas A&M of the Big 12 Conference in Houston on December 28. It marked the second straight game in which quarterback Casey Printers and Madise hooked up for a big play as they combined for an 80-yard score just 18 seconds into TCU's 37-22 win over Louisville on November 23. On Friday, Madise caught six passes for 177 yards. Southern Miss (6-5, 4-3) closed within 14-12 when Antoine Cash sacked Printers in the end zone on a blitz for a safety with 1:29 left in the third period. Printers completed 15-of-31 passes for 274 yards with an interception. The Golden Eagles had a chance to take the lead, but Brant Hanna came up short on a 44-yard field goal attempt with 3:05 remaining. Despite finishing with six wins, Southern Mississippi did not receive a bowl did. Coach Jeff Bower felt his team deserved to be in a bowl, but the Golden Eagles will not get the opportunity. It was a bittersweet night for Golden Eagles quarterback Jeff Kelly, who completed 20-of-37 passes for 224 yards. He broke Brett Favre's single-season school records for completions and total offense, but also threw three critical interceptions -- all in the second half. Kelly finished the year with 214 completions, breaking Favre's previous mark of 206 set in 1989. Southern Mississippi had a final chance after Kelly found Rocky Harrison for 34 yards and a first down inside TCU's 40 in the final minute. But Ken Hilliard sealed the Golden Eagles' fate with a juggling interception, his second of the night. Southern Miss opened a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter on Kelly's one-yard pass to Terrell Browden and Hanna's 46-yard field goal. The Horned Frogs closed to 10-7 on Printers' six-yard TD run with 2:44 left in the second period. Southern Miss lost its final two games and lost out on a bowl for the first time in five years. |
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