NCAAF

Texas Tech Red Raiders at TCU Horned Frogs

· NCAA - Football
Final
34 - 35
5-3, 2-2 Home

Hoover throws 3 TDs as TCU rallies from 17-point deficit to beat Texas Tech 35-34

Texas Tech runs fake FG to perfection for TD

“Heck of a football game. We were fortunate to come out on the good end of it," TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. "It was not pretty.”

Texas Tech was driving to set up a potential game-winning field goal when true freshman quarterback Will Hammond fumbled at the TCU 27 on a third-down carry with 1:38 left. Hammond, who had taken over for injured starter Behren Morton, was trying to get a couple of extra yards in the middle of the field when he took a crushing hit from 320-pound nose tackle Hakeem Ajijolaiya.

Hammond was initially ruled down by contact before that was overturned on a replay review.

“On that play, you see the fumble. ... You’ve got to see definitive recovery,” Tech coach Joey McGuire said. “From our point of view, our tablets, everything like that, you couldn’t see a definitive recovery ... we felt like Will had the ball, and we’re going to the next play.”

Hoover completed 21 of 32 passes and overcame three turnovers of his own, a fumble when being sacked and two interceptions, as the Horned Frogs (5-3, 3-2 Big 12) won consecutive conference games for the first time since their undefeated 2022 regular season. He also threw an 8-yard TD to tight end DJ Rodgers in the fourth quarter, which was set up by a 52-yard pass to Jack Bech to the 14.

“We’re so darn streaky at times offensively,” Dykes said. “We just have to continue to get better.”

The Red Raiders (5-3, 3-2) were up 31-14 after Hammond threw a touchdown and ran for another one on the first two drives after halftime. Morton didn't return after injuring his left non-throwing shoulder. He was sacked on a third-down play with 36 seconds left in the first half.

X-rays were inconclusive, McGuire indicated afterward that it could be a collarbone injury. Morton was in a sling, and was going to be re-evaluated when the team got home.

TCU had a 14-3 lead in the first quarter after receiver Savion Williams took a direct snap for a 35-yard touchdown run and had a 75-yard catch-and-run for another score. The senior and former prep quarterback spun around a defender after crossing the line of scrimmage on the TD run, and came out of the backfield to catch Hoover’s pass near midfield before outracing defenders to the end zone.

Williams had 11 carries for 72 yards and caught three passes for 81 yards.

Big 12 rushing leader Tahj Brooks, who ran 30 times for 121 yards, place-kicker Reese Burkhardt and Hammond all had 4-yard TD runs for the Red Raiders. Burkhardt's run was a wide sweep on a fake field goal when punter holder Jack Burgess tossed the ball over his shoulder, and was set up by Harvey Dyson’s sack and fumble recovery.

Streaking Brooks Brooks has run for at least 95 yards in 18 consecutive games, including 15 with at least 100 yards. The only FBS player since 1996 with a longer streak was 19 in a row by Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim from 2020-22.

The takeaway Texas Tech has now lost back-to-back Big 12 games after winning their first three in one-score games. Burkhardt scored a touchdown, but was wide right on a 50-yard field-goal attempt in the second quarter after Hoover's first interception. ... Hammond was 10-of-15 passing for 121 yards after Morton completed 13 of 22 passes for 137 yards.

TCU had 461 total yards and a nice comeback, but has been plagued by turnovers. The Horned Frogs have had 16 turnovers (eight fumbles, eight interceptions) that have led to 58 points for opponents in their last four games.

Up next Texas Tech plays Saturday at No. 10 Iowa State (7-0, 4-0), which has an open date this weekend.

TCU travels about 100 miles down Interstate 35 to play at Baylor next Saturday night.

How To Watch

How can I watch Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. TCU Horned Frogs?
  • TV Channel: Red Raiders at Horned Frogs 2021 College Football, week 9, is broadcasted on FOX.
  • Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.

Matchup Prediction

Horned Frogs: 60.6%
Red Raiders: 39.4%
*According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index

Scoring Summary

TCU TD 1st Period 10:48 Savion Williams 35 Yd Run (Kyle Lemmermann Kick)
TTU FG 1st Period 1:45 Gino Garcia 38 Yd Field Goal
TCU TD 1st Period 1:31 Savion Williams 75 Yd pass from Josh Hoover (Kyle Lemmermann Kick)
TTU TD 2nd Period 13:09 Reese Burkhardt 4 Yd Run (Reese Burkhardt Kick)
TTU TD 2nd Period 10:44 Tahj Brooks 4 Yd Run (Gino Garcia Kick)
TTU TD 3rd Period 12:21 Coy Eakin 13 Yd pass from Will Hammond (Reese Burkhardt Kick)
TTU TD 3rd Period 6:33 Will Hammond 4 Yd Run (Gino Garcia Kick)
TCU TD 3rd Period 3:07 Jeremy Payne 1 Yd Run (Kyle Lemmermann Kick)
TTU FG 4th Period 11:13 Gino Garcia 24 Yd Field Goal
TCU TD 4th Period 8:42 DJ Rogers 8 Yd pass from Josh Hoover (Kyle Lemmermann Kick)
TCU TD 4th Period 5:10 Eric McAlister 84 Yd pass from Josh Hoover (Kyle Lemmermann Kick)

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2641.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originTTU https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2628.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originTCU
25 1st Downs 18
8-20 3rd down efficiency 3-9
2-2 4th down efficiency 0-1
438 Total Yards 461
258 Passing 344
23/38 Comp/Att 21/32
6.8 Yards per pass 10.8
180 Rushing 117
50 Rushing Attempts 27
3.6 Yards per rush 4.3
6-45 Penalties 5-40
2 Turnovers 3
2 Fumbles lost 1
0 Interceptions thrown 2
37:25 Possession 22:35

Game Information

Amon G. Carter Stadium

Location: Fort Worth, TX
Attendance: 42,144 · Capacity:
Full Standings

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