Texas Tech's 49-14 drubbing of then-No. 5 West Virginia a week ago seemed to be a season-changing game.
Last season, "that" game was the Red Raiders' 41-38 upset of then-No. 3 Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. — a win that was followed by five consecutive losses. By season's end, the win against the Sooners meant nothing for the 5-7 Red Raiders sitting a home during
bowl season.
This season, though, is guaranteed to avoid the same fate. Saturday, No. 17 Tech defeated No. 23 TCU, 56-53, in three overtimes, vaulting the Red Raiders to bowl eligibility and providing themselves with what may ultimately be the defining game of their 2012
campaign.
After losing key players like tight end Jace Amaro and wide receivers Bradley Marquez and Javon Bell to injury, Saturday's win could be Tech's biggest showcase of resiliency to date.
"Going through that game last week took a big toll on us," Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said. "We lost four starters last week and came back and found a way to win. Now we're (6-1)."
At 6-1 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 Conference play, Tech will practice Sunday knowing it is in at least a tie for second place in the Big 12. No. 4 Kansas State, with a win against No. 13 West Virginia on the road, could remain undefeated and move to 4-0 by Saturday's
end.
Clinching the game was Tech wide receiver Alex Torres, one of the many standouts during Tech's win against Oklahoma last year, who caught an 8-yard pass from quarterback Seth Doege that led to an explosion of a celebration led by the many anxious Red Raiders
on the sideline.
Doege's last two performances might be a microcosm of Tech's ability to have followed a big win with another. Doege, after tossing six touchdown passes against the Mountaineers in Lubbock, torched TCU's secondary for seven scores through the air — a new career-high.
Doege's 28 touchdown passes this season is the most thrown by any quarterback in the nation to this point. His outing in Fort Worth marked the third time this season he has thrown at least six touchdowns.
Every bit of offense became crucial considering TCU's ability to keep pace throughout the game. Quarterback Trevone Boykin, a redshirt freshman, accumulated 332 passing yards (Doege threw for 318) on 26-of-44 passing to go with four touchdowns.
Boykin's youth, however, was on display during crucial moments. Boykin was intercepted twice, both on third downs. TCU was limited to a 5-of-17 third-down conversion rate, despite outgaining Tech 516 to 389 in total yards. The Horned Frogs, as a team, rushed
for 184 yards.
"They ran the ball on us, which was a little disappointing for us defensively," Tuberville said. "They were pretty balanced. We weren't balanced at all"
Defensively, the Red Raiders could have put a quicker end to the game late in the fourth quarter, up by 10, before it allowed a 60-yard touchdown strike from Boykin to wide receiver LaDarius Brown with 2:25 left. Then, offensively, Tech had its opportunity
to close the deal with 2:00 left, but opted for conservative pay-calling instead of throwing on third down and handed the ball back to the Horned Frogs.
Boykin, playing like a veteran, paced TCU down the field to set up and convert game-tying field goal with 18 seconds left on the clock. TCU kicker Jared Oberkrom made six field goals Saturday, setting school and Big 12 records.
Tuberville said he would have preferred the game to be over an hour earlier than it did, but will gladly take the win.
"This was a team win because we didn't play that great and we found a way to win," Tuberville said.
By Jose Rodriguez — Special to the Star-Telegram
Last season, "that" game was the Red Raiders' 41-38 upset of then-No. 3 Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. — a win that was followed by five consecutive losses. By season's end, the win against the Sooners meant nothing for the 5-7 Red Raiders sitting a home during
bowl season.
This season, though, is guaranteed to avoid the same fate. Saturday, No. 17 Tech defeated No. 23 TCU, 56-53, in three overtimes, vaulting the Red Raiders to bowl eligibility and providing themselves with what may ultimately be the defining game of their 2012
campaign.
After losing key players like tight end Jace Amaro and wide receivers Bradley Marquez and Javon Bell to injury, Saturday's win could be Tech's biggest showcase of resiliency to date.
"Going through that game last week took a big toll on us," Tech coach Tommy Tuberville said. "We lost four starters last week and came back and found a way to win. Now we're (6-1)."
At 6-1 overall and 3-1 in Big 12 Conference play, Tech will practice Sunday knowing it is in at least a tie for second place in the Big 12. No. 4 Kansas State, with a win against No. 13 West Virginia on the road, could remain undefeated and move to 4-0 by Saturday's
end.
Clinching the game was Tech wide receiver Alex Torres, one of the many standouts during Tech's win against Oklahoma last year, who caught an 8-yard pass from quarterback Seth Doege that led to an explosion of a celebration led by the many anxious Red Raiders
on the sideline.
Doege's last two performances might be a microcosm of Tech's ability to have followed a big win with another. Doege, after tossing six touchdown passes against the Mountaineers in Lubbock, torched TCU's secondary for seven scores through the air — a new career-high.
Doege's 28 touchdown passes this season is the most thrown by any quarterback in the nation to this point. His outing in Fort Worth marked the third time this season he has thrown at least six touchdowns.
Every bit of offense became crucial considering TCU's ability to keep pace throughout the game. Quarterback Trevone Boykin, a redshirt freshman, accumulated 332 passing yards (Doege threw for 318) on 26-of-44 passing to go with four touchdowns.
Boykin's youth, however, was on display during crucial moments. Boykin was intercepted twice, both on third downs. TCU was limited to a 5-of-17 third-down conversion rate, despite outgaining Tech 516 to 389 in total yards. The Horned Frogs, as a team, rushed
for 184 yards.
"They ran the ball on us, which was a little disappointing for us defensively," Tuberville said. "They were pretty balanced. We weren't balanced at all"
Defensively, the Red Raiders could have put a quicker end to the game late in the fourth quarter, up by 10, before it allowed a 60-yard touchdown strike from Boykin to wide receiver LaDarius Brown with 2:25 left. Then, offensively, Tech had its opportunity
to close the deal with 2:00 left, but opted for conservative pay-calling instead of throwing on third down and handed the ball back to the Horned Frogs.
Boykin, playing like a veteran, paced TCU down the field to set up and convert game-tying field goal with 18 seconds left on the clock. TCU kicker Jared Oberkrom made six field goals Saturday, setting school and Big 12 records.
Tuberville said he would have preferred the game to be over an hour earlier than it did, but will gladly take the win.
"This was a team win because we didn't play that great and we found a way to win," Tuberville said.
By Jose Rodriguez — Special to the Star-Telegram
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