FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Josh Hoover threw for 344 yards and his third touchdown pass was a go-ahead 84-yarder to Eric McAlister with 5:10 left as TCU rallied from a 17-point deficit after halftime to beat Texas Tech 35-34 on Saturday.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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