TCU goes for almost 400 yards on the ground and completely runs through Tech’s defense as they defeat the Red Raiders 52-31 Saturday night.
First Quarter:
It did not take TCU long to go down and score on their opening drive of the game. They went 75 yards in 3:14 and capped it off after Quarterback Max Duggan passed to Wide Receiver Quincy Brown for a four-yard touchdown to give TCU the early 7-0 lead.
Texas Tech would go three-and-out on their opening drive and be forced to punt back to the Horned Frogs and would drive down quickly again and get on the board after Running Back Kendre Miller took it in from 33-yards to extend their lead 14-0.
Tech finally got something going on their next drive and used their run game to get down the field combined with Running Backs SaRodorick Thompson and Xavier White.
The Red Raiders would get all the way down to the four-yard line and let Thompson do the rest who ran it in for the Touchdown to close the lead 7-14.
Second Quarter:
TCU’s next drive would use up the rest of the first quarter as they were threatening once again from some Duggan passes and nice runs by Zachary Evans.
On the first play of the second quarter, Evans would run it in for six from 7-yards to extend their lead once again to 21-7 early in the second.
QB Henry Colombi wishes he could erase from his mind what would happen on the next offensive series after he threw a pick-six to Cornerback Tre’Vius Hodges-Thompson who took it back for 29-yards for the TD to add onto their lead 28-7.
Tech would put together a nice 15-play drive to go all the way down to attempt a field goal by Kicker Jonathan Garibay to shorten the lead 10-28, halfway through the second.
TCU’s offense was completely unstoppable in the first half and what was more unstoppable was their run game combined with Evans and Miller and a little of Duggan.
On their next drive, Duggan would only throw once, but most of the yardage was covered by Miller and Evans who went back-and-forth on that drive but it was Evans who would sneak in from one yard for his second score of the game to put TCU up 35-10.
Tech would not be able to put a drive together to answer with a score of their own before the end of the half and they went into the locker room down 10-35.
Third Quarter:
Tech’s opening drive coming out of the half was much of the same story as they would turn the ball over on downs after Colombi was sacked by DE Khari Coleman.
The Red Raiders defense would make somewhat of a stop after they forced the Horned Frogs to take a field goal on their opening drive of the second half.
Kicker Griffin Kell would knock it through from 48-yards to push their lead to 38-10.
Tech finally showed signs of life on offense after a nice 17-yard run by White and a 55-yard pass from Colombi to Receiver Kaylon Geiger.
Thompson would finish the rest and take it in from one yard again to give him his second rushing score of the night and close the gap to 17-35 halfway through the third.
It would not take long for TCU to strike again as they went back to the old reliable run offense and handed it off to Miller who took it 75-yards to house to extend the lead once again to 45-17.
Tech would come back and answer after Thompson took a pass from Colombi and went 75-yards downfield to the TCU 10-yard line setting up the Red Raiders to score again.
This time it was White getting in on the action who scored with his first rushing touchdown of the game from four yards to close the lead 24-45.
Texas Tech was not out of this game yet and needed their defense to step up and make a stop which they did on TCU’s next offensive series who was forced to punt back to Texas Tech.
Tech would put together a nice drive that was saved by some defensive penalties and had them on TCU’s side of the field looking for a score heading into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter:
Starting the fourth quarter with the ball, Tech’s offense sputtered and would turn the ball over on downs after an incomplete pass from Colombi to Erik Ezukanma.
Texas Tech would make another stop on defense and force the Horned Frogs to punt once again and get the ball back halfway through the fourth.
Tech would drive down the field and get a much-needed score from Thompson once again who took it from six yards out this time to close the gap 31-45. Thompson finished the day with 18 carries 118 yards with three touchdowns.
But it would be all she wrote on the next offensive series for the Horned Frogs. Tech needed a stop to climb back into the game but that did not happen after Miller took the handoff once again and was gone 45-yards to the house to push the lead back to 52-31.
Tech would not score again after a turnover on downs again, and the end of the game.
The Red Raiders came out flat and could not stop TCU’s run game that finished with 47 carries 394 yards and five touchdowns as a whole. Miller finished with 185 yards and three TD’s while Evans finished with 143 yards and two touchdowns.
Tech dropped to 4-2 on the season and 1-2 in conference play. They will travel to Lawrence next weekend to take on the Kansas Jayhawks who are 1-4 on the season and 0-2 in the conference coming off a 7-59 loss to Iowa State.
Next week is a much-needed win for Tech if they are to have a shot at winning a bowl game. There are some serious questions that need to be addressed and answered especially on the defensive side of the ball that started the season off really well but has been their Achilles heel as of late.
The game is set to kick off at 3:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
Baseball
The Red Raiders Welcome Sam Houston
Men's Basketball
Breaking Down What Chance McMillian Brings to Texas Tech
[…] TCU Uses Run Game to Dispatch Texas Tech […]