Lubbock, TX – Baker Mayfield and Davis Webb threw touchdown passes and Texas Tech beat No. 24 TCU, 20-10, Thursday night in the Big 12 season-opener for both teams.
Kenny Williams had a 50-yard touchdown catch and Brad Marquez hauled in a 19- yarder for the Red Raiders (3-0, 1-0 Big 12), who snapped a streak of three straight Big 12 home-opener losses.
"That's about as ugly as you can win, but we'll take it," Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury said.
Mayfield, a freshman walk-on, had three interceptions but passed for 216 yards and Webb, also a freshman, threw for 77 after Mayfield came out of the game late with an injury.
B.J. Catalon scored the lone touchdown for TCU (1-2, 0-1) on a 17-yard run. Trevone Boykin passed for 194 yards and rushed for a game-high 101 yards in the loss.
"I think you have to give them credit. They found a way to do what they needed to do and we didn't," TCU head coach Gary Patterson said.
Mayfield threw three interceptions and Boykin two, but none of the picks led to any points for either team.
Last season, Texas Tech beat TCU 56-53 in three overtimes
Thursday night, a game with little intrigue for three quarters other than the excitement of a fox roaming the sideline, turned downright goofy in the fourth quarter.
TCU had a punt return touchdown called back because of an invalid fair catch and Texas Tech had one negated after DeAndre Washington -- celebrating early -- dropped the ball at the half-yard line.
After Washington's would-be 49-yard catch-and-run touchdown, the Red Raiders bench received a 15-yard penalty for celebrating. Though the touchdown was called back, the penalty stood.
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Texas Tech scored anyway. Webb hit Marquez near the back-right corner of the end zone to give the Red Raiders a 17-10 lead.
TCU then went three-and-out and punted and Texas Tech locked down the win on Ryan Bustin's 37-yard field goal. The Red Raiders drive started at their 35- yard line after a penalty on the punt and was helped along by Williams' 14- yard run on first down -- referees reviewed the play after it looked like Williams fumbled.
TCU's Brandon Carter went untouched on a 70-yard punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter that looked like it would tie the game, but the play was called back for an invalid fair catch signal.
A replay showed Carter raised his hand in the air slightly, but did not waive it before catching the ball.
TCU scored anyway. Catalon went 17 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 10-10 with 6 1/2 minutes left.
Earlier, Texas Tech took a 7-0 lead on the game's first series after Williams caught a pass in the flat, broke two tackles and sprinted down the right sideline for a 50-yard touchdown.
Later in the first, Mayfield's 31-yard hookup with Jace Amaro helped set up Ryan Bustin's 39-yard field goal to make it 10-0.
After Bustin missed a 49-yard field goal try in the third quarter, Jaden Oberkrom kicked a 37-yarder for TCU on the following drive to finally get the Horned Frogs on the scoreboard. Oberkrom missed a 55-yard try early in the fourth.
Game Notes
Texas Tech rushed for just 43 yards. Washington led the way with 19 ... Amaro led all receivers with 97 yards and nine catches ... Texas Tech leads the all- time series 30-23-3 ... TCU is off next week, then plays SMU on Sept. 28 ... Texas Tech plays Texas State next week.
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