Texas Tech upends No. 24 TCU
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Got it?
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.