College Football Around the Region Recap, Week 13: TCU routs Iowa State to complete undefeated regular season while Texas Tech survives in OT

No. 4 TCU HORNED FROGS (12-0, 9-0 Big 12)

This Week: Won, 62-14 vs. Iowa State

Next Week: Big 12 Championship Game vs. Kansas St.

The TCU Horned Frogs knew they could not afford a letdown on senior day against the lowly Cyclones of Iowa State if they were to finish an undefeated regular season and keep hopes of a College Football Playoff appearance alive, and the Horned Frogs rose to the challenge. TCU’s first drive ended with an aggressive decision, as Sonny Dykes passed up a potential field goal opportunity on fourth down from the Iowa State 19-yard line. Quarterback Max Duggan rewarded Dykes, finding senior Geor’Quarius Spivey in the end zone for a 7-0 first-quarter lead. The Horned Frogs, completely unfazed by Iowa State’s elite defensive statistics, would extend their lead to 17-0 with a Griffin Kell field goal and a Kendre Miller touchdown run. TCU’s defense extended the lead once again in the first quarter when senior safety Millard Bradford picked off Hunter Dekkers and ran 36 yards for another touchdown. Iowa State finally responded with a touchdown early in the second quarter on a 15-yard TD reception by tight end DeShawn Hanika, but a huge kickoff return by TCU’s Emari Demercado would set up kicker Griffin Kell’s 54-yard field goal to immediately push the lead back to 27-7. The Horned Frogs extended the lead once again before halftime on Kendre Miller’s second touchdown run, heading into the break with a 34-7 lead.

Max Duggan’s second and third touchdown passes of the evening to Savion Williams and Jordan Hudson all but put the game away in the third quarter, giving TCU a 48-7 lead. TCU’s defense scored again, as Josh Newton intercepted ISU backup quarterback Rocco Becht’s pass for a 57-yard pick-six to push the TCU lead to 55-7. Frogs’ quarterback Max Duggan’s night was over from there, replaced by freshman Chandler Morris who had originally won the job preseason. Iowa State added a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to make it 55-14, but the game was well in hand for TCU by then. The Horned Frogs also added a late touchdown, making the final tally 62-14 to put TCU just one win away from the College Football Playoff.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS (7-5, 5-4 Big 12)

This Week: Won, 51-48 (OT) vs. Oklahoma

Up Next: Texas Tech awaits their bowl game invitation.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders hosted the Oklahoma Sooners Saturday night in the regular finale for both squads, with both teams hoping to finish the season with winning records and begin their bowl game preparation. Tech’s senior day performance got off to a less-than-ideal start, allowing Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel to pass for two first-quarter touchdowns – one to Marvin Mims and one to Brayden Willis. The Sooners added a field goal early in the second quarter to extend their lead to 17-0, outgaining the Red Raiders 252 to 35 over the game’s first quarter and change. Texas Tech finally seemed to wake up from there, putting together an 11-play, 75-yard drive polished off by senior defensive lineman Jaylon Hutchings’ one-yard touchdown catch. After a Trey Wolff missed extra point, the Sooners maintained a 17-6 lead with 9:45 to go in the second quarter. Dillon Gabriel’s third touchdown pass of the first half extended the lead just three minutes later; a 77-yard catch and run by Marvin Mims made it 24-6. Texas Tech would not back down on senior night, though. SaRodorick Thompson and Donovan Smith both ran in touchdowns in the second quarter as the Red Raiders’ defense held Oklahoma in place, pulling back within four points at 24-20. Tech added a field goal before halftime and managed to trail by just a point heading into the intermission.

Texas Tech finally took their first lead of the night on the opening drive of the third quarter, officially erasing their 18-point deficit with SaRodorick Thompson’s second touchdown run of the night. Trailing 30-24, the Sooners countered with another big play of their own when Dillon Gabriel connected with Theo Wease for a 31-30 lead and Gabriel’s fourth touchdown pass of the night. The lead changed hands yet again on Texas Tech’s next possession, a 62-yard, seven-play drive capped off by one quarterback (Tyler Shough) completing a touchdown pass to another (Donovan Smith). Tech would convert the two-point conversion, putting them ahead 38-31 heading into the fourth quarter. Oklahoma tied the game early in the fourth, as Dillon Gabriel’s fifth touchdown pass of the night was also Theo Wease’s second touchdown reception of the night with 13 minutes to go in the fourth – but the tie would not last long. Texas Tech took the lead back moments later as Tyler Shough’s 44-yard strike to Jerand Bradley made it 45-38 with still over eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. Like clockwork, Dillon Gabriel’s sixth touchdown pass was not far behind – this one to Jalil Farooq to tie the game at 45. The barrage of touchdowns paused briefly from there as Oklahoma kicker Zach Schmit’s second field goal of the night put the Sooners ahead 48-45 with four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The Red Raiders would tie the game with a field goal in the final seconds of the period, sending the back-and-forth shootout into overtime tied at 48.

Tech’s defense ignited the crowd after Oklahoma took the ball to start the overtime period, making multiple tackles for loss to force a field goal try. Zach Schmit missed this time, setting Texas Tech up with a golden opportunity to finish their season with their first win over Oklahoma since 2011. Trey Wolff drilled his field goal for the Red Raiders after a quick three-and-out, clinching a 7-5 season for Texas Tech in Joey McGuire’s first year as head coach. It also meant that Texas Tech had beaten Oklahoma and Texas in the same season for the first time in school history, a particularly sweet parting gift for two schools leaving the Big 12 next year.

BEST OF THE REST AROUND TEXAS

North Texas 21, Rice 17

SMU 34, Memphis 31

UTSA 34, UTEP 31

Louisiana 41, Texas State 13