How UCF overcame a 21-point deficit to beat TCU in Big 12 opener
Despite leading by three possessions most of the second half, the Horned Frogs were shocked in a 35-34 Big 12 Conference opening defeat to UCF Saturday night at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
When the Horned Frogs took a 31-13 lead late in the third quarter, many TCU fans began clearing out of Amon G. Carter Stadium. With the way TCU was playing on both sides of the ball, it was understandable, but in typical college football fashion, there was plenty of drama left to unfold.
“We got up 31-13 and they just hung in there and kept chipping away,” coach Sonny Dykes said after the defeat. “We had a hard time getting off the field defensively and had a three-and-out right there at the midpoint of the fourth quarter.
I think we kind of wore down on defense.” With 3:23 remaining in the game, the Knights had turned a 18-point deficit into a 34-28 nail biter and UCF had an opportunity to take the lead for good after forcing a three-and-out against TCU’s offense. It was a major crossroads for TCU’s new defense which had played well in the first half, but punished by UCF’s run game in the second half.
With 60 seconds remaining the Knights had marched to the TCU 31 and had TCU’s defense reeling. After converting a third-and-long pass to Kobe Hudson, KJ Jefferson went right back to Hudson for a 20-yard touchdown with 36 seconds remaining for the game-tying touchdown. Then UCF kicker Colton Boomer booted the game-deciding extra point for the 35-34 win.
The Horned Frogs had blocked three Boomer kicks — two field goals and one extra point — earlier in the game. After the TCU defense failed to hold the lead, Josh Hoover had one last chance to help TCU avoid disaster. Hoover quickly worked TCU down the field, getting down to the UCF 40. Hoover had one more play to get the Horned Frogs closer, but his pass to JP Richardson fell incomplete.
Freshman kicker Kyle Lemmerman was forced to a kick a potential 58-yard field goal. Lemmerman had the right amount of power, but couldn’t put it through as the ball sailed wide right and TCU let a winnable game slip away. “We had a chance right there at the end, but that’s a 58-yarder,” Dykes said. “Kyle hit it really well, certainly can’t blame him at all. We had opportunity after opportunity to put the game away. We had a false start inside the 1-yard on third-and-1, you can’t make those kind of mistakes and win a football game.”
One-dimensional Frogs
When you take a big lead in college football, you have to be able to milk the clock and use the run game to wear your opponent down. The Horned Frogs were unable to do either as the run game was a complete non-factor against UCF. The Horned Frogs ran for just 58 yards on 17 carries, an average of just 3.4 yards per carry.
Meanwhile, the Knights remain committed to the ground game and piled up 289 yard with RJ Harvey chipping in nearly 200. The inability to keep UCF off the field spoiled another brilliant outing for Josh Hoover, who eclipsed 300 yards for the seventh time in his career and tied a career-high with four touchdown passes.
With roughly five minutes remaining and the lead, TCU should’ve been able to lean on Cam Cook, but instead the Horned Frogs had to attempt three passes. TCU gained just eight yards and took only a minute off the clock. “We’ve got to be able to run the ball better, right now that’s something that’s plagued us,” Dykes said. “We’ve got to be able to run it better than we did today, when you can’t it’s hard to hold onto a lead. That’s kind of what happened to us.”
BECH WR1? Through three games, TCU’s best wide receiver hasn’t been Savion Williams, JP Richardson or even Eric McAlister. It’s been Jack Bech, who had another career-game against the Knights. Bech exceeded his career-high set against Stanford with nine receptions for 200 yards against the UCF.
Bech was solid in the first half with four receptions for 51 yards, but he was even better in the second half as he showcased his explosive playmaking ability. He slipped behind the UCF defense for a 50-yard touchdown and then in the fourth quarter when UCF cut the lead to 31-28, Bech helped spark the Horned Frogs scoring drive. He caught a pass for 16 yards and then on his next reception he showcased a nice stutter step to shake a defender and then raced all the way down to the UCF 10.
Bech’s big plays eventually led to a field goal by Kyle Lemmerman that made it 34-28. In the end Bech’s big night was squandered due to TCU’s late collapse.
JEFFERSON HAS LAST LAUGH
Anticipating a unique challenge KJ Jefferson, the Horned Frogs defense came to play against the dual-threat quarterback. Jefferson completed four of his first 11 passes for 64 yards. During the Knights’ two-minute drill, UCF didn’t trust Jefferson to move the ball with his arm as the team opted to lean on the ground game.
TCU was able to have success due to all the pressure applied to Jefferson with delayed blitzes and using different packages with players like Marcel Brooks to continue to fluster the Arkansas transfer. Jefferson deserves credit for escaping multiple sacks as defenders bounced off him at times, but the Horned Frogs’ defense maintained great pursuit angles and didn’t allow much in quarterback scrambles.
Jefferson had one drive where he connected with Kobe Hudson for 72 yards on back-to-back plays including a 27-yard touchdown that cut TCU’s lead to 31-20. However, the brunt of UCF’s comeback was propelled by star running back R.J. Harvey who grinded his way to 180 yards on 29 carries. But when it mattered Jefferson rose to the occasion, completing four of his five passes on the game-winning drive including the strike to Hudson in tight coverage.
“We felt like if we could make the quarterback have to beat us throwing the football, we were going to have a chance to win it,” Dykes said. “To his credit he made throws down the stretch when he had to and guys made plays.” FLAWLESS START The Horned Frogs had a near perfect start in the Big 12 opener as the Horned Frogs took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
All three phases had significant moments contributing to the lead starting with Hoover and the offense. TCU’s first touchdown came on a methodical 10-play drive where Hoover made good decision after good decision. He finished the drive perfectly by finding Eric McAlister for a 14-yard touchdown. Meanwhile the Horned Frogs’ defense continued to play with a physicality the unit didn’t have last season as TCU did a great job of pressuring KJ Jefferson in the first quarter. Jefferson completed just one of his first five attempts and if it wasn’t for his 250-pound frame, the Horned Frogs would’ve had multiple sacks. When UCF did put together a nice drive deep into TCU territory, the Horned Frogs defense forced a long field goal that was blocked by Caleb Fox.
With momentum surging the offense responded with another brilliant drive as Hoover connected with Savion Williams for a highlight worthy 14-yard touchdown where Williams rose up over two defenders for the touchdown. The Knights struck back in the second quarter to make it 14-7, but Hoover and Williams responded again with another touchdown connection as Williams made an acrobatic catch on a pass thrown behind him. TCU cornerback LaMareon James blocked another field goal just before halftime to preserve TCU’s 21-7 halftime advantage. It was the exact type of start the Horned Frogs needed.
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