Texas Tech escapes TCU with a 27-24 double-OT victory

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Patrick Mahomes and Texas Tech have lost plenty of high-scoring games. Winning a defensive struggle was a new experience.

Clayton Hatfield kicked a 37-yard field goal in the second overtime, after Mahomes scrambled 15 yards for a score in the first extra session and the Red Raiders beat TCU 27-24 on Saturday to break a three-game losing streak.

"I can't remember an ugly win like this that we had here, so to find a way when everything was kind of going against us says a lot about their character," coach Kliff Kingsbury said. "Hopefully we can build off this."

A week after their fourth loss in less than two seasons when scoring more than 50 points, the Red Raiders (4-4, 2-3) overcame a season-low 345 yards and had their fewest points in a victory since a 20-10 home win over TCU in 2013.

Mahomes matched an FBS record with 734 yards passing on 52 of 88 passing, and set the FBS mark with 819 total yards, in last week's 66-59 loss to Oklahoma in a game when those two teams combined for 1,708 total yards.

Against the Horned Frogs, Mahomes was 24 of 39 for 206 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

"It was a pass play called and it wasn't open," Mahomes said of his TD run in overtime. "They were covering up pretty much everything all day. I just opened up and I just ran."

TCU (4-4, 2-3) forced the second overtime on Desmon White's incredible 25-yard TD catch from backup quarterback Foster Sawyer. White caught the pass despite having a defender on his hip, and secured the ball against his helmet to complete the score. The play stood after officials did a replay review of the catch.

With the first possession in the second overtime, TCU came up empty when Brandon Hatfield - not related to the Tech kicker, shanked a 40-yard field goal attempt, his third miss of the game.

The previous two times the teams met in Fort Worth, they combined for 109 points both times. Tech won 56-53 in triple overtime in 2012, and TCU broke Big 12 and school records in an 82-27 win two years ago. The Frogs won 55-52 in Lubbock last year.

Sawyer took over after dual-threat quarterback Kenny Hill's last pass was intercepted. Hill was 16 of 29 passing for 160 yards, and has now struggled in three consecutive games since back-to-back 400-yard passing performances.

"For years, you find ways to win them, then you find ways to lose them" Patterson said. "We've got to get back on the track of finding ways to win them. It's pretty simple."

THE TAKEAWAY

Texas Tech: Mahomes showed his grit, never giving in despite the struggles against TCU's defense. A month after hurting his shoulder, Mahomes took another hard hit in the second overtime, but said he was OK. The win helped the Red Raiders in their pursuit for a bowl berth, now needing only to split their last four games to get bowl eligible.

TCU: The Horned Frogs' defense had one of its best games overall, making some changes that surprised Tech. "Our whole thing was make them beat themselves, make them have patience, make them run the ball," Patterson said. But the inconsistency of the offense has to be concerning. The Frogs have been held to 24 points in three consecutive games after scoring at least 33 in their first five.

MISSED FGs TO TDs

Both of Texas Tech's touchdowns in regulation came on 80-yard drives after missed field goals. Mahomes threw a 33-yard TD pass to Reginald Davis early in the second quarter to tie the game at 7-7. The latter miss was in the fourth quarter, leading to Mahomes 8-yard TD to Dylan Cantrell with 1:28 left in regulation to tie the game. Mahomes also had an 11-yard run to convert fourth-and-3 on that tying drive.

COACH'S CATCH

Mahomes was scrambling away from pressure when he threw a pass away in the fourth quarter. The throw toward the TCU sideline was caught by Patterson, who reached up with two hands to make the grab.

UP NEXT

Texas Tech returns home next Saturday to play Texas.

TCU plays at No. 8 Baylor, going to Waco next Saturday for the first time since their 61-58 loss there two years ago when the Bears overcame a 21-point deficit in the final 11 minutes.

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