TCU 55, Texas Tech 52: What We Learned

[caption id="attachment_18248" align="alignleft" width="300"]Photo by Shane Roper Photo by Shane Roper[/caption] TCU survived a trip to Lubbock with one of the most remarkable wins you will ever see, topping the Red Raiders 55-52. What did we learn from the game? DCTF's Greg Tepper breaks it down.That is the most exciting 30 seconds of college football you will see all year. OK, so, let’s get right to what everyone will talk about for the next week (or month, or year, or decade) — the finish. With 30 seconds left and facing 4^th and goal from the Texas Tech 4, Trevone Boykin dropped to pass, hesitated and threw — let’s be honest — a bad pass. The pass was too high for Josh Doctson, and should’ve fallen incomplete, and Texas Tech should’ve won the game. But while it was too high for Doctson, he got a hand on it. And while it should’ve fallen incomplete, it didn’t, as Aaron Green darted in to snag the tipped pass and incredibly get a foot down for the go-ahead touchdown with 23 seconds left. It is as remarkable a play as you will perhaps ever see in college football, and it’ll go down in the annals of Texas college football. Green Catch But the game wasn’t over — Texas Tech still had a chance. And with a single second left around midfield (after a TCU offsides penalty), Tech QB Pat Mahomes threw a desperation heave to a shallow receiver, who lateraled...who lateraled…and oh my goodness, they’re not, are they?...wait a second!...wait a second! But no — TCU made the play a mere 15 yards from the end zone, ending what is unquestionably the most exciting finish to a college football game so far this year, and may not be topped. College football is largely rooted in memories, so take a moment, folks, and take a mental snapshot — this is one we’ll be telling for a long, long time. Texas Tech can play with anyone. It’s little consolation for the Red Raiders, but if you want to try to convince me that Texas Tech was the better team on Saturday evening in Lubbock, I’ll certainly listen. QB Pat Mahomes put together a gutty effort, throwing for 392 yards and two scores and running for another touchdown. RB DeAndre Washington and the offensive line absolutely did work, running for 188 yards and four scores. And the much-maligned defense even had its moments (though clearly not enough of them, as they got torched for 750 yards by TCU). It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but Texas Tech proved on Saturday that they can hang with anyone in the country, and that’s going to make them a problem for everyone in the Big 12. Josh Doctson is TCU’s best player. I’m on record as being a big Trevone Boykin fan (and he was largely great in this one, throwing for 485 yards and four touchdowns), but it’s time to face facts: this TCU team revolves around wide receiver Josh Doctson. The senior tied a Big 12 record with 18 catches for a ludicrous 267 yards and three touchdowns in the win, but it’s not the numbers that are remarkable. It’s that he made pretty much every kind of catch. Jump ball? Check. Fade? Check. Tough catch across the middle in traffic? Check. There are many great receivers in the Big 12 and in the state of Texas, but Doctson may be the most complete.