FORT WORTH, Texas – KJ Jefferson threw a 20-yard touchdown to Kobe Hudson with 36 seconds left as UCF overcame three blocked kicks and a three-TD deficit after halftime to beat TCU 35-34 on Saturday night in the first game this season to count in the Big 12 standings.
“I’m really not shocked because I know the type of team that we have and I know the bond that we share,” said Jefferson, who played through some big hits he took early the game. “Coming into the game, we knew we were going to face some adversity.”
Jefferson, the Arkansas transfer, was 13-of-22 passing for 230 yards and three touchdowns. RJ Harvey ran for 180 yards on 29 carries for his fifth consecutive 100-yard game, and already has eight TDs on the ground this season after scoring two more. He also had his second career TD reception on an early 29-yard play.
Their game-winning score was the first time the Knights (3-0, 1-0 Big 12) went ahead, and came four plays after it appeared they had fumbled the ball away. A booth-initiated replay review instead confirmed that receiver Randy Pittman Jr. was down just before the ball came out with 1:16 left.
UCF scored touchdowns on four of their five possessions after halftime. That included the first three, when Harvey ran for two of those and added a 2-point conversion while Hudson also had a 27-yard score.
“We needed just a little momentum, and when we created the momentum, we capitalized and we stayed together as a team,” said Hudson, who finished with six catches for 145 yards.
“A lot of times it’s how you win. … Down by 21 points early in the third quarter, it wasn’t looking good,” UCF coach Gus Malzahn said. “I think we’ve got the makings of a good team, found a way to win on the road and proud of our guys.”
The Horned Frogs (2-1, 0-1) were up 28-7 after Jack Bech ran past two defenders for a 50-yard touchdown on their first drive after halftime. Kyle Lemmermann made field goals of 31 and 24 yards after that, but was wide right on a 58-yard attempt on the final play of the game.
TCU’s Josh Hoover completed 35 of 52 passes for 402 yards and four touchdowns, two of those sensational catches by Savion Williams. Bech had nine catches for 200 yards.
This one counted
It was the third game this season matching Big 12 opponents. But Utah’s 23-12 win over Baylor last week and No. 14 Kansas State’s 31-7 win over newcomer No. 20 Arizona on Friday night were games scheduled before the Utes and Wildcats became league members, and weren’t counted in the standings.
The takeaway
UCF: Colton Boomer made the kick that won it, making the extra point in the final minute. He had field goal attempts of 47 and 27 yards blocked before halftime, and also had an extra point blocked in the third quarter.
TCU: Williams, one of only four TCU seniors to spend their entire college careers at the school, had multiple touchdowns for the first time in his 42 games. His leaping catch with both arms fully extended over his head between two defenders was an 18-yard score for a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter. He had to turn his body and reach back on a ball thrown behind him in the second, and secured that 16-yard score while parallel to the ground.
Up next
UCF: Has an open date before hosting Colorado on Sept. 28.
TCU: Plays Saturday at ACC newcomer SMU (2-1), which is about 40 miles away on the other side of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and is Dykes’ former team.
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