FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — KJ Jefferson threw a 20-yard touchdown to Kobe Hudson with 36 seconds left as UCF overcame three blocked kicks and a three-touchdown deficit after halftime to beat TCU 35-34 on Saturday night, the first game this season that counts toward the Big 12 standings.
“I’m really not shocked because I know what kind of team we have and how close we are,” said Jefferson, who continued playing despite taking some tough hits early in the game. “Coming into the game, we knew we were going to face some adversity.”
Jefferson, who transferred from Arkansas, completed 13 of 22 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns. RJ Harvey ran for 180 yards on 29 attempts in his fifth consecutive 100-yard game and has eight touchdowns this season after scoring two more. He also had his second career touchdown on an early 29-yard play.
Their game-winning point was the first time the Knights (3-0, 1-0 Big 12) had taken the lead and came four plays after it looked like they had lost the ball. A replay review initiated by the game’s booth instead confirmed that receiver Randy Pittman Jr. was on the ground just before the ball was dropped with 1:16 left.
UCF scored touchdowns on four of its five possessions after halftime, including the first three, where Harvey ran for two and added a 2-point conversion, while Hudson also scored a 27-yard touchdown.
“We just needed a little momentum, and when we had that momentum, we took advantage of it and stayed together as a team,” said Hudson, who finished with six catches for 145 yards.
“A lot of times, that’s how you win. … Trailing by 21 points at the start of the third quarter, that didn’t look good,” said UCF coach Gus Malzahn. “I think we have the makings of a good team, found a way to win on the road and are proud of our guys.”
View photos from TCU’s 1-point loss to UCF in the conference opener
The Horned Frogs (2-1, 0-1) led 28-7 after Jack Bech ran past two defenders for a 50-yard touchdown on their first drive after halftime. Kyle Lemmermann then made field goals from 31 and 24 yards, but missed the 58-yard target on the game’s final play.
TCU’s Josh Hoover completed 35 of 52 passes for 402 yards and four touchdowns, two of which were sensational catches by Savion Williams. Bech had nine catches for 200 yards.
This counted
It was the third game this season featuring opponents from the Big 12. But Utah’s 23-12 win over Baylor last week and No. 14 Kansas State’s 31-7 victory over freshman No. 20 Arizona on Friday night were games scheduled before the Utes and Wildcats became members of the league and were not factored into the rankings.
The conclusion
UCF: Colton Boomer made the game-winning kick and got the extra point in the final minute. He had blocked field goal attempts from 47 and 27 yards before halftime and also had an extra point blocked in the third quarter.
TCU: Williams, one of only four TCU seniors to play their entire college career at the school, scored multiple touchdowns for the first time in his 42 games. His leaping catch with both arms fully overhead between two defenders was an 18-yard touchdown for a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter. He had to turn his body and reach for a ball thrown behind him in the second quarter and secured that 16-yard touchdown while parallel to the ground.
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