Texas Tech football classics: Red Raiders outlast TCU in 3 OT in 2012

The Red Raiders held TCU to six FGs

Often in the Big 12, playing defense isn’t about being dominant for an entire game as much as it is coming up big at key moments.  That’s what the Red Raiders managed to do in this game.

Yes, the defense allowed 53 points, 36 in regulation.  But it could have been much worse for defensive coordinator Art Kauffman’s unit.

Fortunately, Tech put the “bend but don’t break” cliche to work and it was just enough to pull out the win.  That’s because, in the game, Tech forced TCU to settle for six field goals, including one on the first possession of the final OT period.

On all six Horned Frog drives that ended in three points, TCU got inside the Red Raider 30.  What’s more, on half of those, the Frogs were able to cross the Tech 20.  Thus, three points had to feel rather hollow for Gary Patterson’s team.

Meanwhile, Tech didn’t kick one FG all day.  In other words, the Red Raiders made the most of their offensive chances.

What’s interesting is that the TCU offense was better and more consistent between the 20s.  The Frogs punted just three times while Tech did so seven times.  That included three-straight Tech punts in the third quarter.

Still, the Red Raiders were able to win the game because they cashed in their red zone drives and TCU didn’t.  Sometimes that’s the best recipe for success in the wide-open Big 12.