FORT WORTH, Texas — TCU quarterback Max Duggan didn't have his best day passing, completing less than half his passes. It didn't matter.
Duggan's legs are what mattered in TCU's 34-18 victory over Texas Tech on Saturday afternoon at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
Duggan had TD runs of 3, 48 and 81 yards to provide enough offensive spark and carry the Frogs to their first home victory of the season.
"I wasn't throwing the ball great, and I need to do better on that, but the O-line and receivers and everyone stepped up in being able to run the ball and being able to attack them that way," Duggan said. "It was good that we were able to move the ball that way when we weren't able to throw the ball as we wanted to tonight."
TCU improved to 3-3 on the season. Tech fell to 2-5, 1-5 in the Big 12.
Duggan stole the show late. He had a 48-yard TD run with 38 seconds left in the third quarter to give TCU a 27-10 lead, and then sealed the victory by running 81 yards for a score with 1 minute, 42 seconds left in the game.
Duggan joked afterward on the 81-yard run, saying his thought process was simply: "Don't get caught."
Duggan didn't and finished with a career-high 154 yards rushing on 19 carries. His previous rushing-best was 115 yards at Kansas State last season.
Those rushing numbers more than made up for his struggles passing the ball. He was just 11 of 23 for 73 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
"Those two long runs were back breakers," Tech coach Matt Wells said. "Max is probably the fastest quarterback in the league. He's extremely fast. We knew that. They like to run power read with him downhill. I don't know how long the two runs were, but I see he rushed for 154. I really thought we did a good job of containing him. I just know, obviously, we didn't fit that run fit right at the end."
Defensively, TCU finished with five sacks, including three by Ochaun Mathis in the first half.
Tech quarterback Henry Colombi threw for 234 yards, including TD passes of 60 and 57 yards in the second half to stay within striking distance.
All of the offensive fireworks came in the second half. TCU built a 10-3 lead in a low-scoring, offensively-challenged first half. Both teams combined for only 162 yards of total offense in the opening half.
Texas Tech went three-and-out on six of its eight drives. TCU had four punts and one giveaway on five of its seven drives, including Duggan throwing an interception on the team's first offensive play of the game.
That storyline faded in the second half.
The Frogs opened with an 89-yard TD drive, extending their lead to 17-3 on a 2-yard run by receiver Quentin Johnston.
The Red Raiders responded with their own touchdown drive to pull within 17-10, scoring on a 60-yard pass from Colombi to Ja'Lynn Polk. Polk got by TCU cornerback C.J. Ceasar, who fell down on the play.
But TCU stayed in control as a 50-yard punt return by Derius Davis set up a field goal for a 20-10 lead. Then Duggan made it a 27-10 lead with his 48-yard TD run with 38 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Red Raiders didn't go away quietly, striking once again with a 57-yard TD from Colombi to Erik Ezukanma. They converted a two-point play to pull within 27-18 with 11:47 left in the game.
TCU ate up almost seven minutes on the next drive. The Frogs converted a fourth-and-6 from the Tech 33 on a 7-yard pass from Duggan to Pro Wells, but then failed to convert a fourth-and-2 from the Tech 18.
Tech marched into TCU's territory and attempted to make it a one-score game, but missed a 37-yard field-goal attempt on a second-down from the TCU 19.
Duggan then put the game away three plays later with his 81-yard TD, becoming the star of the game.
"He's a freak athlete," TCU safety Trevon Moehrig said. "I know we've got a QB who's an athlete, who's a competitor and just wants to win."
Added Davis: "When one thing is not going your way, you find another way to win. Max used his legs and found a way to win. It just shows you how he is — he's a warrior."
TCU is scheduled to play at West Virginia next Saturday.
