MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) – TCU’s players spent the week laughing in practice, joking in team meetings, and coach Gary Patterson kept warning them about overlooking a trip to Kansas State.
They finally listened to him at halftime Saturday night.
After digging a big hole over the first 30 minutes, the second-ranked Horned Frogs responded to their coach’s pleas with a spirited comeback. Trevone Boykin threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns, the second a 55-yard strike to Josh Doctson with 1:10 remaining in the game, and TCU nipped the Wildcats 52-45 to remain in the national championship hunt.
“The first half they kicked our butts, to be honest with you,” Patterson said. “I told our guys what it’s like to come here and play and they didn’t believe me. Now they believe me.”
The Horned Frogs (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) trailed 35-17 at the break, but Boykin showed the poise of a Heisman Trophy candidate. He added 124 yards and two TDs on the ground, while Aaron Green ran for 121 yards and two more scores and Doctson caught eight passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns.