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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- While this wasn't even LaDainian
Tomlinson best game against Texas El Paso, it was the most
satisfying.
Tomlinson ran for a season-high 305 yards and three touchdowns
as No. 15 Texas Christian (No. 15 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) won 47-14 Saturday, ending
UTEP's seven-game winning streak and providing a huge response to
the trash talking heard all week. TCU is 9-1, 6-1 WAC.
|  | | LaDainian Tomlinson ran for a season-high 305 yards and three touchdowns for TCU on Saturday. |
"What this was was dragging them into the backyard," said
Tomlinson, who set a NCAA Division I-A record with 406 yards
against UTEP last year. "It just amazes me that as good a team as
we are, people still say things about us."
The Miners (8-3, 7-1), had talked publicly about winning
outright Western Athletic Conference title and then celebrating by
tearing down TCU's goal posts and hoisting the trophy at midfield.
And, they said, there was no way that Tomlinson was going to have
another record-setting day.
They were wrong on all accounts.
"We were not going to let that happen," TCU coach Dennis
Franchione said. "We just made sure the players managed to hear
all those statements."
While Tomlinson didn't equal his NCAA record of a year ago and
scored only half as many touchdowns, he became the WAC's career
rushing leader and only the ninth runner in NCAA history to go over
5,000 career yards.
"When people challenge us, I think we play better," Tomlinson
said.
Now UTEP has to wait to see if it will have to share its first
WAC title and to which bowl it will be going. TCU would have to
lose Friday at SMU for the Miners to win the title outright.
The Miners scored first, when Rocky Perez threw a 3-yard TD pass
to Lee Mays midway through the first quarter, six plays after a
fumble by TCU quarterback Casey Printers was recovered by Trey
Merkens at the Frogs' 20.
After that, it was all Tomlinson and TCU, which had 529 total
yards.
Tomlinson had 33 carries, and increased his NCAA-leading rushing
total to 1,984 yards. He has 5,089 career yards.
Tomlinson took an inside handoff, busted through a gap untouched
and then shed defensive back Crance Clemons at the 45 on his
68-yard scoring run in the first quarter that tied the game at 7-7.
George Layne scored the go-ahead TD on a 4-yard run early in the
second quarter, but the 10-play, 74-yard drive began with runs of
18, 6 and 12 yards by Tomlinson.
Midway through the third quarter, Tomlinson took an inside
handoff, sprinted to the right and then outran two defenders on an
89-yard score that made it 37-7. He added a 1-yard TD early in the
fourth that capped a 15-play, 74-yard drive.
Tomlinson has more than 100 yards in 12 straight games, a streak
that began with the record game against UTEP last November.
"That kid is an excellent player, there's no question about it.
He's probably the best running back in the country," UTEP coach
Larry Nord said. "He broke some tackles, he's got great balance,
he's got speed and he sees the field as well as any back I've ever
coached against."
The Frogs actually put the game out of reach when Printers threw
two TD passes in a 61-second span in the second quarter.
Printers, a sophomore who is 17-3 as the TCU starting
quarterback, hit streaking Cedric James in stride for a 75-yard TD
pass that was the longest score for both players. Printers also
threw an 8-yard TD pass to Chad Purcells.
Printers finished 10-of-18 for a season-high 216 yards.
Chris Kaylakie had field goals of 27 and 38 yards for the Frogs,
who have won 11 straight home games and already accepted an
invitation to play in the Mobile Alabama Bowl on Dec. 20.
UTEP's only other TD came when Perez hit diving Allan Ray for 7
yards with 6:25 remaining. That capped a 17-play, 83-yard drive
that took nearly 7{ minutes.
Perez finished 21-of-46 for 217 yards. He set a UTEP
single-season record with 26 TD passes, 15 of them to Mays.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
UTEP Clubhouse
TCU Clubhouse
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