TCU's Tomlinson Passes 2K Mark
LaDainian Tomlinson capped the fourth-best rushing season and sixth-best career totals Friday night with 174 yards and a touchdown in Texas Christian's 62-7 victory over Southern Methodist.
Tomlinson, who also won his second straight NCAA rushing title, finished the season with 2,158 yards. He became only the eighth player above 2,000 with a 3-yard gain on his fifth carry, although no announcement was made at the Mustangs' stadium.
His 26th and final carry came early in the fourth quarter with TCU (10-1, 7-1 WAC) already comfortably ahead. He gained 8 yards on the play, giving him 5,263 yards and pushing him 4 past Herschel Walker on the career list.
The Horned Frogs then called timeout to savor the moment. Tomlinson walked slowly off the field and waved to the crowd, which included his mother, father, sister and brother together for the first time.
The entire team came onto the field to greet him, led by coach Dennis Franchione.
Even though his average slipped from 198.4 yards to 196.2, Tomlinson already had all but sealed the rushing title. He also holds the NCAA single-game record of 406 yards, which he set last year.
The 5-foot-11, 220-pound Tomlinson is the third straight two-time winner, following Iowa State's Troy Davis in '95-96 and Texas' Ricky Williams in '97-87. Davis was the first 2,000-yard rusher not to win the Heisman Trophy.
Tomlinson joined Williams as the only players to pass the 2,000 and 5,000 barriers.
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