Even though he could opt back in next season on the Covid-bonus year, Tahj Brooks went into Saturday believing he was playing his last game at Jones AT&T Stadium.

If so, he authored a memorable finish for himself.

The Texas Tech football team's workhorse running back ran for a career high 182 yards on 24 carries, including eight totes on a game-ending drive that helped the Red Raiders seal a 24-23 victory against Central Florida.

"That's something I live for," he said.

Brooks topped 100 yards rushing for the eighth time in nine games. He's at 1,348 yards for the season, most by a Tech ball carrier since DeAndre Washington went for 1,492 in 2015.

Tech running backs coach Kenny Perry said this past week it's a foregone conclusion Brooks will declare for the NFL draft, and Brooks mostly confirmed that.

"I knew I left a good legacy here," he said. When asked if he foresaw any scenario causing him to stay with the Red Raiders in 2024, Brooks said, "It all depends on how we finish out the season, but this will probably, most likely, be my last home game."

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After Gino Garcia's 51-yard field goal stretched Tech's lead to 24-17 with 6:13 left, UCF silenced the crowd two plays later. Thanks to a coverage bust, Knights quarterback John Rhys Plumlee flipped an easy 71-yard touchdown pass to Javon Baker.

But Tech defensive tackle Dooda Banks deflected Colton Boomer's extra-point kick, sending it wide left. The Knights never got another chance as Tech took over with 5:30 left and ran out the clock with 11 plays and four first downs.

Brooks carried 12 times in the fourth quarter.

"Once again, Tahj Brooks is really tough to handle," McGuire said.

Banks, a 6-foot-5, 305-pound sophomore, threw up his arms and blocked the Knights' ill-fated point-after attempt with his inner elbow and upper forearm.

"We were telling our coach that we were getting a lot of penetration and we were going to get one by the end of the night," he said, "and luckily it just happened right when we needed it."

Even before then, he'd already put his stamp on the game. Banks and other defensive tackles got more playing time after sixth-year senior Jaylon Hutchings suffered a knee injury in his 57th career start.

Down 14-0 after the first quarter, Tech pulled even on second-quarter touchdown passes from Behren Morton to wide receiver Drae McCray and tight end Mason Tharp. The game was still tied late in the third quarter when Banks overpowered running back R.J. Harvey in pass protection and hit Plumlee's throwing arm, leading to a flutterball that safety Julien (C.J.) Baskerville intercepted.

Tech took possession at the UCF 41, and Brooks scored on a 13-yard run.

McGuire said Banks' effort, his height and his long arms led to the blocked kick.

"I think, too, feeling very confident," McGuire said. "When he hit the quarterback, that really kind of lit a fire under him. That was a huge play, because that gave us a short field and let us take the lead."

McGuire said Hutchings, who's had a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the past, was fearful of another torn ACL. Hutchings will undergo further examination, but McGuire said the initial evaluation by the Tech medical staff determined the knee was stable and they don't believe there's ACL damage.

"He's done a lot for us," Banks said, "and I feel like it was my job to step up as the next guy up."

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Receiver-return man Myles Price missed the game with a painful shoulder injury he suffered late in the previous game at Kansas, McGuire said. Also out were guard Cole Spencer (toe), linebacker Bryce Ramirez (neck), defensive edge player Steve Linton (back) and safety Tyler Owens (ankle).

McGuire said Ramirez and Owens should be back for Friday's game at Texas. ...

McGuire confirmed inside linebacker Jacob Rodriguez will sit out the regular-season finale to maintain his redshirt status. Saturday was Rodriguez's fourth game, the limit to keep a redshirt year. He was credited with a career-high 12 tackles. ...

UCF finished with 487 yards, second most allowed by Tech this season, but the Knights' 23 points were their third fewest.

Baskerville said it was similar to Tech's 16-13 victory the week before at Kansas.

"Yards don't mean anything without points on the board," Baskerville said. "You can get all the way down the field and if you end up with nothing or three on the board, then how valuable are those yards?

"That's kind of what the story was last week. Kansas was able to drive down, but whenever they got to the red zone, they weren't getting any points, so what do those yards really mean?"

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Tahj Brooks crafts memorable finish in his presumed last home game