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TCU wins an erratic CFP Quarterfinal against Michigan

Nothing could top the dramatic goofiness of the third quarter, despite the fourth quarter’s confusion.

By Chuck Carlton

GLENDALE, Ariz. – The little private school that could is now one win away from reaching the pinnacle of collegiate football.

TCU shocked Michigan and pretty much everyone else outside of Fort Worth, defeating Big Ten winner Michigan 51-45 in the College Football Playoffs at the Fiesta Bowl. The Horned Frogs (13-1) will face Georgia in the national title game on Jan. 9 in Inglewood, Calif. (14-0).

“We’re excited to tee it up again in 10 days and have a chance at a national championship,” said first-year coach Sonny Dykes. TCU will be a significant opponent in the championship game, as it was on Saturday. “We know we’ll hear it again,” Dykes predicted. “We play again in 10 days, and we know we’ll hear the same nonsense we did before this one.”

Purple pride was on full show at State Farm Stadium’s postgame win party and in the stands, where supporters battled transport headaches to get to the game.

runner-up for the Heisman Trophy To guide the team to success, Max Duggan threw two touchdown passes and sprinted for two more. TCU led 48-38 after his 76-yard touchdown strike to Quentin Johnston in the fourth quarter. Griffin Kell’s 33-yard field goal increased the Horned Frogs’ lead to 51-38.

Michigan answered with a 5-yard touchdown throw from JJ McCarthy to Roman Wilson with 3:18 left, as had been the trend throughout a wild second half. TCU’s defense stopped Michigan’s final drive after TCU punted, causing a fumble. TCU was on its way to Los Angeles when Duggan took the ball and knelt after an odd wait for a targeting review. The 2014 postseason disappointment had been exorcised. The lengthy trek through numerous conferences to gain admission to the Big 12 was well worth it.

The Horned Frogs are the first squad from Texas and the first from the Big 12 to win a College Football Playoff contest. The last national title won by the institution was in 1938. TCU went 5-7 last season and severed ways with Gary Patterson, the school’s all-time winningest coach, halfway through the season.

Enter SMU’s Dykes, who brings a cheerful attitude and a wide-open attack. Few people believed. TCU was selected to place seventh in the Big 12 despite being unranked and unheralded.

After commencing the season as the team’s reserve quarterback, Duggan advanced to the starting lineup and never lost the QB1 title. He was depressed, battling back emotions after losing the Big 12 championship game in overtime to Kansas State. “This one feels a little better,” said Duggan.

There were numerous other champions. With six catches for 163 yards and the score, Johnston was voted game MVP. In place of the injured Kendre Miller, Emari Demarcado rushed for 150 yards and a score. Defensive end Dylan Horton had four sacks, and linebacker Dee Winters had three stops for loss and a score return.

“We wanted to show people what the Big 12 was all about,” Winters explained.

After hearing all week how Michigan would grind the Horned Frogs into surrender, TCU more than held its own in the middle. Dykes later acknowledged that any disrespect to his squad worried him.
“We were without a doubt the most physical team on the field tonight,” Dykes said.

TCU limited Michigan to 185 yards running, 58 yards less than their season average. Throughout the season, no team had tallied more than 27 points against Michigan. TCU’s offense scored 37 points despite two interception recoveries for scores.

TCU was described as “a very opportunistic team, a resilient team” by Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. They’re a fantastic football side that played fantastic football.”

Nothing could top the dramatic goofiness of the third quarter, despite the fourth quarter’s turmoil.
Stranger Things is nothing compared to those 15 minutes.

In a computer game come to life, the two teams tallied for 44 points, with Michigan outscoring TCU 24-20. The two teams tallied for 420 yards of total production, with Michigan accounting for 239 of that total. You missed a score because you were distracted. Or two.

Dykes likened it to an old-school Big 12 contest, remarking that his late coaching friend Mike Leach would have “got a kick” out of the third quarter. “Big play after big play after momentum swing,” Dykes explained. “But the most important thing we did was respond.”

It was insane, riveting, and everything that CFP football should be but rarely is. Consider this: four touchdowns were scored in the closing 2:52 of the third quarter. Winters returned an interception 29 yards for a score, giving TCU a 34-16 advantage. The Wolverines then moved 69 yards in three plays, with McCarthy scoring on a 20-yard run.

TCU responded with a fast drive of its own, with Duggan scoring from a yard out to cap a 78-yard drive. The Wolverines responded with a 75-yard drive in three plays, with Kalel Mullings scoring from a yard out. “There were big plays; there were mistakes,” Harbaugh said. “Both sides had one less than we needed, and they had one more. And it turned out to be the difference in the contest.”

TCU led 21-9 at intermission, due to some strange red zone play-calling that cost the Wolverines 14 points. The Horned Frogs, making their first appearance in the CFP, appeared right at home taking advantage. On Michigan’s first offensive play, Bud Clark returned an interception 41 yards for a score, which was followed by a 1-yard Duggan run to complete a 76-yard drive, and TCU led 14-0 late in the first quarter.

TCU scored again when Duggan purchased time against the Michigan pass pressure and connected with Taye Barber for a 6-yard touchdown. To finish the first half, the Wolverines opted for three Jake Moody field goals, including a Fiesta Bowl record 59-yarder. As strange as the first half had been, things were only getting started.

In a computer game come to life, the two teams tallied for 44 points, with Michigan outscoring TCU 24-20. The two teams tallied for 420 yards of total production, with Michigan accounting for 239 of that total. You missed a score because you were distracted. Or two.

It was insane, riveting, and everything that CFP football should be but rarely is. Consider: The closing 2:52 of the period saw four touchdowns. Winters returned an interception 29 yards for a score, giving TCU a 34-16 advantage. The Wolverines then moved 69 yards in three plays, with McCarthy scoring on a 20-yard run.

TCU responded with a fast drive of its own, with Duggan scoring from a yard out to cap a 78-yard drive. The Wolverines responded by running 75 yards in three plays, with Kallel Mullings scoring from a yard out. TCU led 21-9 at intermission, due to some strange red zone play-calling that cost the Wolverines 14 points.The Horned Frogs, making their first appearance in the CFP, appeared right at home taking advantage. Bud Clark’s 41-yard interception return for a score on Michigan’s first offensive play, followed by a 1-yard Duggan run to complete a 76-yard drive, put TCU up 14-0 late in the first quarter.

TCU scored again when Duggan purchased time against the Michigan pass pressure and connected with Taye Barber for a 6-yard touchdown.

To finish the first half, the Wolverines opted for three Jake Moody field goals, including a Fiesta Bowl record 59-yarder. As strange as the first half had been, things were only getting started.

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