How TCU reached the College Football Playoff
TCU’s 2022 season never lacked fireworks or drama.
A season-opening win over Colorado set the stage for the unbeaten regular season. The season included numerous second-half comebacks, two overtime thrillers, a lopsided statement win over Oklahoma and then a gut-wrenching loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 championship game.
Before we start the clock on Saturday’s national semifinal, a look back at the memorable season:
Duggan rises in Boulder
TCU’s 38-13 win over Colorado started off shaky with the offense failing to score a point in the first half. When it got rolling in the second half, Chandler Morris had to exit with a knee injury that opened the door for Max Duggan to resume his place as the starter. The rest is history.
Warmup vs. Tarleton
There’s not much to say about the Horned Frogs’ 59-17 over Tarleton State in their home opener. TCU faced a former SEC quarterback and handled him defensively. Duggan threw for 390 yards and five touchdowns, offering an early glimpse of what was to come.
The Iron Skillet
The attention and drama leading up to TCU’s 42-34 win over rival SMU was at a fever pitch. Hurt feelings over coach Sonny Dykes’ departure were clearly evident, and SMU had its largest crowd in Ford Stadium history. TCU jumped to a 28-7 lead and eventually held off a late SMU rally as Duggan threw for three more touchdowns.
The beatdown of Oklahoma
When did everyone begin to think TCU could be a special team? When they blitzed Oklahoma 55-24 at Amon G. Carter Stadium. TCU led 41-17 at the half and had nearly 700 yards of total offense. Duggan had five total touchdowns and more than 400 yards of total offense. Kendre Miller led a rushing attack that piled up more than 300 yards on the ground.
GameDay in Lawrence
In what would be the first of many appearances on ESPN College GameDay, the popular pregame show was in town for TCU’s dramatic 38-31 win over Kansas. The first half didn’t have many fireworks, but the insertion of backup quarterback Jason Bean put TCU on its heels in the second half. Duggan completed the go-ahead score to Quentin Johnston with just over 90 seconds left in the game.
The Miracle at the Carter
There was no rest for TCU the next week as the Horned Frogs faced an Oklahoma State team that was ranked in the Top 10. The Cowboys led by as many as 17 points in the first half before TCU began to battle back. The Horned Frogs held Oklahoma State to just six points in the second half, and TCU tied the game at 30 with a Duggan touchdown pass to Jared Wiley. The Horned Frogs won 43-40 in double overtime.
A championship preview
TCU faced its fourth straight ranked opponent when Kansas State visited Fort Worth. K-State starting quarterback Adrian Martinez was knocked out of the game, opening the door for backup Will Howard to come into the lineup. He lit TCU up, as the Horned Frogs trailed 28-10. The defense held the Wildcats scoreless in the second half and Kendre Miller paced the comeback with 158 yards in the 38-28 win.
House of horrors no more
Morgantown has always been a difficult place for TCU to play, but the Horned Frogs snapped a three-game losing streak at West Virginia with a 41-31 win. It was still difficult, as TCU could never put West Virginia away, and the Mountaineers had their chances late to tie or take the lead. Duggan threw a touchdown pass to Savion Williams as time expired to ice the game.
Pesky Tech
The rivalry game was harder than expected with the Red Raiders leading 17-13 midway through the third quarter. Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson showed why he is a potential first-round pick on the defensive line as TCU struggled with the Red Raiders’ front seven. In the end, TCU found itself late, and Kendre Miller had 158 yards rushing to power the Horned Frogs to a 34-24 win.
Best in Texas
Everyone expected TCU’s College Football Playoffs chances to end at Texas. College GameDay was present for the primetime game in Austin. Instead of a TCU defeat, the Horned Frogs played their best defensive game of the year as they shut down the Longhorns’ star running back Bijan Robinson and shut out Texas in the first half. TCU dominated Texas physically in a 17-10 win that proved TCU’s legitimacy as a playoff contender.
Bazooka on the Brazos
TCU’s 29-28 win over rival Baylor was the most dramatic of them all. The Bears threw everything at the Horned Frogs in the quest to knock TCU out of the playoffs. When Emari Demercado dropped a two-point conversion that would’ve tied it at 28, it seemed like TCU’s run was about to be over. However, the defense got a stop and Max Duggan drove the offense down to field to set up Griffin Kell’s game-winning bazooka field goal.
The Frogs had to sprint out onto the field with 17 seconds left to kick the field goal as TCU had no timeouts.
Good D, Better O
The season finale against Iowa State was another game that had the makings of a trap game. The Cyclones had the best defense in the Big 12 and one of the best in the country. Thanks to pick-sixes from Millard Bradford and Josh Newton, TCU decimated one of the best defenses in the country 62-14 to complete a 12-0 regular season and inch closer to securing a playoff spot.
The War at Jerry World
In a rematch with Kansas State in the Big 12 championship game, TCU once again found itself in another deficit. Things looked bleak as TCU trailed 28-17 with less than 12 minutes remaining in the fourth. The Horned Frogs battled back with two scores in the final 7:34 of the game, including Max Duggan’s warrior-like eight yard touchdown run that made it 28-26. TCU converted the two-point conversion and sent the game to overtime.
Kendre Miller had two cracks at getting in the endzone on TCU’s overtime possession, but his fourth-and-goal run was stuffed by Kansas State. The Wildcats kicked the game-winning field goal and delivered TCU its first loss. In the end it didn’t matter, as TCU still made the CFP as the No. 3 seed and will face Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday.
