CFP Semi-Final: Fiesta Bowl: Texas Christian 51, Michigan 45
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer
GLENDALE, Ariz. - Max Duggan accounted for four touchdowns, TCU returned two interceptions for scores and the third-ranked Horned Frogs withstood a frenetic second-half surge by No. 2 Michigan to win the Fiesta Bowl 51-45 and advance to the College Football Playoff national championship.
It was the highest scoring Fiesta Bowl ever and the second-highest scoring CFP game behind Georgia's 54-48 Rose Bowl victory against Oklahoma on Jan. 1, 2018.
This one was 34-16 with 2:46 left in the third quarter and the Hypnotoads, a nickname borrowed for the animated TV show "Futurama," and their purple-clad fans could sense their wild ride wasn't over.
Of course, nothing has come easy for these Frogs all year. During their unbeaten regular season, they won seven straight games by 10 points or fewer.
What followed was five touchdown drives - with a TCU turnover tucked in between - each taking less than a minute.
Roman Wilson's 18-yard touchdown run on a reverse and a 2-point conversion pulled Michigan within 41-38 with 14:13 left in the fourth quarter.
Back came the Frogs, unleashing their best weapon. Future first-round draft pick Quentin Johnston took a short crosser from Duggan and turned it up the sideline for a 76-yard score that put the Frogs up 10.
TCU finally got a stop on Michigan's next possession and turned it into a 33-yard field goal by Griffin Kell to go up 51-38 with 10:02 left.
After the Frogs and Wolverines combined for 62 points in 20 second-half minutes, the pace was throttled back. But Michigan cut the lead to six with 3:14 left on J.J. McCarthy's 5-yard TD pass to Wilson.
TCU couldn't ice it and Michigan got one more shot, starting from its 25 with 52 seconds left - but couldn't get first first down.
Before TCU could line up in victory formation, there was an officials' review for targeting on the Frogs. What was another minute or so of drama in a season filled it for TCU?
The play was clean. Duggan, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, took one last snap and a knee and the exhausted Frogs rushed the field and celebrated under cloud of purple and white confetti.
December 31, 2022
| Scoring Summary |
| First Quarter |
TCU | Mich |
| TCU |
TD |
9:22 |
Bud Clark 41 yard interception return for TD (Griffin Kell Extra Point) |
7 |
0 |
| TCU |
TD |
2:27 |
Max Duggan 1 yard TD run (Griffin Kell Extra Point) |
14 |
0 |
| Second Quarter |
TCU | Mich |
| Mich |
FG |
13:46 |
Jake Moody 42 yard field goal |
14 |
3 |
| TCU |
TD |
4:56 |
Taye Barber 6 yard TD pass from Max Duggan (Griffin Kell Extra Point) |
21 |
3 |
| Mich |
FG |
0:00 |
Jake Moody 59 yard field goal |
21 |
6 |
| Third Quarter |
TCU | Mich |
| Mich |
FG |
9:29 |
Jake Moody 21 yard field goal |
21 |
9 |
| Mich |
TD |
6:32 |
Ronnie Bell 34 yard TD pass from J.J. McCarthy (Jake Moody Extra Point) |
21 |
16 |
| TCU |
TD |
4:25 |
Emari Demercado 1 yard TD run (Griffin Kell Extra Point) |
28 |
16 |
| TCU |
TD |
2:52 |
Dee Winters 29 yard interception return for TD (Jordy Sandy 2pt conversion attempt is NO GOOD) |
34 |
16 |
| Mich |
TD |
1:47 |
J.J. McCarthy 20 yard TD run (J.J. McCarthy 2pt conversion attempt is NO GOOD) |
34 |
22 |
| TCU |
TD |
0:49 |
Max Duggan 1 yard TD run (Griffin Kell Extra Point) |
41 |
22 |
| Mich |
TD |
0:03 |
Kalel Mullings 1 yard TD run (J.J. McCarthy 2pt conversion attempt is GOOD) |
41 |
30 |
| Fourth Quarter |
TCU | Mich |
| Mich |
TD |
14:13 |
Roman Wilson 18 yard TD run (Ronnie Bell 2pt conversion attempt is GOOD) |
41 |
38 |
| TCU |
TD |
13:07 |
Quentin Johnston 76 yard TD pass from Max Duggan (Griffin Kell Extra Point) |
48 |
38 |
| TCU |
FG |
10:02 |
Griffin Kell 33 yard field goal |
51 |
38 |
| Mich |
TD |
3:18 |
Roman Wilson 5 yard TD pass from J.J. McCarthy (Jake Moody Extra Point) |
51 |
45 |
| Team Stats |
| |
TCU |
Michigan |
| First downs |
19 |
26 |
| Rushing |
13 |
7 |
| Passing |
6 |
13 |
| Penalty |
0 |
6 |
| 3rd Down Efficiency |
8-16, 50% |
3-13, 23% |
| 4th down efficiency |
0-0, -% |
0-2, 0% |
| Rushes-Yards |
41-263 |
41-184 |
| Passing Yards |
225 |
343 |
| Return Yards |
176 |
102 |
| Completions-Attempts-Int |
14-29-2 |
20-34-2 |
| Sacks-Yards Lost |
1-7 |
4-38 |
| Punts |
6 |
5 |
| Fumbles Lost |
1-1 |
3-1 |
| Penalties - Yards |
7-85 |
5-28 |
| TCU Passing |
| Player |
Cmp |
Att |
Yds |
TDs |
Int |
| M. Duggan |
14 |
29 |
225 |
2 |
2 |
| Michigan Passing |
| Player |
Cmp |
Att |
Yds |
TDs |
Int |
| J. McCarthy |
20 |
34 |
343 |
2 |
2 |
| TCU Rushing |
| Player |
Carries |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| E. Demercado |
17 |
150 |
8.8 |
1 |
| K. Miller |
8 |
57 |
7.1 |
0 |
| M. Duggan |
15 |
57 |
3.8 |
2 |
| Michigan Rushing |
| Player |
Carries |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| D. Edwards |
23 |
119 |
5.2 |
0 |
| J. McCarthy |
10 |
52 |
5.2 |
1 |
| R. Wilson |
1 |
18 |
18.0 |
1 |
| K. Mullings |
5 |
4 |
0.8 |
1 |
| C. Loveland |
1 |
-4 |
-4.0 |
0 |
| TCU Receiving |
| Player |
Rec |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| Q. Johnston |
6 |
163 |
27.2 |
1 |
| J. Hudson |
2 |
34 |
17.0 |
0 |
| T. Barber |
2 |
12 |
6.0 |
1 |
| D. Davis |
2 |
12 |
6.0 |
0 |
| J. Wiley |
1 |
6 |
6.0 |
0 |
| E. Demercado |
1 |
-2 |
-2.0 |
0 |
| Michigan Receiving |
| Player |
Rec |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| R. Bell |
6 |
135 |
22.5 |
1 |
| R. Wilson |
5 |
104 |
20.8 |
1 |
| C. Loveland |
3 |
37 |
12.3 |
0 |
| L. Schoonmaker |
1 |
32 |
32.0 |
0 |
| C. Johnson |
2 |
30 |
15.0 |
0 |
| D. Edwards |
1 |
8 |
8.0 |
0 |
| A. Henning |
2 |
-3 |
-1.5 |
0 |
| TCU Interceptions |
| Player |
Int |
Yards |
| B. Clark |
1 |
41 |
| D. Winters |
1 |
29 |
| Michigan Interceptions |
| Player |
Int |
Yards |
| M. Sainristil |
1 |
8 |
| R. Moore |
1 |
0 |
| TCU Punting |
| Player |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
| J. Sandy |
6 |
267 |
44.5 |
| Michigan Punting |
| Player |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
| B. Robbins |
5 |
223 |
44.6 |
| TCU Punt Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| D. Davis |
1 |
31 |
31.0 |
| Michigan Punt Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| A. Henning |
2 |
16 |
8.0 |
| TCU Kick Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| D. Davis |
4 |
75 |
18.8 |
| Michigan Kick Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| A. Henning |
3 |
78 |
26.0 |
| TCU Missed FG |
| Player |
Length |
| Michigan Missed FG |
| Player |
Length |
