T.C.U. Topples Michigan in Wild Playoff Semifinal

Once once more, although, Michigan couldn’t cease T.C.U. when it mattered most.

On third-and-7, Duggan hit Quentin Johnston on a brief crossing route and the star receiver busted via a sort out and bolted 76 yards for a landing and the Horned Frogs had some a lot wanted respiratory room.

It was barely sufficient.

When T.C.U. was stonewalled on back-to-back cracks from contained in the 1-yard line in extra time of its loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 championship sport, Dykes instantly pledged to be higher there if his workforce received into the playoff. Earlier this week, he stated the Horned Frogs must be stronger up entrance, but additionally extra artistic.

“We’ve put a lot of work into, a lot of attention to it,” Dykes stated. “When you look at college football these days, teams are so evenly matched, typically what the game comes down to is being able to convert third downs and, especially, fourth downs and scoring situations.”

Dykes proved prescient.

After Duggan — who was pushed from behind by a few teammates — was stopped on a sneak on third-and-goal on the 1, he rolled to his left earlier than turning up area and bulled over Michigan security Rod Moore, who had rushed as much as meet him on the purpose line, placing the Horned Frogs forward, 14-0.

The subsequent time T.C.U. was in placing distance, Duggan rolled out on second-and-goal on the Michigan 6, evaded blitzing nickel again Mike Sainristil and hit receiver Taye Barber, who had raced throughout the formation, stepped out of a shoestring sort out by cornerback D.J. Turner and bounded into the tip zone.

Shockingly, the upstarts had been up by a startling 21-3.

Meanwhile, Michigan floundered when it sniffed the tip zone, largely by being too intelligent for its personal good — as if Rich Rodriguez had hijacked Harbaugh’s headset.

The Wolverines, on fourth-and-goal on the 2, ran their model of the Philly Special, the reverse and throw again to the quarterback that the Philadelphia Eagles used to nice acclaim to bamboozle the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2018.