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With first-year coach Sonny Dykes taking over a team that went 5-7 last year, TCU was nowhere near the top of the list for playoff contenders in 2022. But the Horned Frogs gained steam by reeling off key wins against SMU, Oklahoma, and Kansas before rallying to beat Kansas State 38-28 on Oct. 22. Dykes' team finished the goal of a perfect regular season by knocking off Texas 17-10, Baylor 29-28, and Iowa State 62-14 in November.
When is the Michigan vs. TCU game in the CFP?
J. McCarthy is more than capable of making enough plays to win this game through the air. The first-year starter threw for 2, 376 yards and 20 touchdowns to three picks and ranked second in the Big Ten in quarterback rating (155. 4) in the regular season. Ronnie Bell is McCarthy's favorite target (56 catches), but Cornelius Johnson (30), Roman Wilson (20), and Andrel Anthony (seven) will be involved on the outside. Also, tight ends Luke Schoonmaker (34 grabs) and Colston Loveland (12) should factor prominently into the passing game.
However, an injury to Chandler Morris in the opener allowed Duggan to regain the No. 1 spot. The Iowa native not only turned in the best season of his career, but his numbers and overall importance to TCU were enough to land him a runner-up finish in Heisman Trophy voting. Duggan was efficient (64. 9 percent) and explosive (30 TDs to just four picks) through the air and productive (404 yards and six scores) on the ground.
3 TCU (12-1) vs. No. 2 Michigan (13-0)Kickoff: Saturday, Dec. 31 at 3 p. m. ETWhere: State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Ariz. )TV: ESPNLive Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)Spread: Michigan -7. 5Tickets: As low as $212 on SITickets. com*When TCU Has the BallIt's an oversimplification, but this game features one of the nation's most explosive offenses against one of the best defenses in college football. TCU averages 40. 3 points a game and 6. 84 yards per play and paces the nation with 19 plays of 50-plus yards. Michigan will counter with a defense that's holding teams to just 13. 4 points a contest and allowing 4. 5 yards per snap. Despite leading the offense for the three previous years, Max Duggan didn't open '22 as the starter.
The Wolverines have proven they can win a high-scoring back-and-forth game if needed, but Harbaugh would probably prefer to avoid that type of matchup. The stat sheet quickly emphasizes where the gameplan is going for Harbaugh. Michigan has attempted 560 runs to just 335 passes this year, with only two of 13 games featuring the offense attempting more than 30 passes. Blake Corum's run at the Heisman Trophy was derailed by a season-ending knee injury against Illinois.
TCU fell short (31-28) in a rematch against K-State in the Big 12 title game, but the 12 regular season wins were more than enough to secure a trip to the playoff. Close victories and finding ways to win were staples of this team. The Horned Frogs won eight of their 12 games by 10 points or fewer, and two of those (Baylor and Oklahoma State) by a combined four points. This is the first meeting between TCU and Michigan on the gridiron. The Wolverines have lost their last five bowl trips, including last year's playoff game (34-11) to Georgia. The Horned Frogs have won four out of their last five bowl treks. Vrbo Fiesta Bowl: No.
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The Wolverines may have to concede some yards in exchange for wins on third down to prevent this game from turning into a back-and-forth shootout. Related: 5 Reasons Why TCU Will Beat MichiganWhen Michigan Has the BallThe gameplan for Michigan is rather obvious: Run the ball and control the pace and flow of the game.
Safety Rod Moore and nickel Mike Sainristil were also instrumental in keeping opposing passing offenses in check. In tandem with the secondary, Michigan's front also played a huge role in the overall success of this unit. Led by Mike Morris (11 TFL), Jaylen Harrell (7. 5), and Eyabi Okie (6. 5), the pass rush recorded 70 tackles for a loss and 36 sacks this season. TCU's front allowed only 23 sacks this season and ranked No. 26 nationally in PFF's pass-blocking metrics for offensive lines.
First-team All-Big 12 cornerbacks Josh Newton and Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson anchor TCU's secondary and guided this group to a No. 2 finish in the conference in pass efficiency defense. This unit allowed only two teams — SMU and Kansas — to eclipse 300 passing yards this year. However, opponents did manage 10 completions of 40-plus yards, so there could be some opportunities for Michigan to stretch the field with a few big plays. If TCU can slow Michigan's rushing attack and get McCarthy into obvious passing downs, it's a win for this defense. But if the Wolverines are controlling the line of scrimmage and Edwards is finding running room on every carry, the Horned Frogs' path to an upset narrows.
Road to the CFP: TCU vs Michigan - BetUS
While losing a 1, 463-yard rusher would decimate some offenses, the Wolverines' ground game hasn't missed a beat with Donovan Edwards (872 yards and seven scores) stepping into the No. 1 role. The sophomore brings a little more big-play ability (five of 40-plus yards) into the lineup. The front five of Michigan won the Joe Moore Award as the best offensive line in college football. The combination of Edwards and the Wolverines' starting five up front is a huge challenge for a TCU rush defense that allowed 149. 5 yards a game and ranked No. 90 nationally in rush defense success rate this season. The ground game and winning up front is clearly the point of emphasis, but as showcased in wins against Ohio State and Purdue, quarterback J.
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