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GLENDALE, Arizona — Max Duggan scored 4 touchdowns, TCU returned two interceptions for scores and the third-ranked Horned Frogs withstood a second-half surge by No. 2 Michigan to win the Fiesta Bowl 51-45 on Saturday night time and advance to varsity soccer playoffs. nationwide championship.
TCU (13-1), the hardest group ever to make the four-team playoff in its nine-year historical past, has yet another recreation left in its unbelievable season and can play both No. 1 Georgia or No. 4 Ohio State. January 9 at Sophie Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Coming off a shedding season in 2021 and picked to complete seventh within the Huge 12 in Sonny Dykes’ first yr as coach, the Horned Frogs will look to win this system’s first nationwide championship since 1938.
Duggan and the Frogs are certain to be underdogs, once more. It did not matter a lot in opposition to Michigan (13-1), as they took it to the massive, unhealthy Huge Ten champions and turned the Fiesta Bowl right into a circa-2010, Huge 12-style scoring fest.
It was the highest-scoring Fiesta Bowl ever and the second-highest-scoring CFP recreation behind Georgia’s 54-48 win over Oklahoma on Jan. 1, 2018.
This one was 34-16 with 2:46 left within the third quarter, and the Hypnotoads, a nickname borrowed from the animated TV present Futurama, and their purple-clad followers may sense their wild trip wasn’t over.
After all, nothing has come straightforward for these Frogs all yr. Throughout their undefeated common season, they’ve received seven straight by 10 factors or much less.
What adopted had been 5 touchdowns punctuated by TCU turnovers, every lasting lower than a minute.
Roman Wilson’s 18-yard landing run and 2-point conversion put Michigan up 41-38 with 14:13 left within the fourth quarter.
The Frogs returned, releasing their greatest weapon. Potential first-round decide Quentin Johnston took a brief cross from Duggan and rolled it down the sideline for a 76-yard rating that put the Frogs up 10.
TCU lastly received a maintain on Michigan’s subsequent possession and turned it right into a 33-yard subject objective by Griffin Kelly for a 51-38 lead with 10:02 left.
After the Frogs and Wolverines mixed for 62 factors in 20 second-half minutes, the momentum shifted again. However Michigan reduce the result in 6 with 3:14 left on JJ McCarthy’s 5-yard TD cross to Wilson.
TCU could not freeze it, and Michigan received one other drive to begin at its personal 25 with 52 seconds left, however could not get a primary down.
Earlier than TCU may line up in victory formation, there was a overview by the officers to focus on the Frogs. What was one other minute of drama in a season crammed for TCU?
The play was clear. Dugan, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, took one final hit and knelt because the exhausted Frogs rushed the sector and celebrated underneath a cloud of purple and white confetti.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2023 by The Related Press. All rights reserved.
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