No. 3 TCU knocks off No. 2 Michigan in 2022 Fiesta Bowl and all-time classic CFP semifinal

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12:44 am, January 1, 2023

This game has already reached memorable levels and the final minutes are shaping up for an all-time finish. J.J. McCarthy found Roman Wilson in the endzone for his second touchdown through the air with Wilson reaching over 100 receiving yards.

12:41 am, January 1, 2023

Ohio State fans are filing into their seats at Mercedez-Benz Stadium. Even though the Ohio State-Georgia game is still in its pregame state, the Buckeye faithful are cheering, supporting TCU’s lead over rival Michigan in the other College Football Playoff semifinal.

12:14 am, January 1, 2023

Another huge play results in a touchdown, this time a short pass from Max Duggan to Quentin Johnson is followed by one missed tackle on the sideline and a sprint to the endzone. The scoring flurry continues, that’s now seven of the last nine drives to end with six points.

12:10 am, January 1, 2023

Roman Wilson ran it into the endzone from 18 yards out (punctuated by a helicopter ride) and Ronnie Wilson added the two-point conversion to cut the Wolverines’ deficit to just three points with nearly the entire final quarter to be played. All this came on the back of a TCU fumble on the final play of the third.

11:56 pm, December 31, 2022

How about 44 combined points in this third quarter?! The Michigan defense got overaggressive with its blitzes and Emari Demarcado made them pay, speeding past the rush and breaking a 69-yard run to the one-yard line. Max Duggan punched it in again for his second rushing touchdown of the night. Four plays later the Wolverines were in the end zone yet again after another deep throw completed by J.J. McCarthy.

 

11:50 pm, December 31, 2022

Three plays, six points for the Michigan offense, all thanks to the legs of J.J. McCarthy. A 39-yard scramble on second down was followed by a 20-yard scamper into the endzone as points have been plentiful in the third period. The Wolverines tried another QB run for the two-point conversion but came up just short.

11:45 pm, December 31, 2022

The game has once again got away from Michigan with a second interception returned for a touchdown in the game. J.J. McCarthy was picked off by Dee Winters, who added to an already great night (six tackles, two for loss) and turned it into a spectacular one. The Frogs lead by three scores yet again.

11:38 pm, December 31, 2022

The Horned Frogs have now scored more against Michigan than any team has managed this season, and this score came in just six plays and two minutes. This time, Max Duggan took a back seat to backup running back Emari Demarcado, who has filled in nicely for the hurt Kendre Miller. Demarcado ran the ball five straight plays for a total of 29 yards to get in the endzone and restore TCU’s two-score lead.

11:30 pm, December 31, 2022

J.J. McCarthy links up with Roman Wilson deep yet again (on a flea flicker!) and Michigan has made this a one-score game midway into the third quarter. The Wolverines got the ball back with favorable field position thanks to a Mike Sainristil interception of Max Duggan near midfield. We’ve got a game, folks. 

11:17 pm, December 31, 2022

Blake Moody chips home a 21-yard field goal for his third score on the night as the Wolverines once again reach the redzone and fail to reach paydirt. The Wolverines put together a good drive with plays of 20 and 43 yards, but the Horned Frogs once again formed a wall on the goal line and forced Michigan to leave points on the board. 

Michigan football Ronnie Bell

10:45 pm, December 31, 2022

Michigan’s Jake Moody nails a 59-yard field goal to close out the first half and pull the Wolverines within 21-6. Moody missed his first attempt, but TCU called timeout to try to ice him. 

Horned Frogs quarterback Max Duggan threw for 89 yards, a touchdown and a pick, adding 30 yards and a score on the ground. Safety Bud Clark returned an interception 41 yards to the house to open the scoring.

Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy had 148 passing yards and a pick, while running back Donovan Edwards has 90 rushing yards. The Wolverines had three turnovers between McCarthy’s pick-six, a fumble and one on downs. 

10:22 pm, December 31, 2022

The Max Duggan show continues in the Fiesta Bowl. On this last drive, he got it done with both his arm and his feet, scrambling for plus yardage and finding open receivers all over the field. On 2nd down from the six-yard line, Duggan escaped pressure by rolling to his right and fired a bullet on the run to Taye Barber, who found the endzone to give the Frogs a commanding lead nearing halftime.

9:59 pm, December 31, 2022

On the very next play after Rod Moore intercepted Max Duggan, Michigan took the top off the TCU defense with a 50-yard pass from J.J. McCarthy to Ronnie Wilson, setting up what looked to be a one-yard Michigan touchdown. But in a goal-line scrum, the ball was coughed up and recovered by the Horned Frogs! That’s the second redzone turnover for this Michigan offense.

9:44 pm, December 31, 2022

On first and goal from the one-yard line, who else was going to have his number called? The Heisman runner-up faked a handoff and ran left, lowering his shoulder into a defender as he crossed the plane to cap a 12-play, 76-yard drive that ate over five minutes of game time. The Horned Frogs are rolling in Glendale, Arizona.

For Michigan, it’s already the largest deficit the Wolverines have faced all season.



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