TCU football continues to win. It does not matter who they play. They just win — every single time. Head coach Sonny Dykes, his staff, and the players are just able to find ways to get those duns. In their latest victory over the Texas Longhorns, the Horned Frogs officially clinched a spot in the Big 12 Championship. That's really awesome, but more than the conference, we feel that TCU football has the potential to have an even bigger national impact. Here we will discuss the four reasons why the TCU Horned Frogs will continue winning and make it to the College Football Playoff.
Man, we might as well welcome TCU to the College Football Playoff, right? This week, the Horned Frogs moved from splashing around the CFP's edge to diving in head first. TCU eliminated any doubts about its true CFP legitimacy with an impressive win over Texas. Not surprisingly, the Horned Frogs joined the top four in this week's college football rankings (AP Top 25 and ADCA Coaches Poll).
As such, let's look at the four reasons why the TCU Horned Frogs will make it to the College Football Playoff.
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4. RB Kendre Miller
For the most part, TCU football's offense labored against Texas until running back Kendre Miller exploded for a 75-yard touchdown run. The score was the first for either team and came at a crucial time for TCU.
It just goes to show that no matter how bad a team is doing, one big play can flip the tables in an instant. Miller is that kind of talent for TCU, and he's a big reason they are so dangerous heading into the Big 12 championship game and eventually the CFP.
Coach Dykes stated after the Texas win that Miller, as well as RB Emari Demercado, ran hard. Miller, in fact, finished with 138 yards on 21 carries, while Demercado had 65 yards on 11 carries.
“Those two guys, all year, they’ve done what they did tonight,” said Dykes. “We’ve been able to finish games by being able to run the football and run the clock out.”
As long as Miller is there to burst through those gaps, TCU's run game should remain one of their main weapons.
3. QB Max Duggan
The Longhorn defense sacked TCU QB Max Duggan five times. That's proof that the Horned Frogs' pass protection was poor, but there were also times when Duggan failed to get the ball out on time. Those sacks also snuffed down the Frogs' momentum. The Longhorns did an excellent job of prepping for TCU's attack and minimizing big plays.
However, do not forget that Duggan continued to fight no matter how many massive hits he took. Numbers-wise, he didn't have the best outing against Texas. Duggan finished with just 124 yards on 19-of-29 passes and one TD. His passer rating was just 32.6. Yes, he was banged up, but that's no excuse.
Despite his weak performance against Texas, though, Duggan has earned his spot in the sun for TCU. Remember that before their game against the Longhorns, he was fourth in passing efficiency among an FBS list led by Heisman Trophy candidates.
Do not forget also that Duggan led TCU to four consecutive Big 12 wins over ranked opponents in October. In those games, Duggan averaged 294 passing yards with 11 touchdowns and one interception. He may not have the biggest name, but he has a pretty big game in him.
2. Airtight Defense
This season, the Horned Frogs have been involved in a number of high-scoring games. The duel with the Longhorns, however, was just the contrary. It was TCU football's defense that stole the day, restricting the Texas offense to three points.
The Frogs set the tone for the game in the first half, limiting quarterback Quinn Ewers to 4-of-14 passing. They also forced an interception and limited the Horns to three first downs. The rest of the way, Ewers didn't fare much better, failing to lead even a single successful touchdown drive.
Coach Dykes stated that the defense played excellently throughout the game, especially given the quality of the Texas attack.
“The [Texas] skill players can make big plays at any time,” said Dykes. “I thought defensively, we played lights out.”
Looking ahead, the Frogs' airtight defense will be a strong complement to their high-powered offense. That combination will be their ticket to the Big 12 title and even the CFP.
1. Big 12 Championship Game
TCU football's hardest challenge of the season came against Texas. Even though the game was nasty at times, they still got the job done on the road and in front of 100,000 people. After prevailing in that contest, we ask — can the Horned Frogs run the table and complete a sweep?
This win positioned the Frogs as a bona fide Big 12 championship favorite and also as a true College Football Playoff contender. Before the CFP lineup is finalized, TCU has three games left: Baylor in Waco, Iowa State in Fort Worth, and the Big 12 Championship in Arlington. All of those are winnable matchups.
“It's a little bit of a relief honestly. Suddenly you have a two-game lead and you start seeing the scenarios,” said coach Sonny Dykes after they clinched the Big 12 championship berth. “It's good to get that monkey off our back and know we will have a chance to play in that game. I don't have any idea who we are going to be playing. Whoever it is, it's going to be really good.”
TCU is hoping that the College Football Playoff selection committee will notice its ability to win in a variety of ways. For example, despite having a touchdown reception and 66 yards receiving, standout receiver Quentin Johnston was not the main center of their win over Texas. That's a testament to this team's depth.
Winning so convincingly against one of college football's most potent offenses could provide TCU with some much-needed legitimacy when the committee conducts its final CFP deliberations. Keep in mind that TCU football now has victories over ranked programs Texas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Kansas, and a handful of other potential bowl teams. Perhaps most importantly, the Frogs remain unbeaten and are objectively a top-four team in the nation.
These four teams remain undefeated heading into Week 12🔥
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