3. CFP Semifinal: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
TCU 51, Michigan 45
Pre-Bowl Matchup Ranking: 10
Pre-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 11, 2020: 14, 2019: 1
Post-Bowl Ranking: 2021: 6, 2020: 15, 2019: 1
It never, ever works like this.
The College Football Playoff undercard is a mere formality.
It’s the first game of the CFP day because the two headlining superpowers get the more important slot. In seven of the first eight College Football Playoff games, the first semifinal usually gets ugly, and it’s usually because one of the teams probably shouldn’t be there.
Cincinnati, Michigan State, Washington, and Notre Dame (twice) did what they were supposed to and earned their way in, but they all quickly showed why they were playing in that first game of the day.
TCU was next on that list.
TCU was going to run on the field, put up a brave fight, and then buckle against the undefeated Big Ten champion that had the mettle to go into Columbus, Ohio and apply an atomic wedgie to a team that turned out to be a missed kick away from probably becoming the national champion.
Nope.
Yeah, Michigan gacked. There were some early bad play calls, horrible turnovers, and the defense that was among the best in college football all season long opted out in the third quarter.
But TCU overcame the adversity. Michigan didn’t.
TCU could’ve easily snapped out of its groove and realized the moment was too big. It didn’t, it held on, and for the first time the team no one thought had any chance in a College Football Playoff game pulled it off.
The game itself was poorly played in a slew of ways – no tackling, too many errors, horrendous officiating mistakes – but whatever. This was a moment in CFP history that no one will ever forget.
But when it comes to how good the actual game was, it doesn’t quite match …
5 Thoughts on TCU’s Fiesta Bowl win over Michigan
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