The College Football Playoff semifinal games are quickly approaching, and when it comes to Michigan football vs. TCU, there are a lot of factors that will play into the game.
All eyes will be on how the Wolverine defense fares against the vaunted TCU offense, but the Michigan offense has been solid. The Horned Frog defense? Not nearly as vaunted, but how much of that is due to playing some high-flying offenses themselves?
Michigan has improved greatly in all facets from the last time that it appeared in the College Football Playoff. Here is how it matches up against the Horned Frogs.
Offense
| Rank (metric) | Rank (metric) | ||
| Michigan scoring offense | 7th (40.1 ppg) | 57th (25 ppg) | TCU scoring defense |
| Michigan rushing offense | 6th (243 ypg) | 64th (149.46 ypga) | TCU rushing defense |
| Michigan passing offense | 93rd (210.5 ypg) | 83rd (235.6 ypga) | TCU passing defense |
| Michigan total offense | 27th (453.5 ypg) | 74th (385.1 ypga) | TCU total defense |
| Michigan yards per play | 19th (6.59 ypp) | 56th (5.41 ypga) | TCU yards per play allowed |
| Michigan first downs | 30th (23.2 pg) | 63rd (20.1 apg) | TCU opp. first downs |
| Michigan third down conv. | 16th (46.82%) | 41st (35.23%) | TCU opp. third down conv. |
| Michigan fourth down conv. | 1st (89.47%) | 54th (50%) | TCU opp. fourth down conv. |
| Michigan red zone conv. | 5th (93.75%) | 76th (84.44%) | TCU opp. red zone conv. |
| Michigan sacks allowed | 10th (1 sapg) | 77th (2 spg) | TCU sacks |
| Michigan TFL allowed | 22nd (4.31 tfla/gm) | 78th (5.46 tfl/gm) | TCU TFL |
| Michigan long scrimmage plays | 41st (182 10+ yd plays) | 87th (175 10+ yd plays) | TCU long plays allowed |
| Michigan penalties | 4th (32.3 yds/gm) | 103rd (44.8 yds/gm) | TCU opp. penalties |
| Michigan TOP | 4th (33:53.92) | 33rd (31:15.46) | TCU TOP |
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Defense
| Rank (metric) | Rank (metric) | ||
| Michigan scoring defense | 5th (13.4 ppg) | 6th (40.3 ppg) | TCU scoring offense |
| Michigan rushing defense | 3rd (85.23 ypga) | 25th (200 ypg) | TCU rushing offense |
| Michigan passing defense | 22nd (191.8 ypga) | 25th (273 ypg) | TCU passing offense |
| Michigan total defense | 3rd (277.1 ypga) | 16th (473 ypg) | TCU total offense |
| Michigan yards per play allowed | 3rd (4.45 yppa) | 10th (6.84 ypp) | TCU yards per play |
| Michigan opp. first downs | 8th (15.2 apg) | 41st (22.2 pg) | TCU first downs |
| Michigan opp. third down conv. | 20th (32.42%) | 52nd (40.23%) | TCU third down conv. |
| Michigan opp. fourth down conv. | 6th (32.14%) | 45th (56%) | TCU fourth down conv. |
| Michigan opp. red zone conv. | 32nd (79.41%) | 80th (81.82%) | TCU red zone conv. |
| Michigan sacks | 25th (2.77 s/gm) | 52nd (1.77 sa/gm) | TCU sacks allowed |
| Michigan TFL | 81st (5.39 tfl/gm) | 55th (5.31 tfla/gm) | TCU TFL allowed |
| Michigan long scrimmage plays allowed | 10th (125 10+ yd plays) | 10th (219 10+ yd plays) | TCU long plays |
| Michigan opp. penalties | 115th (41.8 yd/gm) | 36th (46.8 yd/gm) | TCU penalties |
| Michigan turnover margin | 20th (+0.62/gm) | 15th (+0.69/gm) | TCU turnover margin |
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Special teams
| Rank (metric) | Rank (metric) | ||
| Michigan kickoff | 18th (63.58 yds) | 10th (58.77 yds) | TCU opp. kickoff |
| Michigan kickoff return | 79th (19 yds/ret) | 3rd (13 yds/ret) | TCU kickoff return allowed |
| Michigan punting | 84th (40.9 yds/p) | 119th (43.84 yds/p) | TCU opp. punting |
| Michigan punt return | 55th (8.55 yds/ret) | 106th (10.6 yds/ret) | TCU punt return allowed |
| Michigan field goals | 40th (80.43%) | 24th (68.4%) | TCU opp. field goals |
| Michigan PAT | 1st (100%) | 74th (100%) | TCU opp. PAT |
| Michigan opp. kickoff | 80th (61.82 yds) | 61st (61.94 yds) | TCU kickoff |
| Michigan kickoff return allowed | 1st (12.08 yds/ret) | 85th (18.84 yds/ret) | TCU kickoff return |
| Michigan opp. punting | 70th (41.94 yds/p) | 108th (39.62 yds/p) | TCU punting |
| Michigan punt return allowed | 22nd (3.89 yds/ret) | 23rd (11.25 yds/ret) | TCU punt return |
| Michigan opp. field goals | 126th (94.1%) | 25th (85%) | TCU field goals |
| Michigan opp. PAT | 74th (100%) | 112th (95.2%) | TCU PAT |
| Mich. blocked punts/kicks | 32nd (2) | NR (0) | TCU blocked punts/kicks |
Players to know
| Player | Stats to Know | |
| Quarterback | Max Duggan | 239/368 (64.9%), 3321 yds (9 ypa), 30 TD, 4 INT |
| Running Back | Kendre Miller
Emari Demercado Max Duggan (QB) |
216 car., 1342 yds (6.21 avg), 17 TD
90 car., 472 yds (5.24 avg), 5 TD 112 car., 404 yds (3.61 avg), 6 TD |
| Wide Receivers | Quinten Johnston
Taye Barber Derius Davis Savion Williams |
53 rec., 903 yds, 5 TD
34 rec., 593 yds, 4 TD 35 rec., 418 yds, 5 TD 29 rec., 392 yds, 4 TD |
| Leading Tacklers | LB Johnny Hodges
S Mark Perry LB Jamoi Hodge |
76 tackles
74 tackles 70 tackles |
| Sacks Leaders | LB Dee Winters
DL Dylan Horton LB Jamoi Hodge |
7.5 sacks, 40 yds
6 sacks, 41 yds 4.5 sacks, 26 yds |
| TFL Leaders | LB Dee Winters
DL Dylan Horton LB Jamoi Hodge |
11.5 TFL, 51 yds
9.5 TFL, 45 yds 8 TFL, 33 yds |
| Most passes broken up | CB Josh Newton
CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson |
12 PBU
11 PBU |
| Interception Leaders | S Bud Clark
CB Josh Newton CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson |
4 INT, 42 yds
3 INT, 114 yds, 1 TD 3 INT, 20 yds |
| Field Goals | K Griffin Kell | 16/18 FG attempts |
| Punting | P Jordy Sandy | 39.62 yds/punt |
| Punt Returns | Derius Davis | 17 ret, 236 yds (13.94 avg), 2 TD |
| Kick Returns | Derius Davis
Emari Demercado |
18 ret, 362 yds (20.11 avg)
7 ret, 185 yds (26.43 avg) |
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