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Michigan vs. TCU: College Football Playoff game score, reaction, highlights

Highlights and reaction from TCU's monster win over Michigan in a crazy instant classic College Football Playoff semifinal Fiesta Bowl game

James Parks

Michigan vs. TCU: College Football Playoff game score, reaction, highlights
Michigan vs. TCU: College Football Playoff game score, reaction, highlights /

It's safe to say that was probably the wildest College Football Playoff semifinal game ever. Michigan and TCU put on a show with plenty of offensive fireworks on New Year's Eve to help set up this season's national championship game.

Michigan vs. TCU: College Football Playoff game score, reaction, highlights

In the end, after all the back and forth, TCU held on against Big Ten champion Michigan to win the Fiesta Bowl, 51-45, and advances to the national title game.

Here's how it all went down.

TCU defense strikes first

Michigan was moving the ball in the first quarter when quarterback J.J. McCarthy threw an errant pass that landed in the hands of Bud Clark.

Clark took it all the way the other way for 41 yards and the opening touchdown to give the Horned Frogs an early lead.

Score: TCU 7, Michigan 0

TCU goes the distance

Michigan went six yards in three plays on its next drive, allowing TCU to mount a counteroffensive, going 76 yards in 12 plays.

Heisman finalist quarterback Max Duggan cashed in from the 1-yard line to advance TCU's lead to two touchdowns.

Score: TCU 14, Michigan 0

Michigan appears to score. Or did it?

Duggan had a pass tipped on the Horned Frogs' successive drive and he was intercepted by Michigan's Rod Moore at the Wolverines 49-yard line.

J.J. McCarthy launched a bomb for Roman Wilson that appeared to be a touchdown, but officials instead ruled him a half yard shy of the goal line.

After the review, Michigan's Kalel Mullings appeared to run in the end zone from a yard out, but officials ruled he fumbled the ball, and that TCU recovered.

Score: TCU 14, Michigan 3

TCU takes advantage

Coming off the Michigan fumble, TCU responded with a long 83 yard drive the other way over 10 plays in response.

Duggan hit Quentin Johnston on a wide open 32 yard pass play that put the Horned Frogs in the red zone.

And from there, Duggan connected with Taye Barber for the 6-yard touchdown.

Score: TCU 21, Michigan 3

A record-breaker for Michigan

While the Wolverines didn't get in the end zone in the first half, it did tack on some historic points to close out the second quarter.

Jake Moody kicked the longest field goal in Michigan school history, from 59 yards as time ran out.

Score: TCU 21, Michigan 6

Michigan goes deep

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McCarthy launched a pretty pass for Ronnie Bell that moved the chains 43 yards and put Michigan at the TCU 6-yard line.

That, after McCarthy hit Roman Wilson for a 20-yard advance.

But the Wolverines stalled when Bell was tackled short of the goal line off a McCarthy pass on a 3rd and Goal.

Michigan had eight plays in the red zone up to this point, but came away with just 15 total yards and only three points despite having three goal-to-go situations.

Score: TCU 21, Michigan 9

Michigan gets the turnover, and the touchdown

Mike Sainristil was in the right place at the right time for Michigan, grabbing an interception out of the air off Max Duggan's pass intended for Derius Davis.

It marked the second time that a pass meant for Davis was deflected into the hands of a Michigan defensive player near midfield.

Three snaps later, Michigan was in the end zone when McCarthy located a wide open Ronnie Bell in the end zone for the 34 yard touchdown.

No review needed this time.

Score: TCU 21, Michigan 16

TCU responds

It's what the Horned Frogs have done best all season. 

TCU answered Michigan's touchdown drive with a 6-play, 75-yard counterattack, with Quentin Johnston bringing down a huge 46-yard gain to start things off.

Emari Demercado finished it with a 1-yard touchdown to increase TCU's lead.

Score: TCU 28, Michigan 16

Another pick-six for the Frogs

It's not often you see two interceptions returned for touchdowns in a single game, but TCU did it again to J.J. McCarthy.

Sitting in zone coverage near the line, Dee Winters read the quarterback's eyes and stepped in front of the pass, going the distance from 29 yards out.

TCU's 2-point conversion attempt failed, but it still had the 18-point lead.

Score: TCU 34, Michigan 16

McCarthy does it himself

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Moments after throwing the pick-six, McCarthy got Michigan back on the board by himself.

The quarterback ran for a 39-yard gain to get into scoring position and ran for the 20-yard touchdown to put the Wolverines back within striking distance.

Score: TCU 34, Michigan 22

But then TCU came back

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It took under one minute and the Horned Frogs needed just three plays, including a 69-yard jaunt by running back Emari Demercado down to the Michigan 1.

Duggan supplied the final yard to extend TCU's lead once again.

Score: TCU 41, Michigan 22

McCarthy to Bell

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Michigan answers back real quick as McCarthy and Wilson connected on a 20-yard pass play and the quarterback then found Bell for a 44-yarder near the goal line.

The official initially called Bell in for the touchdown but reversed the call and said he was short of the goal line, but Michigan capped off the drive when Mullings went in from a yard out.

McCarthy ran for the successful two-point conversion with three seconds left in the third quarter.

And what a quarter it was: 44 points were scored in total, and 41 of those 44 came in the final 6 minutes, 32 seconds.

Score: TCU 41, Michigan 30

Michigan grabs the fumble and answers

On the last play of that wild third quarter, TCU fumbled the ball away when Demercado lost control at the Frogs 27-yard line.

Two plays later, Roman Wilson helicoptered into the end zone for Michigan and Ronnie Bell picked up the two-pointer to make it a 3-point game.

Score: TCU 41, Michigan 38

Quentin Johnston goes yard

The TCU wide receiver supplied the next heart-stopping play in a bonkers game when he took Duggan's pass on 3rd and 7 and flew 76 yards into the end zone.

Score: TCU 48, Michigan 38

Michigan comes back late

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After two drives that resulted in punts, and following a TCU field goal, Michigan got aggressive again, driving 56 yards in 9 plays over 3 minutes, 28 seconds.

McCarthy hit Roman Wilson to bring the Wolverines within six late in regulation.

Score: TCU 51, Michigan 45

TCU is headed to the natty

TCU, originally picked to finish in seventh place in the Big 12 back in the preseason and with quarterback Max Duggan beginning the season as the backup, will play for the College Football Playoff national championship.

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.

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