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— The College Football Playoff has delivered so many duds that it makes you forget it can deliver something like this.
The first of two semifinals on Saturday was a staggering, stupendous show that looked as if it were over at halftime, then looked finished in the third quarter and once more in the fourth, but never quite was — until the end. Again and again, Michigan fought back. And again and again, TCU kept the Wolverines at arm’s length.
At the end, purple confetti rained down on State Farm Stadium after TCU scored a monumental 51-45 upset over Michigan in an utterly mad, wildly brilliant Fiesta Bowl. The Horned Frogs (13-1) will play a week from Monday for a chance at their third national championship, and their first since an 11-0 season in 1938.
The Horned Frogs dominated the first half, going up 21-6, but victory did not come easily. Starting in the third quarter, the game turned into a roaring festival of points, with TCU successfully holding at bay comeback attempt after comeback attempt by Michigan via its own offensive prowess and the brilliance of quarterback Max Duggan. All hell broke loose, over and over.
Michigan (13-1) pulled within 41-38 two plays into the fourth quarter after Emari Demercado’s fumble set up a Roman Wilson score and a Ronnie Bell two-point conversion. The Horned Frogs punched right back, though, with Quinton Johnson taking a crossing route 76 yards to the house to extend the lead to 10.
