In the 2022-23 season, TCU went from unranked in the preseason to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. It was the most improbable run in CFP history.
The season (Source: Sports Reference):
- Preseason ranking: Unranked. Picked to finish 7th in the Big 12 preseason media poll.
- Regular season record: 12-1 (lost only to Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship Game)
- CFP Semifinal: Beat Michigan 51-45 in the Fiesta Bowl (one of the greatest CFP games ever)
- CFP National Championship: Lost to Georgia 65-7
How they did it:
- Sonny Dykes. First-year head coach at TCU (previously at SMU). His Air Raid offense was perfectly suited to Big 12 play. He maximized the transfer portal.
- Max Duggan. Quarterback who was benched in the preseason and came back as the starter in week 3. Won the Davey O'Brien Award. Source: Davey O'Brien Foundation. Threw for 3,321 yards and 30 TDs.
- Clutch wins. TCU won 5 games by one possession. They won in overtime against Kansas State (regular season). They survived Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Texas in one-score games.
- Transfer portal. Key additions from the portal filled critical gaps at receiver, defensive back, and offensive line.
The championship game: Let us not sugarcoat it. The 65-7 loss to Georgia was the most lopsided championship game in modern history. Georgia was historically dominant. The score does not diminish the miracle of getting there.
Legacy: TCU proved that the CFP is not exclusively for blue bloods. A mid-major program in Fort Worth reached the title game. That matters for the sport.
Sources:
- Sports Reference — 2022 TCU game results
- CFP official records
- Davey O'Brien Foundation — award history
- Fort Worth Star-Telegram — season coverage
Max Duggan getting benched in the preseason and becoming a Heisman finalist is the most incredible individual story in recent college football history.