MAX DUGGAN

TCU thought so much of Max Duggan at the beginning of the season that he lost his job.

After the best semifinal day in the nine-year history of the College Football Playoff, the title game will match the defending national champion against the closest thing the sport has had in years to a Cinderella team.

Max Duggan accounted for four touchdowns, TCU returned two interceptions for scores and the third-ranked Horned Frogs withstood a frenetic second-half surge by No. 2 Michigan to win the Fiesta Bowl 51-45 and advance to the College Football Playoff national championship.

Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams is one of three Southern California players to be selected to The Associated Press All-America team.

Barring some unusual circumstances, Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams will become the eighth Heisman Trophy winner since 2000 to play college football the following season.

Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams has won the Heisman Trophy to make USC the first school to take home college football’s most prestigious player of the year award eight times.

Thirteen of the last 14 Heisman Trophy winners to enter the NFL have done so as first-round draft picks, including all 11 quarterbacks.

Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams is The Associated Press college football player of the year.

Quarterbacks Stetson Bennett of Georgia, Max Duggan of TCU, C.

Georgia, Michigan, TCU and Ohio State have made the College Football Playoff, giving the Big Ten multiple programs in the four-team field for the first time.

Ty Zentner kicked a 31-yard field goal in overtime as 13th-ranked Kansas State beat No. 3 and previously undefeated TCU 31-28 in the Big 12 championship game.

TCU is third in the College Football Playoff rankings going into its last game before final four teams are set.

Third-ranked TCU might not be undefeated, getting ready for the Big 12 championship game and on the verge of making the College Football Playoff if they didn't have quarterback Max Duggan.

TCU has a definite route to the College Football Playoff after its regular season-ending rout of Iowa State.

Kendre Miller ran for two touchdowns as fourth-ranked TCU completed the first undefeated regular season by a Big 12 team since 2009 with a 62-14 victory over Iowa State.

TCU coach Sonny Dykes has a simple response for anyone who questions if the fourth-ranked Horned Frogs really deserve to be in the playoff discussion.

Griffin Kell kicked a 40-yard field goal on the final play of the game, and fourth-ranked TCU remained undefeated with a 29-28 win at Baylor.

Kendre Miller rushed for 138 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown in the third quarter that broke open a tense defensive struggle, and No. 4 TCU beat No. 18 Texas 17-10 to clinch a berth in the Big 12 championship game.

No. 7 TCU improved to 8-0 after a 41-31 victory at West Virginia.

Max Duggan threw for 280 yards with three touchdowns and Kendre Miller ran for 153 yards and two scores as eighth-ranked TCU again rallied from a big early deficit to stay undefeated.

Kendre Miller scored on a 2-yard run in the second overtime and 13th-ranked TCU beat No. 8 Oklahoma State 43-40 in a matchup of the Big 12′s last remaining undefeated teams.

Max Duggan ran 67 yards for one of two touchdowns and threw for three scores, leading TCU to a 55-24 rout of No. 18 Oklahoma on Saturday.

Caleb Williams had a big starting debut for No. 4 Oklahoma, throwing for 295 yards and four touchdowns and running for another score in the Sooners’ 52-31 victory over TCU on Saturday night.

TCU quarterback Max Duggan (15) scores a touchdown on a run against Texas during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

TCU quarterback Max Duggan (15) scores a touchdown on a run against Texas during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)AUSTIN, Texas – Texas ran out of comebacks against Max Duggan and TCU. The Horned Frogs quarterback ran for the go-ahead score with 4 minutes left and the defense made it stand with a goal-line fumble recovery to beat No. After Duggan's touchdown, Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger marched the Longhorns to the lip of the end zone. Griffin Kell kicked four field goals for the Horned Frogs.

FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019 file photo, Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley talks with players during an NCAA college football game between Iowa State and Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. As usual, Riley is taking his time naming a starting quarterback. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

The Sooners are still considered the overwhelming favorite to win their sixth consecutive Big 12 crown overall because nobody has dethroned them with Riley there. Purdy last year set school records with 3,982 yards and 27 TDs passing, leading the Big 12 with 306.3 yards per game. Conference play begins Sept. 26, the start of an 11-week stretch for nine league games before the Big 12 title game Dec. 12 or Dec. 19, if an extra week is needed. Since this is only TCU's ninth season in the league, Patterson technically isn't the longest-tenured Big 12 coach. Former Oklahoma State quarterback Mike Gundy is in his 16th season as head coach for his alma mater.

Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger (11) throws a pass in the first half of an NCAA college football game against TCU in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. "Man, y'all see," Reagor said about Duggan, who wasn't available because coach Gary Patterson doesn't allow freshmen to talk to reporters. It was the fifth win in six tries against Texas for the Horned Frogs, which includes their first four-game winning streak in the series since the 1930s. With a team-high 72 yards rushing, Duggan helped the Horned Frogs (4-3, 2-2) bounce back from consecutive conference road losses. TCU: The Horned Frogs got exactly what they needed just as it looked like their season was getting away from them.