No. 3 TCU loses in OT to K-State in Big 12 title game
ARLINGTON, TEXAS >> TCU quarterback Max Duggan was battered and bloodied, physically exhausted and mentally drained. And still unsure if the third-ranked Horned Frogs had done enough to get into the four-team College Football Playoff.
Duggan dropped to his knees in the end zone after his 8-yard TD run ended his gusty game-tying drive late in regulation of Saturday’s Big 12 championship game, and buried his facemask into the turf after diving and coming up just inches short of another touchdown in overtime. He then stood alone in the middle of the field with both hands on his helmet when his running back Kendre Miller was stuffed for the second play in a row, on fourth down, to give No. 13 Kansas State the ball one last time.
Ty Zentner then kicked a 31-yard field goal as the Wildcats beat TCU 31-28.
“We got beat today and now it’s out of our hands. That’s something that we wanted to do is be in control,” said Duggan, who had to gather himself after starting to talk on the podium. “All we can do is kind of watch.”
Deuce Vaughn ran for 130 yards and a touchdown and Will Howard threw two TDs for the Wildcats (10-3, No. 10 CFP), who six weeks earlier had jumped out to a 28-10 lead early in the second quarter before TCU scored the game’s last 28 points.
That was one of five games the Horned Frogs (12-1, No. 3 CFP) won when trailing after halftime. But they couldn’t do it again with the chance to guarantee being the first Big 12 team other than Oklahoma to make the playoff.
TCU, the first Big 12 team to complete a regular season undefeated since Texas in 2009, could still get into the playoff. While their case was helped when fourth-ranked Southern California (11-2) lost 4724 to Utah in the Pac-12
championship game Friday night, the Frogs now have to wait until the final CFP rankings come out Sunday.
“I think we’re certainly deserving. I think the league is one of the best leagues in the country to go through, undefeated in the league, certainly we ought to get in,” first-year TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. “And I don’t think
we should be punished for coming to the Big 12 championship game.”
TROY 45, COASTAL CAROLINA 25 >> Gunnar Watson passed for 318 yards and three long touchdowns to lead Troy to a 45-26 victory over Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Conference championship game on Saturday.
The Trojans (11-2) raced ahead 31-0 in the first half en route to their Sun Beltrecord
seventh league title and 10th consecutive win under first-year coach Jon Sumrall. It was Troy’s first league title since 2017 and fans celebrated by storming the field and bringing down a goal post.
By the time three-time Sun Belt player of the year Grayson McCall got the offense going for Coastal Carolina (9-3), it was all but over. McCall started at quarterback after missing the past two games with a foot injury.
Watson completed 12 of 17 passes, including touchdowns of 67 yards and 36 yards to Rajae’ Johnson and a 65-yarder to Deshon Stoudemire. Watson was hit as he was throwing the 67-yarder with Johnson stretching out to grab it.
Johnson then snagged the ball one-handed to answer the Chanticleers’ second touchdown. DK Billingsley ran for three touchdowns, including a 33-yarder, for the Trojans.
Troy rebounded from a 1-2 start to the season, including losing to Appalachian State on a Hail Mary.
McCall overcame a rough start to complete 29 of 41 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns with a late interception. He also ran for an 8-yard touchdown.
McCall led touchdown drives heading into and coming out of halftime after his team started out getting outgained 316-22.
The momentum didn’t last.
T.J. Jackson then had a strip sack and fumble recovery inside Coastal Carolina’s 10 to set up a touchdown.
The stats evened out but the score never got too uncomfortable for Troy. Coastal Carolina actually ended with a 432-411 edge in total yards.
Coastal Carolina has lost two straight lopsided games, including a 47-7 defeat to James Madison. Coach Jamey Chadwell is reportedly a candidate to replace Hugh Freeze at Liberty.