Duggan leads TCU past Kansas
Max Duggan almost singlehandedly carried TCU to wins in its first four games. Against Kansas, another threat emerged for the Horned Frogs, and that should concern defensive coordinators across the Big 12.
Duggan passed for three touchdowns in the second half, including the gamewinning 24-yarder to Quinten Johnston with 1:36 left to cap a wild second half, and No. 17 TCU beat 19th-ranked Kansas 38-31 on Saturday.
The Horned Frogs (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) are out to their best start since 2017 after winning the matchup of surprise unbeatens.
Duggan found Johnston 14 times for 206 yards, the most by a TCU receiver since 2016. Johnston entered Saturday with 12 catches for 114 yards and no touchdowns over four games.
“We had a plan from the end of the last game until now and that was to play fast,” Johnston said. “As receivers, we’ve got to get the ball and get as many yards up the field. I wouldn’t say that was the best of our ability, but we did enough to win.
“It’s all a mindset. If you love football, you’re going to go get it every single day.”
Duggan knew his big receiver had the tools. It was just a matter of figuring out how to use them.
“With the ball in his hands you can see how talented he is,” the quarterback said. “Seeing him burst out again was fun to watch. I just have to keep doing a good job of getting him the ball.”
TCU is not where anyone expected them to be nearly halfway through the season. The Horned Frogs were picked seventh in the Big 12 preseason polls. But inside the locker room, no one is surprised.
“When we got through fall camp, we knew we had some talented players,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. “We felt if we could figure things out we’re going to have a pretty good football team that can string some wins together.
“But we’ve got a lot of stuff we have to clean up on defense, and we’ve got a lot of stuff to clean up on offense. We left a lot of plays out there.”
Duggan finished 23 of 33 for 308 yards.
No. 2 Georgia 42,
A Auburn 10: Stetson Bennett scrambled 64 yards for a touchdown, Daijun Edwards scored three times on the ground and the host Bulldogs ran over the listless Tigers. The Bulldogs got two short touchdown runs by Edwards and one from Kenny McIntosh to build a 21-3 in the third quarter. Georgia (6-0, 3-0 SEC) ran its winning streak to six in the series and has not lost the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry at home since 2005. Robby Ashford was 13 for 38 for 168 yards while frequently scrambling to elude pressure for the Tigers (3-3, 1-2).
No. 4 Michigan 31,
A Indiana 10: Cornelius Johnson’ 29-yard touchdown catch midway through the third quarter gave the Wolverines (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) the lead and the jolt it needed to pull away from the host Hoosiers (3-3, 1-2). The Wolverines were motivated after losing assistant coach Mike Hart to a medical issue in the first quarter. Hart was carted off the field and taken to a hospital for evaluation. After hearing from Hart at halftime, Michigan started the second half by going 98 yards for the tie-breaking score.
No. 18 UCLA 42, No.
A 11 Utah 32: Dorian Thompson-Robinson passed for 299 yards and four TDs to become UCLA’s career leader in passing touchdowns, Zach Charbonnet rushed for a career-high 198 yards and the host Bruins (6-0, 3-0 Pac-12) knocked off the Utes (4-2, 2-1).
No. 23 Mississippi St.
A 40, Arkansas 17: Will Rogers threw for three touchdowns and broke the Southeastern Conference record for career completions, Dillon Johnson rushed for 100 yards and two scores, and the host Bulldogs (5-1, 2-1 SEC) ripped the Razorbacks (3-3, 1-3). Rogers was 31-of-48 passing for 395 yards and notched the record in the first quarter with the
922nd completion of his career, eclipsing the mark set by Georgia’s Aaron Murray.
No. 24 Cincinnati 28,
A South Florida 24: Charles McClelland rushed for a career-high 179 yards and two touchdowns including the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter as the host Bearcats (5-1, 2-0 AAC) held off the Bulls (1-5, 0-2). McClelland’s 35-yard touchdown run with 9:24 remaining put the Bearcats ahead to stay helping extend the nation’s secondlongest home winning streak to 30 games. Bulls QB Gerry Bohanon rushed for 117 yards and passed for 121 yards and two TDs.