Perfection! TCU Dominates Iowa State for 12-0 Regular Season; K-State Awaits in Big 12 Championship Game

#4 TCU 62, Iowa State 14

November 26, 2022
Amon G. Carter Stadium
Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, Texas
Attendance: 44,846

Final stats: here
Game highlights: here
TCU head coach Sonny Dykes discusses TCU's win: here
TCU quarterback Max Duggan discusses TCU's win: here
TCU safety Millard Bradford discusses TCU's win: here
TCU cornerback Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson discusses TCU's win: here
TCU cornerback Josh Newton discusses TCU's win: here
Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell discusses Iowa State's loss: here

National Championship Playoff Spot Within Reach for Frogs

And another one bites the dust.

The 12th one, as a matter of fact.

TCU football wrapped up a 12-0 2022 regular season with a 62-14 victory over Iowa State on Saturday, November 26, in Amon G. Carter Stadium, in Fort Worth, Texas (Midnite had predicted a 34-17 TCU victory).

TCU is one of three unbeaten FBS teams in the country. The other two are Georgia and Michigan.

TCU is the nation’s third-ranked team in the College Football Playoff National Championship rankings that were released on Tuesday, November 29. Georgia is first. Michigan is second. The same three teams also are first through third, respectively, in the latest Associated Press poll and the Coaches poll.

TCU finished the season 9-0 in Big 12 Conference play. The Frogs claimed the regular-season conference championship by two games over Kansas State. The Wildcats finished 7-2 in the Big 12, 9-3 overall. K-State is ranked 10th in the College Football Playoff National Championship rankings.

TCU will play Kansas State in the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Conference Championship Game on Saturday, December 3, in AT&T Stadium, in Arlington, Texas. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 am (Central). ABC will broadcast the game, which will be this season's only conference championship game featuring a top 10 matchup. 

Tom C. "Midnite" Burke

During regular-season Big 12 play, the then eighth-ranked Horned Frogs defeated then 17th-ranked Kansas State, 38-28, on October 22, in Fort Worth. 

ESPN College GameDay will broadcast its Saturday morning football show from AT&T Stadium, prior to Saturday's TCU-Kansas State game. TCU is 8-1 all-time, including 2-0 this season, when ESPN’s College GameDay has been on site (in Lawrence when TCU played Kansas, and in Austin when TCU played Texas).

With its loss to the Frogs, Iowa State finished the regular season 4-8 overall. With an 1-8 Big 12 record, the Cyclones finished in last place in the conference, behind ninth-place West Virginia (3-6 Big 12), whom Iowa State defeated, 31-14.

The Horned Frogs scored more points than any other team did against the Cyclones this season.

The 48-point loss to TCU was the most lopsided loss for Iowa State in coach Matt Campbell’s seven-year tenure with the Cyclones. It also is Iowa State's worst since losing 71-7 to Baylor in 2013.

TCU is 12-0 for the third time in program history and for the first time since 2010, when the Horned Frogs won the Rose Bowl (21-19 over Wisconsin) and finished the season at 13-0 and as the nation's second-ranked team.

TCU is the first Big 12 team to be 12-0 since Texas in 2009.

The Horned Frogs are the first Big 12 member to go 9-0 in conference play since Oklahoma in 2016.

TCU head coach Sonny Dykes, who was hired on November 29, 2021, is the first head football coach in TCU and Big 12 history to go 12-0 in his first season. He's the fourth head coach nationally since 1996 to accomplish the feat. 

In recognition of his outstanding first season with the Frogs, Dykes unanimously has been named the Big 12 Coach of the Year. Additionally, he is a candidate for the 2022 Paul "Bear" Bryant National Coach of the Year Award.

With Dykes' father, Spike Dykes, being the Big 12 Coach of the Year for Texas Tech in 1996, the Dykes become just the third father-son duo in college football history, and first in the Big 12, to both be a conference coach of the year. The Dykes join Bobby Bowden (Florida State; 1993, 1997) and Tommy Bowden (Clemson, 2003) in the ACC and Kim Helton (Houston, 1996) and Tyson Helton (Western Kentucky, 2019) in Conference USA. TCU, picked to finish seventh in the preseason Big 12 poll, is 12-0 and ranked third nationally.

TCU's undefeated regular season included five wins over then-ranked opponents (Oklahoma, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Texas). Those wins surpass the combined wins over ranked opponents of the other two undefeated teams (Georgia, 2; Michigan, 2).

The Frogs' five victories over ranked opponents during the regular season is tied with Tennessee for the most nationally.

Four of TCU's wins over ranked teams (Oklahoma, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Kansas State) came on consecutive Saturdays in October. The Horned Frogs are the third team since 1960 (Stanford, 2012; Iowa, 1960) to win four consecutive games over ranked opponents in a calendar month.

TCU's four consecutive games with a win over a ranked opponent ties for first nationally since 1996.

During the regular season, the Horned Frogs recorded eight wins over bowl teams (SMU, Oklahoma, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Texas and Baylor). That’s more than any other team in the country.

TCU's strength of schedule ranks first in the nation among FBS teams.

The Frogs’ runaway victory over Iowa State on Senior Day came as a relief to TCU fans. None of TCU’s previous seven wins had been by more than 10 points, including the previous Saturday’s 29-28 comeback win over Baylor, on Griffin Kell's 40-yard field goal as time expired.

TCU this regular reason became the first FBS team since 1975 to win seven straight games by 10 points or less ... taking years off the lives of TCU fans.

Cardiac Frogs had become as common as hypnotoad.

The game with Iowa State figured to be another nail-biter.

The Cyclones came into the game boasting the Big 12’s best defense and allowing just 16.5 points a game (ranking eighth nationally) and only 277.3 yards per game (ranking sixth nationally). Only two opponents had scored more than 24 points against Iowa State, the most being 31, and the Cyclones’ seven losses had been by a combined 38 points, or less than 5 1/2 points per game.

Furthermore, TCU had dropped its last three games and four of the past five games against Iowa State, including last season’s regular-season finale, 48-14, in Ames, which kept the Frogs from becoming bowl eligible.

Those statistics quickly became meaningless.

Despite gray, cold, gloomy, misty weather, TCU had 17 points on its first three drives and led 24-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Horned Frogs fans still stuffed from their Thanksgiving Day feasts were dancing in the aisles.

The Frogs led 34-7 at halftime and 55-7 entering the fourth quarter, when TCU’s starters were replaced by their backups.

The 62 points are the most points TCU has scored against an FBS opponent since 2016, when the Frogs defeated Baylor, 62-22.

TCU’s offense scored 48 of the Frogs’ 62 points, behind another quality performance by quarterback Max Duggan, who continues to add to his Heisman Trophy resume.

Duggan, who made his 40th career start, completed 17-of-24 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns. He did not throw an interception.

Duggan, who did not start until the second game of the regular season, has passed for 3,070 yards. He has thrown 29 touchdowns and rushed for five more. He has thrown just three interceptions. Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty, in 2013, is the only Big 12 quarterback in history with more passing touchdowns (32) and fewer than five interceptions.

Duggan’s 29 touchdown passes are third-most at TCU, behind only Trevone Boykin (33, 2014; and 31, 2015).

Duggan leads the Big 12 in passing efficiency, touchdown passes, completion percentage (66.6), passing yards, yards per attempt (9.3) and yards per completion (13.9).

Duggan is fourth in the nation in passing efficiency with a 171.3 rating. He is tied for second among Power 5 quarterbacks, one off the lead, with 16 touchdown passes of at least 20 yards and has accounted for three or more touchdowns in eight of his 11 starts this season. 

This week, Duggan was named the Big 12's Offensive Player of the Year and he earned All-Big 12 recognition as the quarterback on the conference's first-team offensive unit. 

He also was named this week as the 2022 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner. The award is given annually to the nation's top upperclassmen quarterback in college football. Candidates are judged on accomplishments on the field as well as on their character, scholastic achievement, and leadership qualities. Duggan is the first Horned Frog to win the award.

Additionally, this week Duggan was named as one of five finalists for the Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year Award.

Plus, Duggan has been named one of three finalists for the 2022 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, presented to the nation's top quarterback. Joining Duggan as finalists are Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and USC's Caleb Williams.

The Davey O'Brien Award is named after TCU's 1938 Heisman Trophy winner who guided the Horned Frogs to an undefeated record and a national championship that season.

Duggan is TCU's first Davey O'Brien Award finalist since Trevone Boykin in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

Duggan opened TCU’s scoring against Iowa State with a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Geor’Quarius Spivey. The reception, on a fourth-and-two play on the game’s opening series, was Spivey’s first collegiate touchdown and part of a TCU career-high three receptions for 43 yards.

Duggan’s other two touchdown passes were a two-yarder to wide receiver Savion Williams and a 13-yarder to wide receiver Jordan Hudson. Williams had a career-high five receptions for 48 yards.

TCU running back Kendre Miller had a team-best 72 yards on 15 carries against Iowa State. He had a 25-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

Miller’s touchdown runs gave him a rushing score in all 12 games this year, tying the longest streak to begin a season in TCU history. Pro Football Hall of Famer and TCU Board of Trustees member LaDainian Tomlinson ran for a touchdown in all 12 games in 2000.

Miller has a rushing touchdown in 13 consecutive games. It is the longest active streak in the nation and ranks second all-time at TCU, behind only Tomlinson (15, 1999-00).

Miller has a team-best 16 rushing touchdowns, fourth-most in a season at TCU.

Miller’s 25 career rushing touchdowns move him past Duggan into sole possession of eighth place in TCU history.

Miller has earned All-Big 12 recognition as a member of the conference's first-team offensive unit.

Receiver/returner Derius Davis, who returned from injury and caught one pass for 14 yards against Iowa State, but did not return punts or kickoffs, has been named the Big 12's Special Teams Player of the Year.

Kell, last week's hero of the Baylor win, was two-of-two on field goals, including a career long 54-yarder. He also kicked a 36-yard field goal. 

Kell is 14-of-15 on field goals for the season and 43-of-54 in his career. He is in sixth place on TCU's career field goals list.

Kell has earned All-Big 12 recognition as a member of the conference's first-team offensive unit.

Playing the fourth quarter, TCU quarterback Chandler Morris got his most extensive playing time since he started the season-opener at the University of Colorado. Morris, off course, injured a knee during that game and was replaced by Duggan, who ever since has been the Frogs’ starting quarterback.

Against Iowa State, Morris completed 5-of-6 passes for 34 yards. He threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Hudson, accounting for the Frogs’ last touchdown of the game.

TCU’s defense also got in on the scoring action. The Frogs returned two interceptions for touchdowns.

In the first quarter, TCU safety Millard Bradford intercepted a pass from Iowa State starting quarterback Hunter Dekkers and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown. It was TCU’s first defensive score of the season and the first Pick 6 since TCU cornerback Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown against Texas Tech last season.

The interception was Bradford’s first of the season and second of his career.

In the third quarter, cornerback Josh Newton intercepted a pass from Iowa State backup quarterback Rocco Becht and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown. The interception was Newton’s third of the season and sixth of his career. Newton also broke up two passes and made four tackles in the game.

Newton, Bradford and Hodges-Tomlinson were instrumental in shutting down Iowa State wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson, who came into the game leading the country in number of receptions and was fifth in receiving yards. The Frogs held Hutchinson to two catches for 11 yards.

Hodges-Tomlinson has earned Big 12 Honorable Mention Defensive Player of the Year honors and he and Newton have earned All-Big 12 recognition as members of the conference's first-team defensive unit. Bradford has earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 recognition.

Hodges-Tomlinson, who is a nephew of LaDanian Tomlinson, recently was named as one of three finalists for the 2022 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, presented to the nation's top defensive back.

Joining Hodges-Tomlinson as finalists are Utah's Clark Phillips III and Illinois' Devon Witherspoon. Former TCU safety and now Las Vegas Raider Tre’von Moehrig won the 2020 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award.

Hodges-Tomlinson recently had a stretch of four consecutive games with a takeaway. He has 40 tackles on the season, including two for loss, with three interceptions, 10 pass breakups and a forced fumble. 

Hodges-Tomlinson is a three-time First-Team All-Big 12 selection and a 2020 All-American. His five career interceptions top all current Horned Frogs.

Linebacker Johnny Hodges, who had three tackles in the Iowa State game, has been named the Big 12's Defensive Newcomer of the Year. 

Defensive lineman Damonic Williams, who had one tackle in the Iowa State game, has been named Honorable mention Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. For the year, he has 24 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Linebacker Jamoi Hodge, who had five tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss against the Cyclones, has been named Honorable Mention All-Big 12.

TCU’s undefeated regular season is a credit and tribute to the team’s seniors.

Prior to this year, the seniors had not won more than seven games in a season. COVID-19 disrupted the 2020 season. Wins over ranked teams, including Texas and Baylor, highlighted the sub-.500 seasons. There was the coaching change within the 2021 season, when Gary Patterson resigned, and another coaching change when Sonny Dykes was hired as the head coach shortly after the 2021 season ended.

Now, the seniors are leading what could be an unprecedented season for the Horned Frogs' football program.

TCU is one win away from its first College Football Championship Playoff appearance, and three wins away from its first football national championship since 1938.

This Saturday's game against Kansas State will be TCU’s second appearance in a Big 12 Conference Championship Game. The Horned Frogs were beaten by Oklahoma, 41-17, in the 2017 championship game, which was played in AT&T Stadium and was the first year of the return of the game after a six-year absence. The Sooners, who ended up in the College Football Playoff National Championship, were led by quarterback Baker Mayfield, who won that season's Heisman Trophy.

Dykes was an offensive analyst for the Horned Frogs in the 2017 Big 12 Championship Game. Five sixth-year seniors (defensive linemen Terrell Cooper and George Ellis, cornerback Noah Daniels, offensive guard Wes Harris and tight end Carter Ware) were on the 2017 TCU team.

TCU will be playing at AT&T Stadium for the sixth time and first time since a 40-28 loss to Ohio State in the 2018 AdvoCare Showdown.

The Horned Frogs are 2-3 at AT&T Stadium. TCU defeated No. 24 Oregon State, 30-21, in the 2010 Cowboys Classic, and beat BYU, 38-28, in 2011. Besides the losses to Oklahoma and Ohio State, TCU dropped a 37-27 decision to No. 12 LSU in the 2013 Cowboys Classic.

Kansas State is no stranger to conference championships.

The Wildcats won a share of the Big 12 championship in 2012, in between the conference playing championship games. K-State won 11 games and earned a Fiesta Bowl bid. The Wildcats lost to Oregon, 35-17.

Kansas State last played in a Big 12 Championship Game in 2003. They upended No. 1 Oklahoma, 35-7, to win their 11th game of the season. They lost to Ohio State, 35-28, in the Fiesta Bowl.

K-State also appeared in the 2000 and 1998 Big 12 Championship games, falling to No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 10 Texas A&M, respectively. Kansas State had climbed to second in the country in 1998.

TCU and Kansas State will be playing each other for the 17th time. The series is tied at 8-8.

Since beginning Big 12 play in 2012, TCU is 5-6 versus Kansas State. This year's 38-28 victory by the Frogs in Fort Worth snapped a three-game losing streak to the Wildcats.

Overall, TCU is 5-3 against Kansas State in Fort Worth and 3-5 in Manhattan. This is the first neutral site meeting between the teams.

K-State's offense has been led by junior quarterback Will Howard (#22), who has replaced injured senior starting quarterback Adrian Martinez (#9), who played in the loss to TCU but quickly left the game because of an injury. Still, Martinez was named Big 12 Honorable Mention Offensive Newcomer of the Year.

In the 38-28 loss to the Frogs in October, Howard threw for 225 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In five games this season, Howard has thrown 13 touchdown passes and rushed for two additional scores. He has thrown just two interceptions.

Deuce Vaughn (#22), the Wildcats’ five-foot-six-inch running back, rambled for 83 yards on 12 carries in the loss to TCU. Vaughn had a 47-yard touchdown run, but was held to 36 yards on his 11 other carries. His 121 all-purpose yards in the game is among the fewest he’s produced all season.

Since facing TCU, Vaughn has rushed for 100 or more yards in three of Kansas State’s last five games. He’s had at least 80 receiving yards in two of them. In all three of Kansas State’s losses, Vaughn has been held under 100 yards.

Vaughn was named All-Big 12 running back on the conference's second-team offensive unit.

Kansas State offensive lineman Cooper Beebe (#50) was named the Big 12's Offensive Lineman of the year and All-Big 12 on the conference's first-team offensive unit.

Kansas State running back/tight end Ben Sinnott (#34) was named All-Big 12 fullback on the conference's first-team offensive unit.

The Wildcats’ leading receiver against TCU was senior wide receiver Malik Knowles (#4). He had four receptions for 69 yards. Senior wide receiver Kade Warner (#85) and senior tight end Sammy Wheeler (#19) caught touchdown passes for K-State.

The Horned Frogs were down 28-10 to Kansas State midway through the second quarter before scoring the game's final 28 points and holding the Wildcats to 87 yards of offense in the second half.

TCU compiled 495 total yards of offense against the Wildcats’ defense; 215 yards rushing, 280 yards passing.

Duggan threw three touchdown passes and Miller rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries.

One of Duggan’s touchdown passes was a 55-yarder to wide receiver Quentin Johnston in the third quarter that gave the Frogs a 31-28 lead.

Johnston, a likely first-rounder in the 2023 National Football League Draft, did not play in TCU's win over Iowa State. He rested an injured ankle that has bothered him the last several games.

Reportedly, Johnston will be nearly 100 percent healthy for Saturday’s game against the Wildcats.

Since TCU rang up 62 points against Iowa State, Kansas State now has the Big 12’s number one scoring defense. The Wildcats are allowing an average of 19.4 points per game.

Kansas State is second in overall defense in the conference, allowing an average of 357.3 total yards per game; 143.2 rushing yards per game, 214.1 passing yards per game.

Kansas State junior defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah (#91) has been named the 2022 Big 12 Defensive Player and Defensive Lineman of the Year. 

Kansas State cornerback Julius Brents (#23) was named All-Big 12 as a defensive back on the conference's first-team defensive unit.

TCU’s offense is first in scoring in the Big 12, averaging 41.3 points per game.

The Frogs are first in total offense in the conference, averaging 473.3 yards per game; 198.5 rushing yards per game, and 274.8 passing yards per game.

TCU's win over Kansas State in October kept the Horned Frogs' undefeated winning streak going at seven games.

Another win over Wildcats on Saturday will be even more significant for the Horned Frogs.

It will mean TCU will become the first Big 12 team other than Oklahoma to make the four-team College Football National Championship Playoff.

The betting line: TCU opened as a 2.5-point favorite. The over/under opened at 60.5 points.

Midnite’s prediction: TCU 34, Kansas State 27