Welcome to Before The Snap, For The Win’s college football series where we’ll break down the sport’s trending storylines, examine each week’s biggest matchups and track the College Football Playoff and Heisman Trophy races.
The first of the College Football Playoff semifinals features No. 2 Michigan taking on No. 3 TCU in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve (4 p.m. ET, ESPN), and the Wolverines are notable favorites over the Horned Frogs.
As we explain on the latest Before The Snap, Michigan’s offense has been on a roll in recent weeks with Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy showing off his arm while running back Donovan Edwards has been leading the charge on the ground. If the offense continues firing and defense remains a brick wall, Michigan could hold off TCU.
On the other side, we say TCU actually has the quarterback advantage with Heisman Trophy finalist Max Duggan, who’s been an impressive charge for the Horned Frogs all season. With Michigan’s defense holding teams to 85.2 rushing yards a game, TCU will have to rely on Duggan’s arm even more, while hoping its defense can stand tough.
