The No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs and No. 2 Michigan Wolverines will meet in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Saturday afternoon in a college football playoff semifinal game.
TCU (12-1) ran the table through the Big 12 Conference in the regular season before a 31-28 overtime loss to Kansas State in the conference championship game. Quarterback Max Duggan was a Heisman Trophy finalist after a season with 3,321 passing yards and 30 touchdowns with just four interceptions.
The Horned Frogs are also strong in the running game behind Kendre Miller’s 1,342 yards and 17 touchdowns. TCU rushed for 2,600 yards in total this season.Michigan (13-0) is making its second consecutive trip to the college football playoff. The Wolverines have a plus-347 point differential this season, winning games by an average of 26.7 points. Running back Blake Corum led the team with 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns but will not play because of a knee injury.Donovan Edwards will take over starting running back duties. He proved to be more than capable after rushing for 185 yards and a touchdown against Purdue in the Big Ten championship game.
Caesars Sportsbook lists Michigan as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 58.5.
Let’s take a closer look at the odds and trends:TCU Horned Frogs vs. Michigan Wolverines
Time/TV: 4 p.m. ET Saturday, ESPN
Point spread (from Caesars Sportsbook): Michigan -7.5
Money line: TCU +250; Michigan -320
Over/under: 58.5Analysis: This is an interesting clash of styles. TCU likes to strike fast, take shots downfield and live off of big plays. Michigan is big, physical and methodical. The Wolverines play with patience and wear the opposition down.
In these games, experience matters a lot. With Michigan returning to the playoff for a second straight year they will not be caught by any surprises. The moment won’t be too big, and they will know what to expect and how to prepare. TCU is going to be a tough out, but Michigan will handle business in the same manner it has all season.
Prediction: Michigan 34, TCU 24
