TCU rolled into Monday night’s national championship game fresh off a defeat of a traditional power in Michigan, ready to show the world that the Horned Frogs and the Big 12 were on par with the big boys of the college football landscape.
They were quickly reminded there is still another level they must reach.
Georgia Bulldogs fans celebrate after defeating the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at SoFi Stadium on Jan. 9, 2023 in Inglewood, California.
(Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The Bulldogs laid the smackdown, scoring on each of its six first-half possessions in route to a 65-7 demolishment of TCU.
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While the Horned Frogs’ season was ultimately a success – beginning the year unranked – the second championship game loss was a reminder that the work is far from finished.
“We want to be on that tier where Alabama and Georgia are on,” TCU backup quarterback Chandler Morris said, according to ESPN. “We’re going to get away from it a little bit, but we’re going to use this as confidence.”
Morris, who came in for Max Duggan on the final possession, will have a chance to compete for the starting quarterback next season as Duggan – a Heisman finalist – heads to the NFL.
Max Duggan, #15 of the TCU Horned Frogs, reacts after a sack in the third quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at SoFi Stadium on Jan. 9, 2023 in Inglewood, California.
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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It will be Sonny Dykes’ job to build on his first tear success, while also trying to erase the stink of a national championship game blowout.
“I think we’re all disappointed that we didn’t play better, and we didn’t coach better, and we didn’t represent our team better than we did tonight,” Dykes said.
“But we’ll learn from it. And next time we’re on a stage like this we’ll handle it better.”
TCU Horned Frogs head coach Sonny Dykes looks on from the sideline during the first quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at SoFi Stadium on Jan. 9, 2023 in Inglewood, California.
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Even with winning 13 games for just the second time in program history, TCU failed to bring home a championship, losing to Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship Game.
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The Horned Frogs are aware that another step must be taken, even after a stellar season.
“At the end of the day, we want to win championships,” Morris said. “We fell short in the conference championship, we fell short in the national championship. We just have got to build from there, and this is going to be motivation for us in the future.”
