Way back in September, TCU began the college football season unranked, with a first-year head coach and with little national attention after being picked to finish seventh in the Big 12 Conference.
A lot has happened since then.
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Fast forward to early January and the Horned Frogs are preparing for a showdown in the national championship game with the defending-champion Georgia Bulldogs, the title favorites all season. The game is set for Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET in Los Angeles.
Any Frogs headed to LA? #GoFrogs #DFWBig12Team #NattyFrogs pic.twitter.com/7E7XnPGW62
— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) January 2, 2023
A streak of four consecutive victories against ranked teams to begin October vaulted TCU from unranked to the top 10, and eventually into the top four. A 12-0 regular season earned the Horned Frogs a trip to the Big 12 championship game and positioned them for a spot in the College Football Playoff, but an overtime loss to Kansas State put their national title hopes in doubt.
The committee decided, however, not to punish the Horned Frogs, kept them at No. 3 and set them up for a clash with No. 2 Michigan in the semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona. After jumping out to a 21-3 lead, TCU held on for a thrilling 51-45 win.
A big reason for the Horned Frogs’ unexpected success in what many thought would be a rebuilding year has been their rushing attack, led by star junior running back Kendre Miller.
TCU UP 48-17 🚨
Kendre Miller with a 70-yard TD
— Elite College Football (@EliteCollege_FB) October 1, 2022
Primarily a reserve during his first two seasons in Fort Worth, Miller broke out in a big way as the starter in 2022, amassing 1,399 yards on 224 attempts (good for 6.2 yards per carry) and 17 touchdowns. His rushing yards were the third most in the Big 12 and ranked 15th in the entire country, and his production earned him a first-team All-Big 12 selection.
With eight carries for 57 yards, Miller was well on his way to another impressive performance against the Wolverines in the semifinals on Saturday. But a third-quarter injury to his right knee sidelined him for the remainder of the game. He is currently listed as questionable for the national championship game.
“We’re hopeful to get Kendre back,” first-year head coach Sonny Dykes said on Tuesday, according to Fan Nation. “… As the week progresses, we’ll know a little bit more.”
The 20-year-old from Mount Enterprise, Texas, will do everything he can to be prepared to play against the Bulldogs and lead his team as he has all season. And throughout TCU’s run to the title game, amid the increased attention Miller has gotten for his play, he’s remained unashamed about sharing his faith on his social media accounts. He describes himself as a “Follower of Christ” in his Twitter bio and has been known to post quotes from the Bible and express his thanks to God on Instagram.
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Whether or not he’s able to suit up with his TCU teammates and play for a national title, Miller knows he’s dearly loved by God.
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