Max Duggan threw for 224 yards and three touchdowns as No. 4 TCU walloped visiting Iowa State 62-14 on Saturday afternoon in the regular-season finale for both teams in Fort Worth, Texas.
Millard Bradford and Josh Newton returned interceptions for scores for TCU.
The Horned Frogs (12-0, 9-0 Big 12), just one of three undefeated teams in the FBS, will play either No. 12 Kansas State or No. 23 Texas in the Big 12 Championship game on Dec. 3 in Arlington, Texas. If it wins that game, TCU will be in the College Football Playoff.
Kendre Miller ran for 72 yards and two scores for the Horned Frogs, who won going away despite the absence of star receiver Quentin Johnston (ankle).
Hunter Dekkers passed for just 106 yards, with a TD and an interception for Iowa State (4-8, 1-8) before being forced from the game by an injury to his non-throwing shoulder early in the third quarter. Eli Sanders had 91 yards on seven carries.
The Cyclones will miss a bowl game for the first time since 2016.
Duggan hit Geor’Quarius Spivey on a 19-yard touchdown pass on the game’s opening possession before Griffin Kell kicked a 36-yard field goal to give the Horned Frogs a 10-0 lead with 4:54 to play in the opening quarter.
Miller ran 25 yards for a TD with 2:15 to play in the first quarter. On the ensuing snap Bradford intercepted Dekkers and returned the pick 36 yards to expand the Horned Frogs’ lead to 24-0.
Iowa State’s lone first-half highlight was Dekkers’ 15-yard TD pass DeShawn Hanika at the 13:16 mark of the second quarter.
The Horned Frogs finished off the half with a season-best 54-yard field goal by Kell and Miller’s 1-yard scoring plunge — the latter just 14 seconds before halftime — to take a 34-7 lead.
Duggan added scoring passes, 2 yards to Savion Williams and 13 yards to Jordan Hudson, respectively, over a span of 4:25 in the third quarter.
Later in quarter Newton snatched a tipped pass from Iowa State backup quarterback Rocco Becht and returned it 57 yards for the Horned Frogs’ second pick-six of the game.
Deon Silas ran 19 yards early in the fourth quarter for the Cyclones’ other score.
TCU backup quarterback Chandler Morris connected with Hudson for his second TD of the game with 1:18 to play.
–Field Level Media
