Top Takeaways From Championship Saturday

The Conference Championships have all been played and we saw two top four teams fall. Other than that it went pretty much how we expected, here are my top three takeaways.

Author:
Bobby Greco
Publish date:
Dec 5, 2022 2:36 PM EST

In this story:

TCU Horned Frogs

Michigan Wolverines

Utah Utes

Kansas State Wildcats

Tulane Green Wave

The conference championships have been played, the College Football Playoffs are set, and the committee finally got it all right. This was a pretty clear decision when it came to the top four. Of course, arguments could be made for other scenarios, but in the end, these were the four best teams in the country. There was also an outstanding news break this past week when they announced the expanded playoff will be starting in 2024. Just in time for major changes in the conferences, it’s interesting how that works…

That is looking towards the future; let’s stay in the present and talk about what we saw on Championship Saturday. Two of the top four teams went down and caused USC to miss out on the playoffs. Besides that, however, not much happened that we didn’t expect. With that being said, let’s take a look at some of Saturday’s biggest takeaways.

Max Duggan Heisman Moment?:

TCU is coming off its best season in program history, and Duggan is a big reason why. The senior signal caller put in the work and improved as a player every year, culminating in a tremendous senior season. Not only was he a big-time player statistically for his team and with very few turnovers, but his leadership also shined in keeping TCU on the path to the playoffs. Even with all of that, Duggan was never someone who was talked about as a favorite for the Heisman, and if he was mentioned, it was as a courtesy because of the team he was on.

That changed after his performance in the Big 12 Championship. Duggan proved on a national stage just what kind of player he is with an incredibly inspiring performance. Being the second time the Horned Frogs played Kansas State, it was pretty clear the Wildcat defense figured them out. That is when Duggan took the game into his own hands and rushed for over 100 yards leading his team to a comeback that took the game to overtime.

Even though his team ultimately came up short, the toughness, leadership, and clutch performance he showed were phenomenal. At the end of the game, he honestly looked like he was in a battle for his life, as he had blood pouring from multiple places. If that doesn’t show what it takes to win a Heisman, then I have no idea what does.

Michigan Offensive Line:

Offensive linemen know when you play the position; you aren’t in it to get credit. When it comes to the Michigan unit, though, credit needs to be given. Until the Ohio State game, Blake Corum was an all-around Heisman favorite. When he had a season-ending injury to begin the Ohio State game, you probably thought it was for their chance at a championship.

Instead, the Wolverines doubled down and said to the rest of the country that they were still the most dominating run offense in a long time. This led to sophomore Donovan Edwards having back-to-back performances over 185 yards. This group of linemen is the reason they made it look easy against some of the top defenses in the nation.

This group of players has played a lot of football together and has been through all the ups and downs as a unit. You can’t measure this, but when you have a close group of players on the same page, it is beautiful to watch how they play.

Shining Stars:

One theme of Championship Saturday that was prevalent throughout the games is that the stars showed up to play. It truly seemed like the player or unit you expected to see take over in every game did just that.

Starting in the PAC12, Utah has a very tough and experienced defense, which won them the game. Owning the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball was huge for the Utes.

Then jumping to the Big 12, Deuce Vaughn was nearly unstoppable, and it was the major catalyst for Kansas State ruining TCU’s perfect season. He showed elite burst and athleticism, causing fits for the TCU defense. We already talked about the Michigan offensive line. How about Tulane? They showed out on Saturday at every level.

Linebacker Dorian Williams let the rest of the country know how good he is. This carried through every game and was great because that is not always the case. If this was any indication of how bowl season will be, you better buckle up.