4 biggest surprises from incredible TCU-Michigan semifinal

It may be Day 365 of 2022, but it's probably safe to say that Saturday's College Football Playoff semifinal between TCU and Michigan is the game of the year.

The underdog Horned Frogs raced out to a 21-6 halftime lead before an absurd second half saw the teams trade blows. TCU ultimately emerged with a 51-45 victory.

Here are the top four surprises from one of the best games in CFP history.

TCU was more physical than Michigan

Outside of Georgia, there's no team in the country that leans on physicality more than Michigan. The Wolverines' offense rode the nation's top offensive line to produce the No. 3 rushing attack at the FBS level. The potent offense was widely expected to have its way with the overmatched TCU defensive line. But the opposite was true in Arizona.

Despite losing star running back Kendre Miller to injury in the opening half, the Horned Frogs ran wild over Michigan's vaunted defense throughout the contest. The final team tally of 263 yards and three touchdowns is over 175 yards more than Michigan allowed per game this season. With Miller on the sidelines, Emari Demercado stepped up with the game of his life versus the Wolverines. The fifth-year senior was playing in his 45th career collegiate contest and topped the 100-yard plateau for the first time. He finished with 150 yards on 17 carries in the win.

On the other side, Michigan couldn't do anything on the ground against TCU's front. Excluding Donovan Edwards' 54-yard run on the opening drive, the sophomore running back totaled just 65 yards on 22 carries. The Wolverines' inability to move the ball on the ground forced J.J. McCarthy to lead the offense through the air. While the sophomore passer piled up 343 yards and two touchdown tosses, he also threw two backbreaking pick-6s to the opportunistic Horned Frogs defense.

There were 44 points in the 3rd quarter

It doesn't seem like a stretch to say the third quarter of Saturday's game was the most outrageous in CFP history. An absolute track meet erupted following halftime, with the teams combining for a whopping 44 points in a 15-minute span.

That 44-point explosion is the most in a single quarter of a CFP game in the format's history. Both teams scored three touchdowns, with the Wolverines also adding a field goal. The offensive units combined for six plays over 30 yards, including Quentin Johnston's 76-yard touchdown reception.

Michigan allowed 50-plus points

Michigan's defense entered the contest as the third-ranked outfit in the nation, allowing just 13.4 points per contest this season. TCU apparently didn't get that memo, as the Horned Frogs moved the ball at will on the Wolverines. TCU's 51 points represent the first time in 1,127 days that Michigan allowed over 50 points in a game and almost tripled the previous highest output by a Wolverines opponent on the campaign.

It also marked the most success by TCU against a top-two opponent ... by a considerable margin.

While the output is certainly a surprise against a defense the quality of Michigan, Saturday is the fourth time the Horned Frogs topped the 50-point mark in a contest this season.

RG III's wife went into labor during the broadcast

One of the great things about the CFP is that ESPN puts up several different telecasts to enjoy the product. One of those featured Robert Griffin III as part of a sideline crew and led to an incredible live TV moment. While broadcasting the game, the former Baylor star received a call that his wife was going into labor, which prompted him to sprint out of the stadium.