The discarded JJ McCarthy quote shows that Michigan may not have taken TCU seriously.
As TCU heads into the National Championship game, JJ McCarthy and the rest of the Michigan Wolverines will be watching at home from the couch…just like last year…
Michigan did not lose a game all season, as the Wolverines swept 12 regular season roster games to perfection. Despite being more than the Purdue Boilermakers can handle in the Big Ten Championship game, the Wolverines clearly weren’t ready to play a full four quarters with the TCU Horned Frogs. Michigan lost a heartbreaking 2023 Fiesta Bowl to UCLA, 51-45.
To make matters worse, McCarthy’s quote before the National Semifinals about not facing Ohio State in a rematch in the semifinals sounds even worse by the second.
“A little in depth, but hopefully we can see them in the big game. It’s the best of both worlds.” [Ohio State or Georgia]JJ McCarthy said of Ohio State not seeing the national semifinals, “Honestly, whoever it is, we’re going to be ready for it.”
If Michigan had taken care of business, the Ohio State or Georgia Wolverines could have met in Los Angeles …
JJ McCarthy put the cart before the horse, as Michigan overlooked its big time for TCU
It may have been McCarthy’s first playoff start, but a lot of Michigan’s team this year was part of last season’s great team. Cady McNamara may have been under center, but McCarthy should have known better than to overlook an opponent like he did with UCLA. As for the Horned Frogs, Sonny Dykes became the first Big 12 team to ever win a playoff game!
To be honest, if it weren’t for Michigan’s slow start, or a pair of McCarthy Pick-Sits, the Wolverines would have been waiting for their national championship rival, instead of turning the page to next season. McCarthy eventually settled down, but the stage seemed too bright for him, at least at first. No doubt about it, he’ll grow out of this, but that’s a huge growing pain.
Ultimately, Michigan should be in great shape again next season to contend for its third straight Big Ten crown and a possible return trip to the College Football Playoff. However, winning the Big Ten is getting tougher by the year, and Michigan has squandered its best two seasons under Jim Harbaugh without a single playoff win. Maybe the third time could be a charm?
Expect McCarthy to return to Ann Arbor fully committed to avenging that mistake in 2023.
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