Fansided

Highest scoring College Football Playoff game in history

By John Buhler

Roman Wilson, Michigan Wolverines, TCU Horned Frogs. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Roman Wilson, Michigan Wolverines, TCU Horned Frogs. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Points were not at a premium in the 2023 Fiesta Bowl between No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 TCU in their College Football Playoff national semifinal game.

Michigan and TCU started out the 2023 College Football Playoff off with a bang, alright.

In a matchup between the No. 2-seeded Big Ten champion and the No. 3-seeded Big 12 runner-up, the Wolverines and the Horned Frogs were scoring points faster than we could even hope to keep up. It started out as a bit of a field-goal fest before one explosive play after another to pay dirt resulted in points, points and more points! Was this the highest scoring playoff game ever?

With TCU outlasting Michigan 51-45 in an absolute barnburner, this game gave us 96 total points.

College Football Playoff: What is the highest scoring game in playoff history?

These are the highest scoring games in College Football Playoff history to date.

  1. 2018 Rose Bowl (Georgia (54) vs. Oklahoma (48)): 102
  2. 2023 Fiesta Bowl (TCU (51) vs. Michigan (45)): 96
  3. 2019 Peach Bowl (LSU (63) vs. Oklahoma (28)): 91
  4. 2016 National Championship Game (Alabama (45) vs. Clemson (40)): 85
  5. 2023 Peach Bowl (Georgia (42) vs. Ohio State (41)): 83

Just like Michigan’s chance at pulling off one heck of a comeback, the 2023 Fiesta Bowl came up just short of setting an all-time College Football Playoff scoring record. The only game to date that resulted in more points was the 2018 Rose Bowl, the one were Sony Michel scampered to pay dirt in overtime for Georgia over Oklahoma in the Dawgs’ first-ever trip to the College Football Playoff.

That game resulted in 102 combined points. What is crazy is the 2023 Fiesta Bowl matched the number of points scored in regulation at a combined 96 points. Had Michigan scored a touchdown and made the ensuing PAT, it would have been a new playoff record with 103 combined points. Though the Wolverines put up one hell of a fight, it will be the Horned Frogs going to Los Angeles.

Congratulations to the greatest moment in modern TCU football history! Way to go, Horned Frogs!

Next. 3 ways Kirby Smart can dethrone Saban as CFB's GOAT. dark

For more College Football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.

Home/College Football Playoff