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Pete ThamelESPN
TCU has agreed to a new contract with coach Sonny Dykes, sources told ESPN, rewarding him for the jolt of adrenaline he delivered to the program that has culminated with the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance.
Dykes’ contract has been extended a year through 2028, according to sources, who indicated that his pay will be boosted to be near the top levels of the Big 12. For comparison, Oklahoma State‘s Mike Gundy made $7.5 million in 2022.
The Horned Frogs are 12-1 in Dykes’ first season, resuscitating a program that went 5-7 in 2021 and saw legendary coach Gary Patterson get pushed out during the season.
Dykes’ team became known around college football for its dramatic finishes, authoring a spree of comeback wins, notching a last-second run-off field goal and staying undefeated until an overtime loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 title game.
Picked to finish seventh in the Big 12, TCU instead became just the second team in the history of the CFP to begin the season unranked and end up in the playoff, joining Michigan in 2021.
No. 3 TCU will face No. 2 Michigan in the CFP semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31.
Dykes came to TCU after going 30-18 at SMU the previous five years. He hired a strong staff, as offensive coordinator Garrett Riley won the Broyles Award as the country’s top assistant coach and defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie’s group has given up 25 points per game, nearly 12 less than TCU did in 2021.
TCU quarterback Max Duggan, who didn’t begin the year as a starter, is a Heisman Trophy finalist after throwing for 3,321 yards and 30 touchdowns and rushing for six scores.