LOS ANGELES — TCU starting running back Kendre Miller told ESPN on Saturday that he has a sprained MCL in his right knee, which is about half-healed, and is giving him a 50-50 chance to play Monday against Georgia in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Sofi Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Miller, who said he was wearing a brace on his knee under his black sweatpants at media day, plans to suit up and go through warmups.
“Tomorrow definitely is going to be pretty much the deciding factor if I can go or not, but I’m going to definitely try,” said Miller, who leads the Horned Frogs in rushing with 1,399 yards. “It’s kind of like a 50-50, but I’ll most definitely suit up either way and try.”
Miller said team doctors have left his playing status up to him, and they have seen his MRI and how loose the knee is. Miller said it continues to improve every day, but nobody is going to force him to play if it’s not right.
“If it’s not stabilized, I wouldn’t feel comfortable going out there and playing,” Miller said. “That’s kind of why I didn’t play in the second half of Michigan. I tried.”
Miller had 57 yards on eight carries in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl against the Wolverines before he was injured. He is the only player in Big 12 history to record a rushing touchdown in 13 games in a season and has totaled 17 rushing touchdowns, fourth-most in a season in TCU history and the most since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2000.
TCU coach Sonny Dykes said the staff wanted to give Miller time to rest and recover. The running back woke up Friday “a little sore” but feels better Saturday.
“I think in the next 24 hours we’ll have to make a determination or have a pretty good idea of what he’s going to be able to do going into the game Monday,” Dykes said. “We’re optimistic he’s going to be able to play. We’ll see how he feels today. Today is going to be important. The biggest thing obviously is he’s confident and feels good about it.”
When Miller was injured, the Frogs turned to Emari Demercado, who had a career-high 150 rushing yards against Michigan, the most allowed to a single rusher by the Wolverines this season.
“When Kendrick goes down, you see Emari come in, and those guys, we leaned on them,” quarterback Max Duggan, a Heisman finalist, said of his offensive linemen. “They have kind of a chip on their shoulder to help us and lead us in all of our games. They have an understanding of the type of D-linemen we’re going against and linebackers, all that, but they’re taking a great mindset of they want to be as tough as they can.”
Dykes said establishing a running game against Georgia is critical. The Bulldogs’ defense is tied for No. 2 in the country in rushing touchdowns allowed and second in the FBS in runs over 10 yards allowed. The Bulldogs have not allowed a rushing touchdown of 10 yards or more, the only team to do that this season.
“That’s the thing you have to be able to do,” Dykes said. “If not, you’re playing right into their hands. … I’m not saying you need to rush for 300 yards, but you have to consistently run the ball and stay out of third-and-long situations.”
Demercado, a native of Inglewood, California, the site of this year’s national championship game, had the second 100-yard game of his career in the CFP semifinals and posted his sixth rushing touchdown. He had a total of four rushing scores in his first four seasons at TCU. Demercado’s 622 rushing yards and 5.8 yards per carry are both career highs.
“All of our running backs can do a lot of the same work,” TCU offensive lineman Steve Avila said. “[Demercado] is a tough guy and loves to get those yards, so we’ll do our best to make those holes for him.”
Miller ranks first nationally among active Power 5 players with 6.7 yards per carry in his career. He said his family was flying in for the game Saturday.
“It’s hard mentally to embrace and take it all in, but I’m not going to let my emotions get in the way of my teammates,” Miller said. “I’m going to keep Emari calm and the rest of the dudes on the sideline if I don’t play and be there to support them.”
“I want to play, but what’s right for me is the question. I’ve been fighting it all week, because I know what’s right for me, but it’s just being there for my team. They’re understanding. We have trust in Emari and what he has to do, but I’m going to be there for them no matter what.”
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jake Fraley was activated from the 10-day injured list on Saturday.
He had injured his right shoulder while trying to make a diving catch June 23 against the New York Yankees.
An MRI revealed a partially torn labrum that will eventually require surgery. Fraley received a cortisone shot and will try to play through it for the rest of the season.