Texas Avoids Huge Upset, Needs Overtime To Beat Arizona State In Peach Bowl
Jan 1, 2025, 4:01 PM
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 01: Anthony Hill Jr. #0 of the Texas Longhorns tackles Sam Leavitt #10 of the Arizona State Sun Devils and is called for a face mask during the first quarter in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 01, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA (AP) — Texas avoided the first big upset of the College Football Playoff, hitting a fourth-and-long touchdown pass to keep the game going and beating Cam Skattebo and Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime when an interception by Andrew Mukuba finally ended a Peach Bowl quarterfinal classic Wednesday.
Skattebo led the Sun Devils back from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter and put his team ahead for the first time all day with a 3-yard touchdown run to start overtime against No. 4 Texas (13-2).
HORNS ON TOP 🤘🤘😤#CFAPeachBowl // #HookEm pic.twitter.com/iyiREga56p
— Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (@CFAPeachBowl) January 1, 2025
No. 10 Arizona State — a two-touchdown underdog according to BetMGM Sportsbook — was on the verge of winning when Texas faced fourth-and-13 on its first overtime possession. But Quinn Ewers found Matthew Golden breaking free behind two defenders to haul in a 28-yard touchdown.
After moving to the opposite end of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Ewers threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Helms on the very next play, followed by a 2-point conversion pass to Golden.
The Longhorns finally put Arizona State (11-3) away when Mukuba picked off Sam Leavitt’s pass at the 3 to end the game.
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AND THAT’S THE BALLGAME. 🤘🤘#CFAPeachBowl // #HookEm pic.twitter.com/c1Ioz8TCNf
— Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (@CFAPeachBowl) January 1, 2025
After a bunch of lopsided results through the first five games of the expanded 12-team playoff, the format finally produced a classic that sends Texas back home for a Cotton Bowl semifinal on Jan. 10 against No. 1 Oregon or No. 6 Ohio State, who were facing off in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.
Despite being dominated on the stat sheet most of the game, the Longhorns had a seemingly comfortable 24-8 lead after scoring two early touchdowns and getting a 5-yard scoring run from Ewers with just over 10 minutes remaining.
But Skattebo and the Sun Devils were just getting warmed up.
OH MY CAM SKATTEBO 🔥#CFAPeachBowl // #ForksUp pic.twitter.com/vyU6Nrsj9U
— Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (@CFAPeachBowl) January 1, 2025
The running back who calls himself the best in the nation, Skattebo backed up his bravado with a performance for the ages, showing every facet of his all-around game.
First, he took a pitch on fourth-and-2 and heaved a 42-yard touchdown pass to Malik McClain that gave the Sun Devils a chance when they made the 2-point conversion.
Then, Skattebo broke loose down the sideline and hauled in a 62-yard throw from Leavitt — getting his helmet ripped off at the end of the play, which seemed like the only way to bring him down.
That set up a 2-yard touchdown run by the bowling ball of a back, and it was only appropriate that Skattebo also powered in for the 2-point conversion that tied the game at 24 with 5 minutes remaining.
Texas had a pair of chances to win in regulation, but Bert Auburn was wide right on a 48-yard field goal attempt and clanked one off the left upright from 38 yards away as time expired.
