Texas Survives Comeback From Arizona State to Advance

© Sara Diggins/American-Statesman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

No. 5 Texas (13-2, 7-1) held on in double overtime to beat No. 4 Arizona State (11-3, 7-2) 39-31 in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The game was played on Jan. 1, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.

The game started with a long drive from Arizona State that stalled at the Texas 22-yard line with a Carston Kieffer 39-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead. Texas would then get the ball and on their first play. Quarterback Quinn Ewers would connect with Matthew Golden on a 54-yard pass. The next play would be another Ewers completion to DeAndre Moore for a 23-yard touchdown, giving Texas a 7-3 lead.

The Sun Devils would go three-and-out on the next drive, leading to a punt that Silas Bolden returned for a 75-yard TD to give Texas a 14-3 lead 7:52 into the game. That start made you believe Texas was on its way to a blowout win. But this frantic pace to start the game would not continue and Texas only scored another field goal in the first half to take a 17-3 halftime lead.

The second half would start with Arizona State slowly shifting momentum in their favor after forcing a safety and kicking another Kieffer field goal in the third quarter to make it 17-8 going into the final quarter.

Texas would start the fourth quarter off like they have done in so many close games this season and score a touchdown on an Ewers 5-yard run to put the game away. But Cam Skattebo would have a different plan. The Arizona State offense would wake up and score their first TD in the game on a 42-yard half-back pass from Skattebo to Malik McClain. Ewers would throw an interception, to Javan Robinson, on Texas' next possession. On the first play of the next drive, quarterback Sam Leavitt would connect on a pass to Skattebo for 62 yards with a facemask penalty on Texas. Two plays later, Skattebo would punch in another touchdown rush of two yards to tie the game at 24-24. Texas would have two chances to win in regulation but Bert Auburn missed two field goals, one at 49 yards and another at 38 yards out as time expired.

Arizona State would start overtime with the ball and finish that drive with a Skattebo 3-yard TD. Texas would answer on fourth-and-13 with an Ewers-to-Golden 28-yard TD pass to tie it up. The next Texas possession was a one-play score on a 25-yard TD connection between Ewers and Helm. Texas would convert the 2-point conversion to take a 39-31 lead. Arizona State would have another shot but came up short when Leavitt threw an interception to seal the game for the Longhorns.

What Texas Did Right

Texas' defense played well until the last seven minutes of the game, frustrating Skattebo and Leavitt for over three quarters. Arizona State's offense was able to move the ball most of the second half but when they got to the red zone, the Texas defense stood up and made the stop. Outside of the one interception, Ewers played a clean game completing 20-30 passes for 322 yards 3 touchdowns and that one interception. Even on the safety against the Longhorns' offense, Ewers saved his team 5 points because Quintrevion Wisner fumbled and Ewers recovered the ball getting tackled for a safety.

Even with the Sun Devils having all the momentum going into overtime and scoring first, the Texas defense would find a way to seal the game and send coach Steve Sarkisian and Texas to the semifinals

Skattebo Peach Bowl MVP

On rare occasions, the losing team has a player who plays so well that they come home with the MVP trophy. That was the case for the outstanding Sun Devil running back. He ran for 143 yards and two TDs against a defense that gives up 111.8 yards per game. Skattebo also made plays in the passing game, completing that pass for 42 yards and a touchdown plus a team-leading 99 yards receiving.

What is Next?

Texas has moved on to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff to face No. 8 Ohio State (12-2, 7-2) in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. The winner of that game will make the national championship game.

Arizona State has entered the offseason having a great season to look back on. They went from 3-9 in 2023 to 11-3 this season. Leavitt will return to lead the Sun Devils in 2025, but he will have to do that without Skattebo. Head coach Kenny Dillingham is building something special in Tempe, Ariz. Now, it is time for him to continue to grow the Sun Devils brand.